sudo robotctl pad forget

sudo robotctl pad forget 78:86:2E:BB:13:28

This removes the robot’s half of the bond, which is all a robot can remove.

The pad keeps its half

The pad retains its own key, so pairing it again needs it back in pairing mode. Otherwise it arrives with a key this robot no longer has and the bond is refused.

An Xbox pad holds one host bond

This hard limit is worth remembering on its own. A half-completed attempt leaves the pad holding a key this board no longer has — and that failure looks exactly like a broken board.

If pairing keeps failing: pair the pad to a laptop once and remove it there. That consumes and releases its bond slot. Putting it in pairing mode alone does not reliably do so.