How To Connect An Xbox One Controller To A Pc
The preferred method of play for shooter and strategy games is to use a computer mouse and keyboard. However, there are a few instances where having a controller is ideal. Titles such as Immortals Fenyx Rising and Assassins Creed Valhalla, although playable with a keyboard and mouse, are more intuitive with an Xbox controller. To help, well walk you through connecting your Xbox One controller to your PC so you can play Xbox games on Windows.
S To Connect Xbox One To A Laptop Running Windows 10
Playing With A Gaming Monitor
If you find yourself looking to step up your gaming performance, your laptop screen may not quite cut it. Whether you feel the screen isnt big enough, it doesnt have the right resolution, or if you want a higher refresh rate, investing in the best Xbox One X gaming monitor might be the better alternative than playing on a tiny laptop screen.
But what should you look for when it comes to gaming monitor specifications? Below are a few aspects to consider before buying a new monitor.
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How To Stream Your Pc To Your Xbox One Or Series X / S
Any Windows 10 or 11 PC that can connect to Wi-Fi will support casting to a wireless display, but youll need to download a free app for the Xbox.
- Navigate on the console to the Microsoft Store and download the Wireless Display app to your Xbox.
- Once the app is installed on the console, open it up. It will display a message saying that your console is now ready to be connected to your PC. The app also mentions a very helpful hint to keep in mind: the controller can switch between gamepad and keyboard / mouse control modes by pressing the menu and view buttons .
The Wireless Display apps landing screen, running and ready to connect on an Xbox console.
- Head over to your PC. Once youre ready to stream some content, press the keyboard combo Windows + K. Alternatively, you can click Connect to a wireless display in the Display menu of the System settings. Either way, the next screen will show your consoles name.
Be sure to select this button allowing inputs if you want to play streamed PC games from your Xbox with a controller.
- From here, you can choose to extend whats on your PC monitor, duplicate it, or set the display on the Xbox as your second screen. For our purposes, we set it as a duplicate so that the Xbox display mirrored our PC monitor.
This small taskbar gives you easy access to streaming modes and disconnecting.The option to stream the audio to your Xbox is in the playback device list, when you click the volume icon in the system tray.
Why Would You Need To Use Your Laptop As A Monitor

Most people would use their television to play video games, but in some cases, people have to resort to other options for mobility and comfort. A laptop is especially convenient when you have no access to a television or monitor. Moreover, people who dont have a display device usually overlook the fact that they can use their laptop as an alternative screen.
If youre wondering whether or not you can use your laptop as a monitor for your Xbox One, youre in the right place. Below are two detailed methods on how you can connect your Xbox One to your laptop.
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Xbox Gameplay From Your Windows Pc
Now you know how to connect your Xbox to a Windows PC, you can take full advantage of the multimedia capabilities of both devices. Using the Xbox app, you can stream and control your Xbox from your PC, as well as stream other types of media content from your PC to your Xbox the other way.
For classic game fans, the Xbox gives you the perfect excuse to pick up the controller, with great backwards compatibility with older Xbox consoles. If youre a subscriber to Xbox Game Pass, you can even play your Game Pass games on PC, with access shared across your Microsoft account.
Ben Stockton is a freelance technology writer based in the United Kingdom. In a past life, Ben was a college lecturer in the UK, training teens and adults. Since leaving the classroom, Ben has taken his teaching experience and applied it to writing tech how-to guides and tutorials, specialising in Linux, Windows, and Android. He has a degree in History and a postgraduate qualification in Computing. Read Ben’s Full Bio
Can You Use A Laptop As A Monitor For Xbox
A few variables are required to determine the answer to this question, but generally, you can use your laptop as a display monitor for your Xbox One. You can use your laptop as a monitor when playing Xbox provided your laptop has an HDMI port. If it doesnt, you can use a USB HDMI adapter or connect your Xbox One to your laptop wirelessly by using the XBOX app which you can find in Windows Store. By using your laptop as a screen, you would be making the laptop an input device and the Xbox an output device .
This mechanism requires the two devices to communicate. An HDMI cable can be used to bridge this gap. An HDMI cable is part of a standard operating procedure by people who want to display content on other screens.
Usually, a laptop is an output device, as it sends signals to bigger screens via the HDMI cable. The content on the device is then displayed on the bigger screens. Because of this circumstance, most companies only equip their laptops with an HDMI output port. However, to display your Xbox One on the laptop, you would need an HDMI input port. So, the simple answer is that if your Laptops HDMI port can receive input, you can use it as a display for the Xbox One.
To find out if your laptop is capable of receiving an input HDMI source or not, you can follow these simple steps:
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But Why Use Your Xbox One With A Laptop
Well the portability and ease of use is one of the major reasons why we do it. Other than that a laptop occupies lesser space and are also a better investment in comparison to a monitor.
Now lets discuss the necessary methods to discuss Xbox one with your laptop. The easiest method to connect your Xbox one to your laptop is using an HDMI cable.
If you are not willing to invest in an HDMI cable, Ill also share another method at the end that can also be used for connecting Xbox to laptop screen. Check out both the methods and decide which one works the best for you
Connect Your Pc To The Xbox One To Allow For Streaming
With your Xbox One settings out of the way, you can move to your PC. All Windows 10 PCs come with the Xbox One Companion app, as was the case before Windows 10. If you somehow dont have it, you can get it from the Microsoft store here.
To set up your computer to accept streams from the Xbox One, follow these steps:
If youre having trouble finding your consoles name, heres how to find it.
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The Xbox App On Windows 10
The Xbox app is an integral part of the Windows 10 experience for gamers, as it allows you to do a number of activities that, until now, were only able to be completed directly on an Xbox One.
The Xbox app allows you to control the admin side of your Xbox Live account, as well as join parties via your PC to talk to your Xbox One comrades. Windows also supports cross-platform multiplayer for supported games.
You can also use the Xbox app as a remote control for your Xbox One, with a swipe gesture interface for touch-enabled devices and a standard button layout for those of us who dont have a touch-based input.
The best feature of the Xbox app is the ability to connect to and stream directly from your Xbox One to your PC from anywhere in the world, as long as you have an active Wi-Fi connection.
Simply plug your Xbox One controller into your PC/laptop, connect to your Xbox and click Stream to get going. With Xbox gaming now available on PC, it only makes sense to include a DVR and thats exactly what Microsoft has done.
Now, you can quickly and easily record both gameplay videos and take screenshots while playing both Xbox and PC games.
Stream Xbox Games To Your Phone Or Tablet
For on-the-go Xbox gaming, download the Xbox app for your Android or iOS device, sign in, and connect a controller to your phone. An Xbox One controller will do nicely, especially paired with a foldable clip, though you can also use mobile controllers designed for iPhones, iPads, and Android devices like the Gamevice.
From the Xbox app on your phone or tablet, tap the Connection icon in the upper-right cornerit’s the one that looks like an Xbox with radio waves coming out of it . Tap the console in question, then choose Remote Play on This Device to start a remote session. Remember, the closer you are to the router, the better your experience will be over Wi-Fi.
Note that the Series X may have one or two quirks at this time as well, though in my experience it can vary from game to game. Forza Horizon 4, for example, currently has a bug when streaming from the the Series X where moving the joystick also presses the corresponding D-Pad button. Other users report audio crackling when streaming with the latest Xboxes.
While it is now physically possible to stream from your new console to a mobile device, it hasnt been perfected yet. Hopefully, Microsoft and developers will continue to improve the experience as they roll out more streaming support for the Series X and S.
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How To Connect Your Xbox One Controller To A Pc Via Bluetooth
1. Power on your Xbox One wireless controller.
2. Press and hold the Bind and Xbox buttons on your controller for three seconds, and wait until the controller’s backlight or Xbox button begins to rapidly flicker.
3. Power up your PC, then head to “Settings,” then click “Devices” then “Bluetooth & other devices.”
4. Enable Bluetooth.
5. Select “Add Bluetooth or other device, and then either “Bluetooth” or “Everything Else.” After that’s clicked, your computer will begin searching for nearby Bluetooth devices currently on.
6. Select “Xbox Wireless Controller” or “Xbox Elite Wireless Controller” if you’re using an Elite controller. Windows will configure your controller so you can use it.
Stream Xbox Games To Windows Pc

You can stream Xbox games to your PC from the tab Telecommunications In the Xbox Console Companion app.
On the Communications tab, press the . button Stream To start streaming Xbox One content to your computer.
Once you’ve created the broadcast, you’ll need to decide if you want to connect Xbox One controller to your computer or continue playing it from your Xbox. If your Xbox is a little further away, you may want to connect it to your PC. Once you are ready to proceed, tap on Continue“.
With your Xbox controller, you can navigate the Xbox One menu as usual. You can play any game by selecting it from a list My games and apps.
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How To Connect Your Xbox One Controller Using Usb
Here’s how you can connect your Xbox One controller using a USB cord:
Step 1: Use a micro USB cable to connect your Xbox One controller to your PC.
Step 2: If you have a wireless controller, simply use your charging cable.
Step 3: If you have a wired controller, you can just plug it in like you would with your console.
How To Connect Xbox One To Pc Monitor With Hdmi
This article is for those who have an Xbox One and the necessary cables to connect it to a PC monitor with an HDMI port. This allows you to play your games on the big screen. There are a few things that you should keep in mind when setting up your Xbox One with a PC monitor. First, make sure that your TV is connected to the same HDMI input as the Xbox One. You can also use the auxiliary input if you dont have an HDMI port or cable running from your TV to your monitor. If this option is unavailable, consider connecting via component cables or using an older television without HDMI ports.
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Remote Play Lets You Stream Games From Your Xbox To Your Phone Tablet Or Pc It’s Convenient And Easy To Use But You Will Have To Set It Up First Here’s How To Get Started Streaming Your Xbox Games Locally
Image: Microsoft
If you have an Xbox, it goes without saying that the best experience is sitting on your couch in front of a big HDR TV with good gaming features. But sometimes your TV isn’t availablemaybe you’re out of the house, someone else is hogging the living room, or youre just too lazy to get out of bed for some Gears of War. Microsoft has you covered with Remote Play, allowing you to stream games from your Xbox right to your phone, tablet, or PC.
It should be noted that this is different from Xbox Cloud Gaming , which streams games from Microsofts own servers to your device. Remote Play renders those games on your home Xbox to another device. The feature doesn’t require an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, but you will need a compatible controller.
Remote Play is a convenient feature that is easy to use, but you will have to set it up first. Here’s how to get started streaming your Xbox games locally.
Setting Up Xbox Sharing On The Pc
Connect the Xbox to your home network using a network cable or, if the Xbox has a wireless adapter, using the wireless connection.
Next, make sure your computer has Windows XP Service Pack 2 or a later version of Windows . Additionally, Windows Media Player 11 or higher must be installed on your computer.
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How To Connect Your Xbox To Your Windows Pc
Stream games and media both ways
As a Windows-based device, the Xbox has a lot in common with a typical Windows PC. The Xbox is one of the best consoles for interacting with a Windows PC, with the ability to stream games, share media content, and more. If you want a seamless multimedia experience, combining the Xbox and a Windows PC makes sense.
As long as you have the correct network setup, its an easy process to connect an Xbox to a PC. Youll need both devices on the same network and, if you want to stream content, an ethernet connection is preferred. If you want to know how to connect your Xbox to a Windows PC, heres what youll need to do.
How To Reconnect Your Xbox Controller To Your Console
When using your Xbox controller wirelessly, you can turn the controller off by holding the Xbox button on it for around five seconds. When the light goes out, the controller is off.
Keep in mind that if your Xbox controller is already paired to your console, pressing the Xbox button will turn the system on. You should still be able to pair it wirelessly using either of the methods above, but you’ll probably want to turn your console off after you do so .
After you connect your Xbox controller to a PC using any method above, you’ll need to re-pair the controller with your Xbox next time you want to use it there. To do this with the wired method, connect the controller to your Xbox using a USB cable, then press the Xbox button to pair.
To pair the controller wirelessly, press the pairing button on the system. It’s to the left of the disc tray on the original Xbox One, and at the bottom-right of the front panel under the power button on the Xbox One S and Xbox One X. On Xbox Series S|X, it’s next to the USB port at the front of the system.
After hitting this button, turn on your controller by hitting the Xbox button, then hold the Pair button on the top to pair it.
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