Which Is The Best Option For Me
If youve already got an Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S and youre not interested in playing retro Xbox games or online PC games, the Xbox app is probably the best option for you. Its also the most simple option to set up plus its the only option if youve got an iPhone.
For those that want to play Xbox classics and PC games as well as current Xbox games, the cloud may be worth trying. If you havent got an Xbox, it could be cheaper than buying a console while the Game Pass Ultimate will cost you $14.99 per month, it will take you years before you make up the cost of a Xbox Series X/S. Just remember that you need an Android device in order to pursue this option.
Enable Remote Features On Your Xbox Console
Pair Your Controller To Your Iphone Or Ipad
Your iPhone or iPad is now paired to your Xbox controller. If you are having trouble connecting, take a look at our extensive guide on the matter.
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How To Cast To Xbox One From Your Smartphone
Desperate to share smartphone videos to your TV? Here’s how to make it easy by casting to your Xbox One using Android and iPhone.
You’ve got your phone in your hand and you want to share a video with gathered friends or family. There’s no wireless streaming option for the TV, no Chromecast, Fire TV—just an Xbox One. Is there a way to cast to an Xbox One console?
Thanks to Miracast, AirPlay, and third-party apps, mirroring your phone to an Xbox One is simple. Here’s what you need to know.
Setting Up Xbox Cloud Gaming

To set up cloud gaming for Xbox, youll need to first sign up for a Game Pass Ultimate subscription, which costs $1 on the first month and $14.99 on every succeeding month. Then, download the Xbox Game Pass app from the Google Play Store or the Samsung Galaxy Store. Youll see two versions of this app: one that has a green backdrop and the other that has a white backdrop . Youll want to download the one with the green backdrop because this is the more stable version.
After all thats done, pair your Bluetooth-enabled controller with your smartphone, and youre all set to stream Xbox games from the cloud.
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Can You Download Xbox Games From Disc
Xbox update will let you download and install games before you buy them. For disc buyers, this means you can play your new game as soon as you pop the disc in rather than waiting hours for it to download, install and patch. At least, thats a feature found in the new Xbox app for Android, which is currently in beta.
How To Play Xbox Games On A Phone Through Cloud
But, what if youd rather play games without downloading them? Furthermore, what if you dont even own an Xbox console? You can still play games through Xbox cloud gaming. The service, formerly called xCloud, will let you instantly launch any supported Xbox game. Microsofts servers run the game in the background and then send the feed to you via streaming protocol, so youll feel like you are playing on the top graphics card without the need to actually get one.
For this, youll need two things a fast Internet connection and an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Game Pass has become a must-have for gamers, as it not only offers Xbox game streaming but also grants access to hundreds of Xbox and PC games to download. There are also perks in multiplayer games and sometimes even free subscriptions for other popular services. It costs $15 a month, but you dont need a console to subscribe.
To start playing via xCloud, first, you need to download and install the Xbox Game Pass app. Then, launch the app and sign in to the Microsoft account you have activated the subscription on.
The app will list a massive collection of games, but only some of them can be streamed. To play Xbox games on a mobile device, tap on the Cloud button in the top menu. Find the game youd like to play, tap on the green Play button, wait for the stream to start, and off you go.
Alternatively, you can visit Xbox.com/play in your browser and launch streaming through that page.
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Can I Get Wifi Without Internet Provider
Depending on where in the world you live, there may be a lot of public WiFi hotspots available around you. These are great options to access WiFi without an internet provider. There are also networks of private WiFi hotspots that offer premium prepaid internet access thats much cheaper than using mobile data.
Playing Xbox Games On Your Phone Via The Xbox App
The Xbox app allows you to connect your phone to your console from any location. This allows you to remotely play all games downloaded onto your Xbox. You can also manage console space and even delete games on your Xbox using the app. You can also download and share gameplay clips and screenshots.
To start playing you will need
- An Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S
- A smartphone
- The Xbox app
- A bluetooth controller
- A good internet connection
Youll need at least iOS 13 or Android 6.0 to download and play on the app. An internet connection of over 7 Mbps is necessary . You unfortunately cannot play games from the Xbox 360 or original Xbox via the app.
To set up your Xbox for mobile remote play, turn on your console. Press the Xbox button on your controller. Then select Profile and System> Settings> Devices and Connections> Remote Features. From here, scroll down to Power Mode and select Instant On.
Your Xbox is now set up for remote play. Now to set up your mobile and controller. Go into your phones bluetooth settings and start by pairing the controller. After this, download and open the Xbox app and then sign in using your Microsoft account. Once youre signed in, tap select My Library> Consoles. You should be able to see your console listed in the options. Tap Remote Play On This Device. Youre now ready to play Xbox remotely on your mobile.
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Important Notes On Game Streaming
Now that you know how to play Xbox video games on a phone, here are a few things to keep in mind before you dive into the vast catalog of Game Pass titles.
First of all, cloud streaming is still not available worldwide. Unlike consoles and even Game Pass, Microsoft is yet to open up streaming to a broader audience. Visit the list of currently supported countries to check whether cloud streaming is available in your region or the country youre planning to travel to. You may need to get a good VPN for your phone if the service isnt available where you live.
It should go without saying, but when you stream Xbox games on the phone, you can quickly spend your entire monthly mobile plan. Unlike Netflix, the stream both receives and sends the data at a high refresh rate.
Lastly, the platform is still in beta, according to Microsoft. There are still some unironed kinks here and there, so you may run it some stuttering, lose your connection, or the app can even crash. Microsoft is constantly improving the app, so all the problems we ran into may very well be gone by the time your read this. In any case, its a great way to play Xbox games remotely, especially since you dont even need to own any dedicated gaming hardware.
What Youll Need To Get Started
This is the number one thing as youre going to need some specialist equipment and subscriptions to be able to get going using Cloud Gaming on your phone.
First off, what phone do you have? If you have a relatively recent Android phone, youll be able to use this service by downloading the Xbox Games Pass app directly from the .
Note the name of the app as there are a few different Microsoft and Xbox apps in the store, but youll specifically need the Xbox Games Pass one to move any further.
How do you know if your Android phone or tablet is compatible? If it features Android 6 Marshmallow as well as Bluetooth 4.0 technology or above youll be able to use this.
Apple implemented rules on its App Store that meant Microsoft would have to individually submit games for classification. Microsoft didnt like that, so it hasnt included the Cloud Gaming service on the Apple App Store yet.
A new feature is coming to the iPhone Xbox app in the near future that will allow you to stream Xbox games directly from your console at home to your iOS phone, but this is a different service compared to xCloud streaming functionality.
If you can download that app from Google Play Store, youll be able to play titles. And dont worry about the computing power of your device here. Everything is handled by Microsofts own servers, and instead youll just be watching a stream of the game youre playing.
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Why Xbox Game Pass For Android Is An Awesome Feature
It sells itself, really. If you like games, Game Pass is one of the best values around. Giving you unlimited access to all those games for a single monthly fee. But Microsoft understands that sometimes you may want to game and not be at home. Thats why it came up with the cloud gaming feature for Game Pass.
This lets you access a ton of the games that Game Pass offers from your mobile device as long as you have an internet connection. Which is pretty darn cool. Not only that, but since its tied to your Xbox account, all of your progress is saved. And you can still play with friends and unlock achievements.
All-in-all its a high value feature that lets you continue playing games just about anywhere.
Playing Xbox Games On Your Phone Via Microsoft Xcloud

Microsoft xCloud allows you to play games off the cloud rather than connecting you to your console. In fact, you dont even need to own an Xbox console to play games on Microsoft xCloud. You will however need a Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
Currently, Microsoft xCloud is in its beta phase, so expect a few bugs compared to playing via the Xbox app. A big drawback to Microsoft xCloud is that it is only available to Android phone users if youre an iOS user you wont be able to play games on Microsoft xCloud .
To play games via Microsoft xCloud, the ingredients you will need include
- An Android smartphone
- A bluetooth controller
- A good internet connection
Android users must be using 6.0 or above. An internet connection of 10 Mbps is recommended when playing via the cloud.
Start by subscribing to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate . You can subscribe to this online on your phone. Then download the Game Pass app onto your phone.
Go into the bluetooth settings of your phone and connect your controller. As this will be on an Android device, the steps should look a bit like this settings> connected devices> pair a new device. Press and hold the controllers Pair button and then tap Pair on your phone. Your controller should be connected.
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How To Connect An Xbox To An Iphone
This article was written by Jack Lloyd. Jack Lloyd is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. He has over two years of experience writing and editing technology-related articles. He is technology enthusiast and an English teacher.The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article’s instructions and verified that they work. This article has been viewed 46,469 times.
This wikiHow teaches you how to play media from your iPhone on your Xbox One through a mutually supported app like Netflix, or by using the official Xbox app.
How To Tell If Your Xbox Controller Is Bluetooth Ready
Plastic around the Xbox button is connected to the main body of the controller
Examples:
Xbox Wireless Controllers accompanying the Xbox Series X and Xbox One X, Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, or Xbox Design Lab controller.
Plastic surrounding the Xbox button continues around the top of the controller
Examples:
Original controller accompanying the Xbox One console or the original Xbox Elite Wireless Controller
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Control Your Xbox One On Your Phone
After you connect your Xbox One to your phone successfully, you can see there is a remote icon in the bottom-right corner of the app screen. You can just tap it and then you will go to a black screen that features four face buttons, the home button, the view button, and the menu button.
You can drag your finger across the screen to choose a tile and then press A to confirm it.
Now, you should know how to connect your phone to your Xbox One and how to use the Xbox app to control your Xbox One on your phone. On the other hand, you can also connect your Xbox One to your computer. We find a guide for you: 3 Simple Ways to Connect Xbox One Controller to a Windows PC.
Does Your Xbox Controller Have Bluetooth
Your iPhone connects to game controllers using Bluetooth. This means that any controller you connect needs to have Bluetooth, too.
Luckily, nearly all official Xbox controllers have Bluetooth. This includes the controllers that come with the Xbox One S, Xbox One X, and Xbox Series X/S. So if you’ve bought your controller within the last five years, you probably don’t need to worry.
If you’re still using the controllers that came with the original Xbox One, however, you might need to upgrade.
There’s an easy way to tell if your Xbox One controller has Bluetooth. A Bluetooth-capable Xbox One controller has plastic around the Xbox button that matches the rest of the controller’s color. Non-Bluetooth controllers instead have plastic that matches the color of the bumper buttons.
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How To Play Xbox Games With A Mobile Phone
The player will also need the Xbox app on their mobile device, a Microsoft account with an Xbox profile, and a decent WiFi or data connection and speed. Once the app has been downloaded on the mobile device, the app can quickly run through setting up the devices and connecting them.
On the opening screen of the app, players will need to either sign in to their current Microsoft account or create a new one. Once logged in the player can set up a new console or connect to a currently set up console. This will notify the player of what they can do once they have turned on remote features for their device including, installing games remotely to the console, using Xbox remote play, and turning on/controlling the console. This also is a direct way for players, once their account and console are linked, to share their screenshots and activities within their games.
After selecting whichever applies, it will prompt the player to log in on their console and then press the Enable option on the console to connect. After hitting enable, the console will prepare to test the set up and the mobile device will give the player the option to name the console. The test will allow the player to see what in their set up they may need to change and what might cause issues in the future for trying to play remotely. This includes how the console is connected to the internet, whether the Bluetooth of the controller or any other item in the system needs updating.
How To Set Up Xbox Cloud Gaming On Ios
Xbox Cloud Gaming has finally arrived on the best iPhone and iPad, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can finally access over 100 titles from the Xbox Game Pass library, including all of Microsoft’s first-party offerings. Apple users might be wondering how to get started, well it’s actually pretty simple. So grab your favorite controller and get ready to dive into a world of excellent titles. Here’s how to set up Xbox Cloud Gaming on iOS.
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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.