Software & Apps Apps 63 63 people found this article helpful The 17 Best Xbox One Apps Check out apps for music, sports, movies, and education by Jeremy Laukkonen Writer Jeremy Laukkonen is tech writer and the creator of a popular blog and video game startup. He also ghostwrites articles for numerous major trade publications. our editorial process Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Jeremy Laukkonen Updated on November 11, 2019 reviewed by Jessica Kormos Lifewire Tech Review Board Member Jessica Kormos is a writer and editor with 15 years' experience writing articles, copy, and UX content for Tecca.com, Rosenfeld Media, and many others. our review board Article reviewed on Jul 31, 2020 Jessica Kormos Tweet Share Email Xbox Buyer's Guide Xbox Buyer's Guide Introduction Xbox Basics Best Xbox 360 Console For You Xbox Basics The Original Xbox One Xbox Family Settings What Is Xbox Live? How Much Does Xbox Live Cost? What is Xbox Live Gold? Buying Xbox Live Gold Xbox One Console Bundles Xbox One Exclusives Best Xbox One Games The Best Xbox One Games The Best Xbox One X Games Best Multiplayer Xbox One Games Best First-Person Shooter Games Best Xbox One RPGs Best Xbox One War Games Best Xbox One Kids Games Best Xbox One Sports Games Best Split-Screen Xbox One Games Best Xbox One Fantasy Games Best Co-Op Games on Xbox One Best Xbox One Racing Games Best Xbox One Zombie Games Best Open-World Xbox One Games Best Xbox One Strategy Games Best Xbox One Puzzle Games Best Xbox 360 Games Best Xbox 360 Games By Genre Best Xbox 360 Kinect Games Best Xbox 360 Games Best Xbox 360 Local Multiplayer Games Best Xbox 360 RPGs Best Xbox 360 First-Person Shooters Best Xbox 360 Fighting Games Best Kids Xbox 360 & Kinect Games Xbox Essentials Best Xbox One Accessories Best Xbox One Headsets Best Xbox Controllers Best Xbox One Apps Xbox Reviews Xbox One Elite Controller Review Xbox One Energizer Charging System Review Xbox One S Controller Review Xbox One X Review Xbox One Chatpad Review The main reason to buy an Xbox One is to play games, but if that's all you use your console for, you're leaving a lot of meat on the bone. Xbox One apps provide access to a ton of video content, including your favorite movies and TV shows, but it doesn't end there. Here's a list of the best Xbox One apps for movies, music, sports, and more. There are standouts in each category and apps that have great built-in controls, without resorting to a virtual mouse. If you see any apps you want to grab for your own Xbox One, click the corresponding link to the Microsoft Store, log in to the same Microsoft account you use for your Xbox, and look for a button that says Get the app or Install/play. 01 of 17 Blu-ray Player Screenshot What We Like Excellent 4K support. Free. What We Don't Like Unreliable performance. Unintuitive controls. Category: Media Why It Made the Cut: It adds essential functionality the system should have had when it shipped. Why You Need the Xbox One Blue-ray Player AppMicrosoft bet on HD DVD in the high-def disc war and lost, but the Xbox One has a Blu-ray drive built right in. The problem is that it doesn't play Blu-ray movies out of the box. This app fixes that, as it allows you to watch your Blu-ray Discs and DVDs without buying and hooking up a separate Blu-ray or DVD player. For anyone wondering why this app is even necessary, it's a money thing. Microsoft has to pay a royalty to the Blu-ray Disc Association for every Xbox One that uses a Blu-ray player. So, if some people choose not to install the app, Microsoft saves a little money. Download Blu-ray Player 02 of 17 Tubi TV Screenshot What We Like New and classic movies. "Not on Netflix" section. What We Don't Like Region-restricted content. Ads can't be disabled. Category: Media Why It Made the Cut: It provides free ad-supported TV and movies. Why You Need the Xbox One Tubi TV AppIf you don't have a subscription to cable or any streaming services, then Tubi TV is the Xbox One app for you. The app provides access to a ton of free television shows and movies that you can watch. You don't even need to sign up for an account to watch content on Tubi TV. Just download the app to your Xbox One, open it up, proceed as a guest, and you're good to go. The catch is that Tubi TV is supported by ads that run before and during videos. So if you prefer to fork over some cash up front to avoid watching a lot of ads, you'll want something like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime Video. The good news is that those services all have Xbox One apps, so make sure to grab them if you're already a subscriber. Download Tubi TV 03 of 17 VRV Screenshot What We Like Reasonable premium plan. Lots of Japanese shows with English subtitles. What We Don't Like Occasional audio/subtitle syncing issues. Frequent ads. Category: Media Why It Made the Cut: It's all about free anime and other fun shows. Why You Need the Xbox One VRV AppVRV is a one-stop shop for fans of anime, western animation, gaming, comedy, and other genre video content. The app includes shows from Crunchyroll, Funimation, Rooster Teeth, Cartoon Hangover, and more. While there are separate Xbox One apps for services like Crunchyroll and Funimation, VRV makes it easier by providing everything in a single interface. VRV is also free to use, but you can pay for a subscription if you prefer ad-free content. Download VRV 04 of 17 YouTube Screenshot What We Like Sign in with your Google account. Upload gameplay videos straight from your console. What We Don't Like No resume playback feature. No 4K support. Category: Media Why It Made the Cut: It accesses a vast collection of free user-generated videos and music. Why You Need the Xbox One YouTube AppYouTube is the king of user-generated content on the internet, and the official Xbox One app shifts it all from your computer to your television. Unofficial apps also provide access to YouTube content, but there's no pressing need to download them anymore. The official YouTube app is easy to use and gets the job done. Download YouTube 05 of 17 Netflix Screenshot What We Like Original movies and series. No ads. What We Don't Like Limited selection of new Hollywood releases. No live TV. Category: Media Why It Made the Cut: Just about everyone appreciates its massive library and great interface. Why You Need the Xbox One Netflix AppIf you have a Netflix subscription, then you must download the Xbox One app. It's surprisingly easy to navigate with a controller, and it's a great way to watch movies, TV shows, and Netflix Originals like Orange is the New Black and Stranger Things on your television. The Netflix app edges out competitors like Hulu and Amazon Prime in terms of usability and content, but if you have a subscription to those services they also have apps available on Xbox One. Download Netflix 06 of 17 Live Sports and TV Screenshot What We Like International sports news. Inexpensive premium plan. What We Don't Like Unreliable live streaming. Limited coverage of American football. Category: Media Why It Made the Cut: It's the only free live sports and news app available on Xbox One. Why You Need the Xbox One Live Sports and TV AppThere are a lot of sports apps on Xbox One, but they all require a subscription. If you haven't cut the cord yet, you can use your cable provider login information to watch live sports on the Fox Sports Go or ESPN apps. If you don't have cable, your options are more limited. In fact, the Live Sports and TV app is the only game in town. It's spotty in terms of content and quality, and it's supported by banner ads unless you pay for a premium version, but it's the only way to watch free sports on your Xbox One. Download Live Sports and TV 07 of 17 Plex Screenshot What We Like Share media across devices over a network. DVR support. What We Don't Like Occasional buffering and crashes. No auto-play feature. Category: Media Why It Made the Cut: It's the best way to stream your own video and music content. Why You Need the Xbox One Plex AppIf you have a ton of digital media on your hard drive or a network-connected drive, then Plex should be at the top of your list of Xbox One apps to download. You sign up for an account, download the Plex server program on your computer, and it streams all the movies, TV shows, and music that you have on your computer or a networked hard drive. Plex is the best way to stream media from your PC to your Xbox One. Download Plex 08 of 17 Spotify Music Screenshot What We Like Listen to albums before they're officially released. Social media integration. What We Don't Like No option to download songs via Xbox One. No live radio streaming. Category: Music Why It Made the Cut: It's all about free music that continues to play when you leave the app. Why You Need the Xbox One Spotify AppThe official Spotify app gives you access to a ton of music, and it's easy to navigate and use with a controller. It's also free to use, although Spotify offers a monthly subscription option. If you loved Groove Music Pass on your Xbox One in the past, then you should love Spotify just as much. You can even move your playlists and collections straight from Groove to Spotify. Download Spotify Music 09 of 17 Twitch Screenshot What We Like Preview games before you purchase them. Stream your own "let's play" videos. What We Don't Like Hard to avoid adult content. The aspect ratio shifts slightly while broadcasting. Category: Streaming Why It Made the Cut: Twitch is the biggest live-streaming site available right on your console. Why You Need the Xbox One Twitch AppXbox One has built-in live streaming, but Twitch is the biggest game in town. If you want to watch your favorite streamers or discover new ones without leaving your couch, you need this app. Download Twitch 10 of 17 TMX - Theme My Xbox Screenshot What We Like Personalize your Xbox One interface. Add your own themes for others to download. What We Don't Like No animated themes. Content is rotated, so some themes aren't available for long. Category: Utility Why It Made the Cut: TMX provides greater control over the aesthetic look of your Xbox One dashboard. Why You Need the Xbox One Theme My Xbox AppIf you want to make your mark on your Xbox One, then you need this app. The built-in customization options are limited, but Theme My Xbox pulls together a ton of user-created themes that you can download, customize, and use on your console. Download TMX - Theme My Xbox 11 of 17 Home Remote Screenshot What We Like Control all your smart devices from your Xbox One. Simple interface. What We Don't Like No support for devices with two-factor authentication enabled. No compatibility with virtual assistants. Category: Utility Why It Made the Cut: Lets you interact with your home automation gadgets. Why You Need the Xbox One Home Remote AppThe Home Remote app is a universal windows platform (UWP) app that runs on your phone, tablet, PC, and Xbox One. It allows you to interface with all your cool home automation gadgets from these devices. Download Home Remote 12 of 17 Community Calendar Screenshot What We Like Keep up with new DLC releases. Preview trending live streams. What We Don't Like Limited functionality. No information about beta releases. Category: Xbox community Why It Made the Cut: It helps you dig into the Xbox One community. Why You Need the Xbox One Community Calendar AppIf you want to turn your time with the Xbox One into a social experience, then you need this app. It provides information about upcoming community events, special in-game events, and more. Download Community Calendar 13 of 17 Xbox Insider Hub What We Like Test new software from Microsoft. Rewards frequent use. What We Don't Like Requires a lot of setup. Age-restricted content. Category: Xbox community Why It Made the Cut: You gain access to new features before anyone else. Why You Need the Xbox One Insider AppThe Xbox Insider app is the only way to get access to hot new features, such as game gifting, before the general public. When you join, you get early access to new Xbox One firmware updates. You can also participate in questionnaires and perform other tasks to level up. The higher your level, the earlier you can get your hands on new features. Download Xbox Insider Hub 14 of 17 Khan Academy Screenshot What We Like Professionally produced videos. Well structured curricula. What We Don't Like Cumbersome controls. No interactive content. Category: Education Why It Made the Cut: This is the best educational app on the platform. Why You Need the Xbox One Khan Academy AppSometimes you want to take a break from all that high-octane gaming, and the latest anime episode or Twitch stream isn't enough of a palate cleanser. The Khan Academy app is a great opportunity to learn new things using your Xbox One, and its lessons are usually fun and easy to follow. Download Khan Academy 15 of 17 MSN Weather Screenshot What We Like Easy-to-read interface. View forecasts for the entire globe. What We Don't Like Aesthetically boring radar map. Only as reliable as MSN's meteorologists. Category: Information Why It Made the Cut: It works great with a controller. Why You Need the Xbox One MSN Weather AppIf you want to check the weather without getting off the couch, Microsoft's official MSN Weather app does a surprisingly good job. It works great with your controller, so you don't waste a bunch of time getting at the information you need. AccuWeather also has an Xbox One app that provides great hour-by-hour forecast information, but it loses points because it uses a virtual mouse controlled by an analog stick instead of built-in Xbox One controls. Download MSN Weather 16 of 17 My Fitness Screenshot What We Like Suggests workouts for achieving your fitness goals. Impressive technical support. What We Don't Like Only tracks one person's information at a time. Steep learning curve. Category: Fitness and exercise Why It Made the Cut: Get fit with plans and tracking right on your console. Why You Need the Xbox One My Fitness AppXbox Fitness is gone, and there's no real replacement for it. My Fitness is an app that allows you to set up and track your fitness goals and workouts, which is a step in the right direction. Download My Fitness 17 of 17 Fitbit Screenshot What We Like Personalized exercise routines. See your heart rate in real time on your TV. What We Don't Like Requires extra hardware. Fitbit Coach premium account required to access all content. Category: Fitness and exercise Why It Made the Cut: It interfaces directly with best-in-class activity trackers. Why You Need the Xbox One Fitbit AppIf you have a Fitbit, then this app is a great way to keep track of your progress. It's the same app you get on your phone or PC, but why get up off the couch to check up on your sleep habits or how many calories you failed to burn during that last marathon gaming session? Download Fitbit Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Thank you for signing up. Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit