How to Set Up Xbox Game Streaming for Your Phone

You can play real Xbox One games on your phone

What to Know

  • Use Remote Play: Open app and sign in > Let's Play! > Setup New Xbox> Start Console Stream.
  • Use Game Pass: Open app and sign in > Let's Play! > tap Home > Cloud tab > pick game > Play.

This article explains how to stream XboxOne games to your smartphone through either Remote Play or Xbox Game Pass. You'll need fast internet, an Android phone with Bluetooth, a Bluetooth controller, the Xbox Game Streaming or Game Pass app, and a Xbox Insider or Game Pass Ultimate membership.

Before you use either of these methods, you may need to download the Xbox Insider Hub app and sign up for the Xbox Insider program. If you aren't able to stream, try downloading the Insider app and joining the program. It provides beta and early access to programs like streaming.

How to Stream From Your Xbox One to Your Phone

Streaming from your Xbox One console to your phone is also referred to as remote play and console streaming. This process involves loading and running a game on your Xbox console, and then streaming the video output to your phone. Inputs from your controller are then passed wirelessly from your phone to the Xbox One, allowing you to play the game on your phone even if you aren't in close proximity to your console.

Here's how to stream from your console to your phone:

  1. Download the Xbox Game Streaming (Preview) app from Google Play, and open the app.

  2. Tap Next three times.

    Informational screens on the XBox One app.
  3. Tap Sign In.

  4. Enter the email you used when setting up your Xbox One and tap Next.

  5. Enter your password, and tap Sign in.

    Signing into a Microsoft account on the Xbox app.
  6. Tap Let's play!

  7. If you don't see the game streaming interface, tap the three horizontal lines in the upper left corner.

  8. Tap Console streaming.

    Screenshots showing how to get to the Console Streaming option on the Xbox app.
  9. Tap SETUP NEW XBOX.

  10. Make sure your Xbox One is on, and check the TV for further instructions when you see this screen.

    The Setup New Xbox option on the Xbox App.
  11. Select Enable.

    A screenshot of an Xbox One getting ready to stream games to a phone.

    If you don't see this on your TV, make sure your Xbox One and the phone app are signed into the same account.

  12. Select Next.

    A screenshot of an Xbox One showing that it is ready for remote play.

    If your Xbox One says that remote play won't work, select Help with this to fix your problems.

  13. Select Close, then return to where you left off on your phone.

    A screenshot showing an Xbox One that is ready for remote play.
  14. Tap NEXT.

  15. Tap XBOX CONTROLLER if you have an Xbox One controller, or DIFFERENT CONTROLLER if you're attempting to use a different Bluetooth-enabled controller.

  16. Turn on your Xbox One controller, and tap NEXT.

    Screenshots showing how to pair an Xbox controller with the Xbox phone app.
  17. If your controller isn't already paired, tap GO TO DEVICE SETTINGS to pair it.

    Make sure your phone's Bluetooth is turned on, your controller is on, and you have pushed the pair button on your controller before attempting to connect your Xbox controller to your phone.

  18. If you don't see your controller, tap Pair new device or See all if you've previously had your controller connected.

  19. Tap Xbox Wireless Controller.

    Device Pairing options on the Xbox App.
  20. Tap NEXT.

  21. Tap START CONSOLE STREAM.

    The Start Console Stream option on the Xbox App.
  22. Wait for the stream to start.

    A screenshot of a phone getting ready to stream from Xbox One.
  23. Select the game you want to play, and press the A button on your controller.

    A screenshot of streaming Xbox One to a phone.
  24. Your game will start playing on your phone.

    Master Chief Collection streamed to a phone.

How to Stream Xbox One Games to Your Phone With Gamepass

If you have an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, you're probably already familiar with how it allows you to download and play games for free on your Xbox and Windows PC. It also allows you to stream those same games for free from Microsoft's cloud. Since the games are ran in the cloud, you don't need to have an Xbox One or a Windows 10 PC to use this feature.

Here's how to stream Xbox One games to your phone without a console:

  1. Download the Xbox Game Pass (Beta) app from Google Play, and open the app.

  2. Tap the person icon at the bottom of the screen.

  3. Tap Sign in.

  4. Tap Sign in again.

    Screenshots of signing in to stream with Xbox Gamepass
  5. Enter the email address you used when signing up for Xbox Game Pass, and tap Next.

  6. Enter your password and then tap Sign in.

  7. Tap Let's play!

    Screenshots of signing into Xbox Live on a mobile device.
  8. Tap the home icon at the bottom of the screen.

  9. With the CLOUD tab selected, navigate through the game options to locate one that you want to play.

  10. After selecting the game you're interested in, tap PLAY.

    Screenshots showing how to play games on Xbox on a Phone.
  11. Wait while the game loads. This may take quite a while if your internet connection is slow.

    A screenshot of an Xbox Game Pass game stream getting ready.
  12. The game will load from the cloud, and you will be able to play it with the connected controller.

    Crackdown 3 streaming to an Android phone.
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