You’ll never want to leave your sofa again.
The Xbox One is one of the most powerful gaming consoles in the market (especially if you have the Xbox One X), but it’s also a media consumption device for many people.
You can stream Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll to your heart’s content from Xbox. You can enjoy music and videos on YouTube. It’s as simple as uploading the apps to your computer and using your controller or joystick to navigate to them.
Smart assistants are also an option to choose from. You can use Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Cortana to switch on and off your Xbox, start apps, adjust the volume, and much more. While some of these services are still in beta, which means that not all of the bugs have been ironed out, the early results are encouraging.
Here’s how you can test them out by connecting your Xbox One to your smart assistant.
How To Use Alexa To Connect And Monitor Your Xbox One
The Amazon Echo was one of the easiest devices to attach to the Xbox One in our tests.
1. Log in to your Xbox One account after turning it on.
2. Choose System > Settings > Kinect & Device > Digital Assistants from the System menu.
3. To enable digital assistants to get connected to the Xbox One, check the box.
4. Search for Xbox in the Skills & Games section of the Alexa app on your computer.
5. Select Enable to Use from the drop-down menu.
6. A set of on-screen prompts will guide you through pairing your Xbox One and Amazon Echo devices.
To power your Xbox One, say Alexa, tell Xbox to…, and then carry out your order. You may also use the phrase “ask Xbox.” You can use Alexa to start and stop videos, adjust the speed, launch apps and games, and so much more. If you’re stuck, you can even ask Alexa with Alexa, ask Xbox what I can suggest if you’re not sure what else to do.
The default name for the unit when you set it up is Xbox, but you can change it to something more descriptive like Living Room Xbox or Bedroom Xbox if you want more specificity. This is especially important if you want to use Alexa with more than one Xbox One.
The best part (in our opinion) is that if you haven’t used your Xbox in a while and don’t have any other Alexa-enabled gadgets, you can just say the command without the word “Xbox.” Alexa, play or Alexa, launch Hulu, for example.
How To Use Google Home To Monitor And Connect To Your Xbox One
The Google Assistant/Home and Xbox One integration is also in its early stages. The public beta, in reality, only began at the end of September. There are still a few bugs to iron out, so you may have some difficulty setting up this feature, but it does work.
While Google Home warned us that it couldn’t pair with the Xbox One, the console appeared in the list of linked devices and could be managed with Google Assistant.
1. To get started, sign up for the Google Group using the Google account associated with your Google Home or Assistant.
2. Then, switch on your Xbox.
3. Choose System > Settings > Kinect & device > Digital Assistants from the System menu.
4. To enable digital assistants to bind or connect to the Xbox One, check the box.
5. Tap Add > Set up system > Have anything already set up? in the Google Home app.
6. Look for [beta] Xbox and click on it.
7. Use your Microsoft account to log in.
8. Finish the pairing phase by following the on-screen instructions. You’ll be able to choose which room the console should be placed in, change the device’s name, and much more.
This functionality’s beta test is only available in English, but Microsoft expects to expand language support when the full version is released later this year.
Google Assistant will do anything Alexa can do on the Xbox, and the commands are very close. Simply say to Google, “Hey Google, pause Xbox” or “Hey Google, take a screenshot Xbox.”
How To Use Cortana To Connect And Monitor Your Xbox One
The fact that Cortana is incorporated into the Xbox One is a huge plus. If you have a headset, you can turn it on and use the features in the middle of the game. You can, however, download the Cortana app on your Android or iOS computer and use it to power the Xbox One.
How Do I Switch On Cortana On My Xbox One?
Go to Settings > All Settings > System > Cortana Settings if you want to use the built-in Cortana feature instead of using a third-party unit. You’ll be asked to turn on the device’s assistant. You’re ready to go until you agree to the terms of service. To trigger Cortana, simply say Hey Cortana.
Cortana is only accessible in some areas, and the United States has more features than other countries. Other countries may get full functionality, but this hasn’t been confirmed as of now.
Cortana on a Mobile Device: How to Use It
If you don’t want to have a microphone or headphone wired into your Xbox One all the time, you can use Cortana on your mobile device to monitor it.
1. Download the Cortana app from your app store.
2. Log in to your Xbox and turn it on.
3. Choose System > Settings > Kinect & Device > Digital Assistants from the System menu.
4. To enable digital assistants to bind to the Xbox One, check the box.
5. Sign in to the Cortana app on your phone or say, “Hey Cortana, pair my Xbox.”
6. Sign in with the Microsoft account associated with your Xbox One if you used your mobile device. It should pair automatically if you used Cortana’s voice order.
You’ll be good to go once you’ve completed this. Cortana has the same capabilities as the other two smart assistants, but because of her name, she could be the preferred option for die-hard Halo fans.
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