How to Control Your Xbox One With Google Assistant
Now you have even more ways to navigate your Xbox One without using a controller. Microsoft announced that it has launched a skill in Google Assistant that lets you control basic navigation and system-level commands on the console using the Google Assistant apps on iOS and Android. Sounds like something no one wants, but don’t hit it until you’ve tried it – it turns out that hands-free moving around the Xbox One is actually quite rewarding.
At this point, controlling Xbox One using voice commands has long been outdated. This was a key feature of the console when it launched in 2013 with the now defunct Kinect camera and then with digital assistants Cortana and Alexa . Adding Google Assistant support adds more features than functionality. And don’t get me wrong: the choice is great. If you enjoy using one virtual assistant, it is annoying to switch to others if they are only for your favorite devices.
The Google Assistant skill is technically in beta on Xbox, but it’s easy to set up even if you don’t normally run the beta. Before you start, you need to have your Xbox One connected to the Internet and a mobile device ( iOS or Android ) with Google Assistant downloaded and configured.
If you are a fan of Google Assistant and want to try it out on Xbox One, you can install it as follows :
First, join the “Xbox for Google Assistant” Google group . Make sure you’re signed in to Google using the email address associated with Google Assistant on your phone. Then turn on your Xbox One and sign in, then open Google Assistant on your device.
In Google Assistant, click Add, then Set Up Device, and finally Xbox (Beta). From there, you will be prompted to sign in to your Microsoft account and then you will receive instructions on how to pair your devices.
Once set up, you can use Google Assistant on your phone (or any compatible device) to turn your Xbox on and off, adjust volume, launch games, and use the console’s recording tools to take screenshots or video clips. Microsoft has posted the full list of Google Assistant commands on the Xbox Insiders subreddit . I would tell you that they all do, but all commands speak for themselves.
- Ok Google, turn on your Xbox.
- Ok Google, turn off your Xbox.
- Hi Google, play [GAME NAME] on the Xbox.
- Hey Google, louder on Xbox.
- Hey Google, turn down the volume on your Xbox.
- Hey Google, turn off your Xbox.
- Hi Google, turn on your Xbox.
- Hello Google, pause. *
- Hello Google, play it. *
- Hello Google, next *
- Hello Google, previous. *
- Hey Google, take a screenshot on Xbox.
- Hey Google, put this on Xbox.
- Hey Google, restart your Xbox.
- Hey Google, stay on Xbox.
- Ok Google, switch to [TV] on the Xbox.
* These are universal commands for playing media on Xbox apps like Blu-ray Player and YouTube.
One thing to watch out for is that if you change your device’s name in Google Assistant, you’ll need to say the Xbox name, not just “Xbox”.