How To Control Your Xbox One With Google Assistant

There are now even more ways for you to navigate your Xbox One without using a controller. Microsoft announced that it’s launched a skill on Google Assistant that allows you to control basic navigation and system-level commands on the console using the Google Assistant apps on iOS and Android. It sounds like something nobody needs, but don’t knock it ‘til you try it — it turns out that moving through your Xbox One hands-free is actually quite helpful.

Controlling the Xbox One using voice commands is positively old-hat at this point. It was a key feature of the console when it launched in 2013 through the now-defunct Kinect camera, then by using digital assistants Cortana and Alexa. The addition of Google Assistant supports adds choice more than functionality. And don’t get me wrong: Choice is great. If you like to use one virtual assistant, it’s annoying to switch over to others if they’re exclusive to your favourite devices.

Technically, the Google Assistant skill is in beta on Xbox, but it’s easy to set up, even if you don’t normally go for beta launches. Before you start, you need to have your Xbox One connected to the internet, and a mobile device (iOS or Android) with the Google Assistant downloaded and set up.

If you’re a Google Assistant fan and want to try it out on Xbox One, here’s how you install it:

First, go join the “Xbox for Google Assistant” Google Group. Make sure you’re signed into Google with the email address that’s linked to the Google Assistant on your phone. Next, turn on your Xbox One and sign in, and then open Google Assistant on your device.

In Google Assistant, hit “Add,” then “Set Up Device,” and finally “Xbox (beta).” From there, you’ll be prompted to sign with your Microsoft account, and you’ll then receive instructions on how to pair the devices.

Once you’ve set it up, you can use Google Assistant on your phone (or any compatible device) to turn your Xbox on and off, control volume, launch games and use the console’s recording tools to take screenshots or video clips. Microsoft published a full list of Google Assistant commands on the Xbox Insiders Subreddit. I’d tell you what they all do, but the commands are all pretty self-explanatory.

• Hey Google, turn on Xbox.

• Hey Google, turn off Xbox.

• Hey Google, play [GAME NAME] on Xbox.

• Hey Google, volume up on Xbox.

• Hey Google, volume down on Xbox.

• Hey Google, mute Xbox.

• Hey Google, un-mute Xbox.

• Hey Google, pause.*

• Hey Google, play.*

• Hey Google, next.*

• Hey Google, previous.*

• Hey Google, take a screenshot on Xbox.

• Hey Google, record that on Xbox.

• Hey Google, reboot Xbox.

• Hey Google, stop on Xbox.

• Hey Google, switch to [TV Channel] on Xbox.

*These are universal commands for media playback on Xbox Apps like the Blu-Ray Player and YouTube.

The only thing to note: If you change the name of your device in Google Assistant, you will need to say your Xbox’s name instead of just “Xbox.”