How can you get xCloud from Microsoft and stream Xbox games directly to your phone?

Microsoft’s capabilities for streaming xCloud games will be officially integrated into the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription as of September 15, with support for more than 100 games. However, you do not have to wait to try out the cloud games service, and it is possible that you already have all the necessary components to make it.

Here’s what you should try for yourself:

• A subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, the Microsoft service that costs $ 14.99 per month and also provides a catalog of Game Pass games on both console and PC, such as Xbox Live Gold for online multiplayer, and discounts on games.

• An Android phone as a tablet with Android 6.0 Marshmallow or later, and has Bluetooth 4.0 or higher. You will need such a device to download the app from the Google Play Store. For now, xCloud will not come to iPhones.
• A compatible controller to connect to your phone or tablet via Bluetooth, or USB. As for USB connection, you could use a micro USB (which can use the DualShock 4 and Xbox wireless controller) to USB-A cable with an OTG adapter (micro USB, USB-C) to fit on the charging port of your phone. The Bluetooth-ready Xbox One wireless controller works just fine when you add a phone clip, but keep in mind that the older one with glossy plastic at the shoulder buttons does not support Bluetooth.

(You can also try one of the fleet of recently announced xCloud-ready controllers, including PowerA’s MOGA XP5-X, the 8Bitdo SN30 Pro for Xbox, or Razer’s Kishi for Xbox, each featuring a clip or a other place for your phone.The Xbox Elite Gen 2 controller will also work, as will the upcoming Xbox Series X controller that has found its way into the hands of some lucky buyers.Microsoft is working on custom controls on it screen to adjust for some of their games if a controller is not available, although this feature will not be added until xCloud launches in September.)

• Finally, a fast Wi-Fi as a cellular connection. Microsoft recommends connecting to your router via a 5GHz Wi-Fi signal, but whether you are at home or connected to an LTE or 5G tower, you need to have download speeds of at least 10Mbps for a good experience. You can check your download speeds on speedtest.net.

Now that you’ve all you need to try out xCloud, here’s how to do it in the Xbox Game Pass app.

Download the beta version of the Xbox Game Pass app

Until xCloud officially arrives on Game Pass Ultimate on September 15, Microsoft will limit the cloud streaming service to the beta version of the Game Pass app on Android. So to try it out first, you need to download this beta. If you search for “Game Pass” on your phone in the Play Store, you should find two versions of the app. The beta version has an icon with a white background (download this), while the standard version has a green background.

Connect a controller via Bluetooth or USB

As mentioned earlier, there are several compatible controllers that you can connect to your phone or tablet via Bluetooth. If you’ve using Microsoft’s official Xbox controller with Bluetooth support, here’s how you can connect it. You can also use Sony’s DualShock 4 once xstarts xCloud. Alternatively, you can connect a controller via USB. If you have not connected anyone before launching a game, the app will warn you to do so.

Photo by Nick Statt / The Verge

It is also a good idea to get a clip to mount your phone on your controller for easy viewing. PowerA offers a $ 14.99 model that connects to Microsoft’s Xbox wireless controller with Bluetooth support. Some controllers also include one with purchase.

Boot the app and start a game

Once logged in with your Microsoft account, you should tap the “cloud” option or select it from the top section of the app, where it shows a selected game.

After that is selected, any game you see below would be eligible for you to play directly from your phone or tablet. Go ahead and click on one, then click “Play” on the next screen as shown below. It will take a few moments for your device to boot into the game, but once it does, your storage data will automatically sync with your progress on your Xbox One and PC, once you have started the game there.