Need to control your Xbox without a gamepad? The Google Home app now doubles as an Xbox remote control, with touch navigation features, a power button, and volume controls. Of course, if you’ve already set up the Xbox or SmartGlass mobile apps, this feature may be unnecessary.

Microsoft brought Google Assistant compatibility to the Xbox in 2019. This update simply adds Google Home in-app controls to the mix. The interface is similar to what you’ll see in the Xbox and SmartGlass apps—a touchscreen directional pad, power settings, navigational buttons, and dedicated controls to play, pause, fast-forward, or rewind movies.

Pairing the Xbox with Google Assistant is a simple task. Just open the Google Home app, select “Add,” go to “Set up Device,” and choose “Have Something Already Set Up.” You can then search for your Xbox console. From there, sign in with the Microsoft account you use on your console.

To clarify, this feature works with the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S console generations. But you will need to install the February 2023 update on your console. This update adds some other fun stuff to the mix, most notably a power-management feature that reduces the impact of an Xbox’s standby mode.

Source: Microsoft