Joe Hindy / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Microsoft has announced that you can now control your Xbox via the Google Home app.
- The Google Home app will offer touch controls for navigation, media controls, and more.
You’ve been able to control your Xbox console with Google Assistant for several years now, but what if you don’t want to use your voice or the gamepad?
Well, Microsoft has announced that the February 2023 Xbox update lets you control your gaming console via the Google Home app on your smartphone.
The integration means you can use the Google Home app as a touch remote for the Xbox, turning the console on and off, using directional keys, accessing media controls (e.g. pause/play, volume adjustments), and recording game clips.
The feature brings to mind the touch controls seen in the Xbox and SmartGlass apps. But this is handy if you don’t want to download yet another app and are in the Google smart ecosystem already. We’re also glad to see this option coming to Xbox consoles as more input methods are always welcomed for accessibility reasons too.
In any event, those wanting to take advantage of Google Home touch controls will need to update their Xbox to the February system software. This update also brings carbon-aware downloads, with consoles being able to schedule content downloads at times that result in lower carbon emissions.
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