Xbox cloud gaming on an iPhone is a new way to enjoy your favorite games on the go. Xbox cloud gaming works by streaming your Xbox games to your iPhone, iPad, or other compatible device. You can play your games on any device that has an internet connection and an app that supports Xbox cloud gaming. Xbox cloud gaming is a great way to keep your game collection portable and accessible anywhere you have an internet connection. You can also use it to play games with friends who have different devices. You don’t need to worry about buying separate game consoles or apps for each device in your household. To start playing Xbox cloud gaming on your iPhone, first make sure that you have the latest version of the app and the latest version of the Xbox One console. Then open the app and sign in with your Microsoft account. If you don’t have a Microsoft account, you can create one in minutes using our quick sign-up process. Once you’re signed in, select the game that you want to play from your library and click “Start Playing”. Xbox cloud gaming works with any iOS or Android device that has an internet connection and an app that supports Xbox cloud gaming. You can even use it on devices like the Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV if they have compatible apps installed. Just make sure that you have enough storage space on your phone or tablet because some games require up to 50GB of storage space per title. ..
You Can’t Play via the Game Pass App
Thanks to Apple’s strict App Store guidelines that require each playable game to be approved in-house, there’s no dedicated Game Pass app for playing games in the cloud. There’s an Xbox Game Pass app that acts as a showroom of sorts, but you have to use Safari to play games when the time comes.
Fortunately, the experience isn’t diminished thanks to the ability to add web apps to your iPhone or iPad home screen. To do this, head to xbox.com/play and sign in. From here, tap the Share button, and then use the “Add to Home Screen” option to save the Xbox Cloud Gaming web app to your home screen.
Now access the service using the shortcut you just created for a full-screen cloud gaming experience.
Some Games Are Perfectly Suited, Others Not So Much
A fast and low-latency internet connection is required to make the most out of cloud gaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming. For many gamers, that’s not possible due to geographic location, budget constraints, and shared connections. Adjusting your expectations is the best way to get around this.
Some games work well even over less-than-ideal connections. These are mostly slow-paced titles that don’t rely on quick reactions or perfect timing. Think slower-paced strategy titles like Crusader Kings III, turn-based RPGs like Octopath Traveller, or deck-building card games like Monster Train (at the time of writing, all of these are playable in the cloud).
Games that may not work well include competitive twitchy first-person shooters like Rainbow Six: Siege, beat ’em ups like Injustice 2, or pixel-perfect platformers like Infernax. Sometimes the delays and hiccups that come from playing a game remotely over the internet mar the experience to such a degree that you’re better off playing something else.
RELATED: Why I Prefer Cloud Gaming Over a PC or Console
Use a Controller or Touch Controls
The best way to play games using your iPhone or iPad is to pair an Xbox or PlayStation controller. Grab a controller clip if you’re playing on iPhone to mount your device on your controller and you’re good to go.
Another option is to use touch controls, which work with a surprisingly large number of games on the service. You’ll see these indicated by the touch icon or in the “Play with Touch” section. Many of these games mirror the control schemes of mobile games, with virtual analog sticks and face button overlays.
In December 2021, Microsoft reported that 20% of Xbox Cloud Gaming users opted for touch controls exclusively, with up to 30% options for touch in titles like Hades, Minecraft Dungeons, and Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
Remote Play Might Be Better
Depending on your internet connection, if you want to play games on your mobile device and you’re within range of your console, then Remote Play using the Xbox app for iPhone and iPad will probably yield better results.
Provided your local network is up to par, you’ll have fewer issues with latency and internet slowdowns this way. For best results, make sure your Xbox is using a wired connection, connect to the 5Ghz band on your mobile device, and don’t sit too far away from your router.
This method uses your Xbox to stream directly to your iPhone or iPad as if you were using it with a TV, but instead, your iPhone or iPad acts as both a display and hub for controller input.
Probably Not Worth a Game Pass Subscription Alone
While Xbox Cloud Gaming is a nice add-on, it’s a hard sell for most to justify the $14.99 monthly subscription alone. Yes, you’ll get access to a library of games to play and a simple method of accessing them, but playing games natively delivers a better experience for the vast majority of gamers.
Perhaps the best use for Xbox Cloud Gaming is to preview Game Pass titles before you download them, rather than replacing native play altogether.
