Xbox Mobile Apps: How to Remote Install Your Games on the Move

The Xbox App allows you to check out things like your Xbox activity feed, messages and notifications on the move, update your profile, view your achievements and buy games on the Microsoft Store. It can also be used as a remote control. It's available on both iOS and Android. iOS users need to be running iOS 10.3 or later while Android users will need to have Android 4.4 or later. Once downloaded you will need to sign in to your Xbox account. Once you're signed in you're good to go, but to get the most out of the app, you're going to want to connect it to your Xbox One console.

In the three horizontal bar menu, scroll down to Console. As long as your Xbox One and phone are both on the same network, you'll be able to pair the two.



Once connected you'll be able to use your phone as a virtual remote and keyboard and install games from the Microsoft Store via remote installation.

To install games remotely on your Xbox One console you will need to change your power settings so it's in standby mode. You'll also need to enable remote install as this disabled by default. Here's how to do it:

Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the Guide menu.
Go to System > Settings > General > Power mode & startup.
Select Power mode and change the setting to Instant-on.

To enable remote installation:
Press the Xbox button to open the Guide menu.
Go to System > Settings > General > Updates & Downloads
Select Allow Remote Installations
Select Allow Mobile Management.

Windows 10 PC

To download games remotely onto your PC, your computer needs to be connected to the internet and needs to be turned on. If your PC is in sleep mode or offline, a game will not download, instead, it will be added to the download queue and will begin once the PC is next woken up or connected to the internet. If your PC is off, the game will not be added to the download queue until the next time you install another game.

Make sure you're signed in to your PC with the same Microsoft account as your Xbox Live account. Also, make sure you are signed into the Microsoft Store app with the same Xbox Live account.

The Xbox Game Pass app will only be of any use if you are currently subscribed to Xbox Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass for PC – we think you should, and we've got an Xbox Game Pass guide to show you why. The app can be used to view new and upcoming games in Xbox Game Pass, remote install games, and keep an eye on your Xbox Game Pass quests.

Again, the Xbox Game Pass available for both iOS and Android. Those using an Apple device will need to be running iOS 10.0 or later and those using an Android will need Android 5.0 or higher. Once downloaded, you will need to sign in to your Xbox account.

In the Xbox Game Pass app, the first thing you'll see is the Recently Added section. Here you can swipe between newly added games for both console and PC. Scrolling down, you'll come across a section for Quests (where you can earn Microsoft Reward Points for playing Game Pass titles), more "featured games" sections and a final "Leaving Soon" which displays what games will be leaving Xbox Game Pass. Along the bottom, you'll see options for Search, Play Later and Profile. Search allows you to browse the full library of Xbox Game Pass games on both console and PC. In the Profile section, you can see your Microsft Reward Points balance and more information on Quests.

Selecting a game will allow you to install it remotely — saving you the hassle and time. A game you chose to install remotely will be added to the Play Later sections where you can view the installation progress. However, you need to set everything up for remote installation first.

Along the bottom of the app, you will see four icons, Home, Search, Play later and Profile.
Head to Profile and select the small settings cog in the top right of the screen.
Scroll down to Select Default Console
Select the Xbox One you wish to be your default console
Games will now be installed to that console

For PC, head to the settings cog again
Scroll down to Select Default PC
Select the PC you wish to install Xbox Game Pass games to.

You will need to have installed the Xbox Beta PC app on your PC for this option to show up – this is the app that controls your Xbox Game Pass for PC games catalogue.

That's our brief guide to the Xbox apps on mobile. Features are continually updated on both apps, so it's worth checking in with them every now and then to see if a new addition will benefit you. If you're interested in actually playing Xbox games on your mobile, check out our guide to Project xCloud, Microsoft's upcoming game streaming service that is already available in Preview.