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Just got a new Xbox One S or Xbox One X? Here's what you need to know!

Xbox One S

Xbox One S

New Xbox One S or Xbox One X owners will find the console’s basic functions easy to access, but unlocking the full power of the console can be a little more complex.

Beyond gaming, the Xbox One can act as a media center, you can use it to create and edit clips from your favorite games, and there are tons of great apps available — even many of the same Windows Store apps as your Windows 10 PC.

Still, you’ll need to get yourself set up. So here are some of the most important things you should do first after opening that glossy box.

Know the difference between the Xbox One S, and Xbox One X

Xbox One S

Xbox One S
Xbox One XXbox One X

There are some pretty large differences between the models of Xbox One. You should know that the base Xbox One launched in 2013 is no longer being manufactured, it’s only the slimmed-down Xbox One S and suped-up Xbox One X currently on sale, and both consoles offer a premium gaming experience, but what are the key differences?

Both the X and the S sport 4K Blu-ray, complete with streaming 4K playback for media apps like Netflix. The Xbox One X, however, has beefed up specs, delivering 4K visuals for games, with various other graphical enhancements. There is also a disc-less Xbox One S “All-Digital” variant, which omits the disc drive for some price savings.

Category Xbox One X Xbox One S
Processor 8-core Jaguar “Evolved” CPU at 2.3GHz 8-core Jaguar CPU at 1.75GHz
Storage 1TB 500GB, 1TB or 2TB
Memory 12GB of GDDR5 RAM 8GB DDR3 RAM
Graphics 40 CUs (1,172Mhz) 6 TF GPU 12 CUs (914MHz) 1.23 TF GPU
Ports HDMI-in; HDMI-out; one front-facing USB 3.0 ; two rear-facing USB 3.0; IR receiver/blaster; SPDIF digital audio; Ethernet HDMI-in; HDMI-out; one front-facing USB 3.0; two rear-facing USB 3.0; IR receiver/blaster; SPDIF digital audio; Ethernet
Optical drive 4K UHD Blu Ray 4K UHD Blu Ray
Design Matte black Matte white
Price $500 RRP $300 RRP

In terms of usage and operating system, though, both consoles are virtually identical. Both consoles are compatible with all Xbox One accessories and games. Games will just look and run far better on the Xbox One X.

Make sure your Xbox Gamertag and Microsoft Account are set up properly

Xbox settings

Xbox settings

First things first, you’ll need to set up an Xbox Gamertag that’s connected to your Microsoft Account.

It’s important to ensure that you have just one Microsoft Account across Xbox and Windows, particularly as these systems become more and more integrated. You can sign in with any Microsoft Account. If you haven’t done so before while setting up the Xbox One you’ll be prompted to create a “Gamertag” — this is your identity on Xbox Live.

You can only change this once for free, so pick a good one!

From Xbox 360

Note: If you somehow ended up with separate accounts for your Xbox 360 and Microsoft Account, you can migrate your Gamertag to your primary Microsoft account.

From Xbox One

New Gamertag

Once your account is set up and integrated, you’re ready to go!

Set up an Xbox Live Gold / Xbox Game Pass

Source: Xbox Game Studios

The Xbox One can be used offline, but many apps, services and features will require an online connection. By default, a new Xbox One user is signed up for a free Silver subscription, but by setting up a Gold subscription, you’ll be able to access a ton of extra benefits. In addition, you can also grab Xbox Game Pass, which comes with hundreds of games available instantaneously Netflix-style if you subscribe. You can sign up for Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass at any time from the main dashboard, or online.

Xbox Live Gold subscriptions

Xbox Live Gold payments

Xbox Live Gold benefits

Xbox Game Pass

Netflix for Xbox games



Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Netflix for games

Microsoft’s Netflix-like Xbox game subscription service gives you access to well-over one hundred titles on console, but also on PC. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate also throws in Xbox Live Gold, which is required for playing online.

Need more controllers?

Xbox Elite Series 2

Xbox Elite Series 2

If you fancy more controllers, Microsoft produces a range of styles, including a more powerful Elite Series 2 controller and a complete “Xbox Design Lab” that lets you make your very own styles.



Customize it:

Xbox Design Lab Controller

Xbox Design Lab lets you make your very own style of controller, with the ability to change all the colors, the finish, and other aspects. It’s great to commemorate your favorite game, match home decor, or as a gift for a loved one.

From $70 at Microsoft Store



Most powerful:

Xbox Elite Controller Series 2

The Xbox Elite Controller 2 is the best Xbox controller ever made, with lots of customizable parts, refined action and tactility, and various other improvements, complete with a super-convenient charge dock.

$180 at Microsoft



Best for retro fans:

Hyperkin Duke

If you want to go old-school, try out the Hyperkin Duke, for fans of the OG Xbox. It matches much of the original design, complete with a rather nifty animated guide button right in the middle.

$39 at Amazon



Best budget:

Amazon Basics

For “player 2,” maybe… This Amazon Basics controller isn’t the most impressive controller out there, but it is the most affordable without sacrificing usability and reliability.

$25 at Amazon

Essential accessories

Echo Dot and Xbox

Echo Dot and XboxSource: Windows Central

The Xbox One consoles are great by themselves, with everything you need out of the box for a great gaming experience. However, there are a ton of other great accessories that can enhance or specialize your experience, from wireless headsets, to Amazon Echo voice support, and more. Here are our top four most-essential Xbox accessory picks.



Voice control:

Amazon Echo

You can now control your Xbox console using voice commands via an Amazon Echo speaker. The lowest-cost Echo devices are pretty affordable and currently sport the most extensive array of support for connected devices and services. The most affordable Echo device is the Echo Dot, starting at $25.

From $50 at Amazon


panasonic-eneloop-battery-charger-6590513

Superior batteries:

Panasonic Eneloop Charger

Standard AA batteries for controllers can become seriously expensive over time, which is why investing in a decent rechargeable solution will save you money. Panasonic’s Eneloop batteries can be recharged many, many times before falling flat completely.

$27 at Amazon


turtle-beach-atlas-elite-1619188

Wired sound:

Turtle Beach Atlas Elite

If you prefer quality wired headsets, our current favorite is the new Atlas Elite from Turtle Beach. Sporting premium audio tuning with robust materials and high-quality construction, the Atlas Elite is tough to beat on value, which feels (and sounds) as though it could be far more expensive.

$98 at Amazon


turtle-beach-stealth-600-7461915

Wireless sound:

Turtle Beach Stealth 600

For voice communication, a headset is a must, and we’re currently recommending the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 as the best value wireless Xbox One headset. With excellent battery life, full wireless capabilities, mic monitoring feedback, and excellent design and construction, you won’t be disappointed.

$85 at Amazon

Optimize for multiplayer games by opening your NAT

Xbox network settings

xbox-network-settings-2020-8807896

This step won’t be necessary for the majority, but if you’re having trouble connecting to your home network you may need to make some tweaks. Most domestic networking setups support the Xbox One out of the box, but here’s a couple of tips to improve your experience if you have some networking knowledge.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Select General.
  3. Select Network Settings
  4. If you see that your NAT type is “strict,” you may need to open the following ports on your router settings page:
    • 53 (UDP and TCP)
    • 80 (TCP)
    • 88 (UDP)
    • 500 (UDP)
    • 3074 (UDP and TCP)
    • 3544 (UDP)
    • 4500 (UDP)The steps to change port availability differ for every router, so please consult your router manufacturer’ specific instructions.
  5. Enable your router’s UPNP setting setting to further improve connectivity to Xbox Live.

Note: Sometimes, simply opening the ports isn’t enough, you may have to set up your Xbox One with a static IP address to ensure that the ports remain open for that particular device. PortForwards.com has specific guides on configuring the open ports for your specific model of router.

Set up the Xbox app for mobile devices

Windows 10 comes with the Xbox app pre-installed, but there are also apps available for iOS and Android for use with your Xbox One. Using these apps, you can manage your Game DVR recordings, send messages, browse and buy games, check your activity feed, and much more. Not all features are supported by all versions, but the apps are frequently updated.

Create an Avatar and Gamerpic

Xbox avatars

xbox-avatar-2020-8765475

Gaming is often a social experience, and the team at Microsoft gave us Xbox Avatars to help us feel visually represented on Xbox Live. Avatars are 3D cartoon characters you can customize and display on your Xbox Live profile. You can purchase props, licensed clothes and gaming accessories for your Avatar to stand out from the crowd, and then use your Avatar to pose for a unique profile picture.

Create and upload game clips and screenshots

Xbox DVR

xbox-recording-dvr-2020-2978615

You can create your own gaming memories using the Xbox One’s GameDVR and UPLOAD Studio apps. These apps come preinstalled on your Xbox, and provide robust storage and editing tools.

Set up your Xbox One to stream media

You can use the Xbox One to stream content from your devices. On Windows 10, this is achieved simply by selecting the casting button seen in Windows 10 video apps, then selecting the Xbox One mapped to the same network. To access media content on a PC or server from your Xbox One requires a few settings tweaks in Windows.

  1. First, you need to open the Media Player app, accessed via the Games and Apps section at the bottom of the main dashboard.
  2. From here you can browse PC folders set up to share content over your home network.Xbox Media Player

    xbox-help-media-6425521

  3. To set up a PC for media sharing, type “Media Streaming Options” into your Windows Start Menu.
  4. Find your Xbox One in the list, then tick to allow access.Windows Media Sharing

    media-sharing-9400175Source: Windows Central

  5. From here you can customize which Windows libraries you want to share, such as Documents, Pictures, Music and Videos.
  6. When you’re done, hit next and follow the extra steps to create a Windows HomeGroup. Your folders should now be accessible via the Xbox One media player app.

Where are the games and apps?

Xbox games

xbox-games-and-apps-2020-2114196

You can access your games at any time right from the home screen or via the Guide menu. Press the Xbox home button on your controller, then move down a step to select “My games & apps.”

Games need to be installed either from physical discs or digital downloads from the store. Modern games tend to have quite large file sizes, so investing in an external storage drive might be something to consider.

Install a game from a disc

  1. Insert the disc into the Xbox One. The disc will show up below the main window on the dashboard home screen.
  2. Select the disc icon to begin installation.
  3. After installation is complete, select the Games Library from the bottom of the dashboard.
  4. Select the game to launch it.

Install a game from the Xbox Store

  1. Open the Store app.
  2. Select Browse all games
  3. Select the game you with to install.
  4. Select the Buy button to purchase the game.
  5. Enter your passkey if prompted.
  6. Select Confirm. Your Xbox will begin downloading the game. Note: You can check download progress by returning to the home screen and selecting Queue
  7. Once the game has finished downloading, select the Games Library from the bottom of the dashboard.
  8. Select the **game ** to launch it.

Xbox family settings

Xbox parents

xbox-family-settings-2020-9774131

Xbox has a range of settings and restrictions you can set up as a parent for younger gamers. The settings for this can be found under Account, and then Family settings. We have a more compehensive guide on how to navigate and update these settings below, in order to keep your kids safe online.

Xbox for parents

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