Xbox on iPhone and iPad: setting up Remote Play and cloud gaming

XBPlayer on iPhone and iPad lets you play from your Xbox through Remote Play or launch available games in Xbox Cloud Gaming. The app requires iOS or iPadOS 18 or later. Download links are collected on the official XBPlayer website. This guide sets up an already installed app, from Microsoft sign-in to your first play session.

Choose where the game will run

The iPhone/iPad receives video and sends controls; the console game is not installed for offline play. If you are still choosing how to play, use the Remote Play and cloud comparison.

Sign in with a Microsoft code

1. Open XBPlayer and tap “Use a Microsoft sign-in code”. Keep the code screen open.
2. Tap “Open Microsoft sign-in” on this device or scan the QR code with another phone. If the page asks for a code, enter the one shown in XBPlayer.
3. On Microsoft's page, choose the account with your Xbox profile and confirm sign-in. An account saved in the browser may differ from the one you use for gaming.
4. Return to XBPlayer and wait for authorization to finish. Open the account menu and check the gamertag.

If the code expires, tap “New code” and confirm again with the new value. To change profiles, open the account menu → “Manage accounts” → “Add account”. See the sign-in guide for details.

Remote Play: connect to your Xbox

1. Enable remote features on the console and open the required game under your profile. Leave the Xbox on for the first attempt.
2. Connect the iPhone/iPad to a stable network. It is convenient to test the first connection at home while you can see the console's screen.
3. In XBPlayer, select the Xbox under “Your consoles”. Tap “Refresh consoles” if needed.
4. Tap “Start Remote Play”. Once the Xbox picture appears, open the game and check movement and sound.

Remote Play itself does not require Game Pass, although a catalog game or its online mode may require a subscription. To connect to a sleeping Xbox, configure remote wake-up separately. For mobile-data play, complete the away-from-home checks.

Cloud Gaming: launch a game without a console

1. Check the title at xbox.com/play under the same account. It must support cloud launch and be available to you where you are playing.
2. In XBPlayer, tap “Cloud gaming”. Enter the title in “Search games”; if the results are empty, reset filters and check the profile.
3. Select and launch the game. Wait for the queue and loading. A successful result is a game screen that responds to controls.

Installing XBPlayer does not provide games or a subscription. Essential, Premium, Ultimate, purchased games and cloud-hour changes from November 2026 are covered in the Game Pass selection guide. Your own Xbox is not involved in cloud play.

On-screen buttons, controller and gyroscope

On iPhone/iPad, you can use XBPlayer's on-screen controller: move and resize controls, and save or import layouts. Start with the main actions and keep subtitles and the minimap visible. The layout editor has a separate guide. An on-screen controller sends controller commands; an item in the game is not necessarily selected by touching the item itself.

If you prefer physical buttons, connect a compatible controller to the iPhone/iPad and test sticks, triggers and in-game menus. XBPlayer offers profiles and button remapping. For aiming, you can use the device's gyroscope; a gyroscope inside a connected controller does not imply support in the iOS client.

Quality and finishing the first session

Under “Settings → Video”, Remote Play offers “Auto”, “720p”, “1080p” and “1080p (HQ)”; cloud games offer “Auto”, “720p” and “Maximum”. These request parameters; the actual result depends on the source and device. How to apply them and restart is explained in quality settings. Do not apply Android decoder-selection instructions to iOS.

Save through the game before leaving. Use the complete first-session protocol to check picture, sound, buttons and loading progress. Stopping the stream does not itself save the game or confirm that the Xbox has shut down.

If you prefer a browser

Official Remote Play opens in Safari at xbox.com/remoteplay; cloud play is at xbox.com/play. For a cloud shortcut, use Safari → Share → Add to Home Screen. This is Microsoft's web service; XBPlayer layouts and settings do not transfer to it. The browser has Microsoft's own requirements, which differ from the app's iOS 18 minimum.