Console gaming looks best when hooked up to a high-quality big-screen TV. This is what they were designed to be played on. The larger screen or an Xbox One gaming monitor allows you to immerse yourself more in the games you play and let you see more of your environment.
What if you want to play your console games on the move, though?
Luckily, if you own a regular or gaming laptop, there is a way to connect your console, allowing you to use your laptop display to play games on. This means that you can take your laptop and Xbox One on the go, playing games wherever you want.
In this article, we are going to explore two methods that you can use to connect your Xbox One to your laptop monitor. The first is by far the easiest but requires your laptop to have an HDMI port for it to work.
The second is much more complicated and requires you to connect both devices to a wireless network like your home wifi. If you haven't got a laptop with an HDMI port, this will be the method you have to use.
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The Xbox One
The Xbox One is the third console released under the Xbox brand owned by Microsoft. Part of the eighth generation of consoles, it was the successor to the massively popular Xbox 360.
The Xbox One introduced massively upgraded hardware that allowed developers to create much more detailed worlds and games. This made the Xbox One one of the most popular consoles to ever exist, with millions upon millions of users signing into Xbox Live every day.
Related: How To Use Your Laptop As A Monitor For Nintendo Switch
Method #1: Connect to Screen with HDMI to Use Laptop as a Monitor
This is the easy method. Unfortunately, it will only work for a small percentage of you who have laptops with an HDMI IN port.
Most gaming laptops that have HDMI ports only have the "Out" version. This means that the laptop can send a display to another screen but cannot receive it.
Here are the steps you should take:
- 1Firstly, power down your console the correct way and unplug the HDMI lead from the back of your TV.
- 2Next, plug that end of the HDMI into your laptop's HDMI port.
- 3Now, power on your Xbox One. If your laptop has the right port, it should automatically detect your console and switch to the right display. You may have to press Function+F8 to swap the input source.
If this doesn't work, you will have to use the more complicated method we will talk about next about how to use a laptop as monitor for Xbox One.
Method #2: Use a Laptop to connect via Game Streaming
Game streaming is Microsoft's answer to the solution. It utilizes your home network to allow you to play your Xbox One games remotely. When this is set up, your Xbox One will still be running the game, allowing you to use your laptop as a monitor.
For this to work as smoothly as possible, your internet speed should be stable and as quick as possible. This will ensure that you don't lag or experience refresh delay. A good workaround is to connect your Xbox and laptop via a wired connection to improve gaming performance.
You will also need to have a laptop that is running Windows 10.
Here is what you need to do:
- 1The first step is to make your way to your Xbox One settings. There is a section called Xbox App Connectivity. This is for connecting your Xbox One to other devices. Turn on the "Allow Game Streaming" option.
- 2Now, on your laptop, head to the Microsoft store and download the Xbox Console Companion software. Open the Xbox app up once it has been downloaded onto your laptop and sign in to your Xbox One Live account.
- 3You should see a button called "Connection" click it and follow the instructions to find your console on the network.
- 4Once you have connected, click the "Stream" button to start the live stream of your console.
- 5Click on the game you want to play, and it should appear on your laptop screen.
How to Connect Your Xbox One to your Network
To connect your Xbox One to your wireless network:
- 1Head to your Xbox One settings.
- 2Find the connections option and click setup. Your Xbox will then search for local wireless connections.
- 3Find yours and enter the password to connect.
To connect via a wired connection, simply use an ethernet cable. Plug one end into your router's ethernet port and the other end into the ethernet port on the back of the console. It will automatically configure your IP and connect to the internet.
Useful things you can do with your Xbox One Console
There is a range of different features that can really enhance your experience when playing on your Xbox.
Achievement System
The first is the Achievement system. This allows you to take on specific challenges in your games to earn Achievement points. This is a great way to prove your ability to other players. There are easy achievements for casual gamers and harder in-depth ones for the more experienced or hardcore. These can take days, even weeks, to complete.
Connect Additional Storage
Now that most games are downloaded instead of loaded from a disc, having a good amount of storage is crucial. Luckily, the Xbox One supports USB 3.0 storage solutions.
This means you can plug external hard drives into the Xbox One, massively increasing your storage capabilities. This means you no longer have to delete games you love to make room for new ones.
Mobile Control
Another great feature of the Xbox One is the ability to control your Xbox remotely via the phone app. You can message friends or join party chats even when you are away from the console.
Streaming
More people than ever before are streaming their gaming experiences. The Xbox One makes this really easy by offering compatibility with the Twitch streaming platform.
Simply download the Twitch app on your console, and you can sign in and start broadcasting your best plays and moments to the world instantly.
Entertainment
Most people nowadays own at least one streaming service account like Netflix or Prime. You can download an app to access most of these services on your console. This will allow you to stream programs through your Xbox. This means you no longer need a smart TV or a special streaming stick in order to access your favorite shows.
People Also Ask (FAQs)
Can I use a computer monitor for Xbox one?
Using a computer monitor as your display for your Xbox One console is really easy. Simply plug your monitor into your console via HDMI, and you can start playing instantly.
How to play Xbox 360 on a laptop monitor?
Yes, but only if your laptop has an HDMI that supports input and output. If you have a laptop with this, simply plug your Xbox 360 into your laptop via HDMI via the first method in this article.
Conclusion
Using your laptop as a monitor for Xbox is an easy way to connect your console to a better screen or to play it in a more portable setting. By following the steps in this article, it should be easy to use your laptop as a monitor.
Jake Redman is a UK-born-digital nomad & founder of Ultimate Quality Content, a collective of high-end copywriters formed to provide detailed insight into everything technology-related. Jake is the definition of a man-nerd. He gets excited over things like processor architecture, ray-tracing, & is an avid E-Sports fan, specifically League of Legends. When he isn’t writing detailed tech-related articles, Jake can be found performing fire-breathing shows & wields a dragon staff, or on the sofa playing Mario Kart.