Xbox One voice command guide

Here's an overview of all the things you can say to your Kinect.

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Now that Xbox One is out, you probably want to speak to your console. By saying "Xbox," Kinect opens up a menu that lets you speak a command at it. As noted in our review, you have to be very specific with your commands, otherwise Xbox might not understand you. Here's an overview of all the things you can say to your Kinect:

System Commands

  • Xbox On Wakes up Xbox One, turns on television and cable/satellite set-top box

  • Xbox Turn Off Puts Xbox One to sleep/off, can turn off television and cable/satellite set-top box

  • Xbox Shows menu of global voice command options and begins listening for the next command

  • Xbox Select Shows voice command options for everything on the screen that is supported. Shows channel shortcuts during full screen TV viewing

  • Stop Listening Stops Kinect from listening or cancels voice commands if Kinect is triggered during casual conversation

  • Xbox Help Shows help menu with available options

  • Xbox Use a Code Triggers Kinect code scanning for QR codes

  • Xbox Show Notification Shows on-screen notification(s)

  • Xbox Sign In/Out; Xbox Sign In As [Person] Signs in/out an Xbox Live member

  • Xbox Record That Records the previous 30 seconds of gameplay

  • Xbox Start a Party Launches the Party app in Snap mode

  • Xbox Volume Up/Down/Mute/Unmute Controls volume of TV set

Navigation and Multitasking

  • Xbox Go Home/Show My Stuff Returns to Home

  • Xbox Go to [activity] Launches specific games, TV shows, apps, notifications, and sections of the dashboard

  • Xbox Show Menu In full screen: shows menu for whatever is on the screen. At Home: shows menu for whatever is in the current window

  • Xbox Go Back Returns to previous screen or menu option

  • Xbox Snap [app] Launches activity in Snap mode

  • Xbox Unsnap Unsnaps activity in Snap mode

  • Xbox Switch Switches control of the activities in Snap mode and Fill mode

Communication

  • Xbox Skype/Call [person] Launches Skype call, must be a person from your Skype favorites list on your Xbox One

  • Xbox Answer/Answer Without Video Answers incoming Skype call

  • Xbox Hang Up Ends Skype call

  • Xbox Send a Message Sends message to your Xbox Live friends

TV

  • Xbox Watch TV Launches cable or satellite TV from set-top box

  • Xbox Watch [channel] Changes cable or satellite TV to specific channel when channel shortcuts are showing

  • Xbox Show Guide/OneGuide Launches OneGuide for cable or satellite TV subscribers

Transport Controls

  • Xbox Play/Stop/Pause/Fast Forward/Rewind/Faster/Slower/Skip Forward/Skip Backward/Next Song/Previous Song Transport controls for media playback, play and pause also work for gameplay
  • Xbox Play [music/video] Launches video and music playback

Bing and Internet Explorer

  • Browse to [website] Browses to the specific website when in Internet Explorer

  • Xbox Bing [name] Launches Bing and searches for the specific item(s)

Do note that if you want to launch a game, you need to say the full title. So, "Forza" won't work, but "Forza Motorsport 5" will. Also, do remember that Kinect cannot differentiate between voices. It won't work when multiple people are talking at the same time. So, if you want to use voice commands, make sure only one person is speaking at a given time.

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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From The Chatty
  • reply
    November 22, 2013 11:30 AM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, Xbox One voice command guide.

    Here's an overview of all the things you can say to your Kinect.

    • reply
      November 22, 2013 11:40 AM

      Thank you Andrew! Love it so far, but I see what everyone was talking about regarding the confusing navigation of the menu system and what commands the Kinect will accept. Also, I think they launch a video for users to download on their Xbox that guides them through everything.

      • reply
        November 22, 2013 11:43 AM

        for the most part the commands can be displayed on screen and match text that's currently visible so there aren't too many hidden commands at least

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      November 22, 2013 11:43 AM

      Kinect has worked pretty well for me so far, there is a degree of learning the commands though. But I was amazed how quickly and easy it was to get the IR blaster to work turning on/off my Sound Bar, TV and XB1 at once.

      • reply
        November 22, 2013 1:12 PM

        Where do I go to program my TV info into it? I'm not routing my cable through the Xbox, but it would be nice to have it turn my TV on as well.

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          November 22, 2013 1:20 PM

          Not in front of it now but I believe it's in the settings section TV ... you pick which make your TV is and it sends out a test command. You can also select your audio receiver if you have one as well.

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      November 22, 2013 12:04 PM

      I wonder how many people are being affected by the disk read error issues of the xbox one.....

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        November 22, 2013 12:07 PM

        When did our choice of Game Console become as important to us as our choice of Political Party? Relax bud.

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          November 22, 2013 12:14 PM

          To be honest, I only wonder because 3 friends who bought it (out of 4) have the issue.

          I could care less, just curious.

          • reply
            November 22, 2013 12:18 PM

            Could care less, so you're capable of caring less? Just making sure here. You have confused me with your grammar ;.;

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        November 22, 2013 12:33 PM

        [deleted]

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          November 22, 2013 12:38 PM

          I get it....not my finest moment.....

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          November 22, 2013 1:07 PM

          Not sure but my dog is licking his nuts if that helps.

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      November 22, 2013 1:48 PM

      Loving this so far.. Feels like true next gen even without the graphic level of my PC. Still can't figure out how to get the voice to pay attention without starting from scratch with just "Xbox".

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        November 22, 2013 1:50 PM

        Saying Xbox makes it listen, once it's listening you can say the green words without needing to say Xbox again. It does take a bit of getting used to about when you need to say Xbox and when you don't.

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          November 22, 2013 1:54 PM

          How about if I'm in the store and it stops listening, is it possible to have it just start listening again?

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            November 22, 2013 6:41 PM

            [deleted]

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              November 22, 2013 8:11 PM

              Figured it out, "Xbox select", saying just Xbox will bring up the mini menu rather than just start listening where you left off

    • reply
      November 22, 2013 1:51 PM

      any non-English speakers have impressions of some voice control stuff?

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      November 22, 2013 2:07 PM

      Xbox 1020p.. this shits not working!

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        November 22, 2013 2:09 PM

        apparently neither is my typing skills

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      November 22, 2013 2:11 PM

      you've got friends over and everyone is having a good time. feel like queing up some tunes? 'HEY EVERYBODY SHUT THE FUCK UP FOR A SECOND I HAVE TO HAVE A ONE-ON-ONE CONVO WITH THE XBOX FOR A SEC'

      I thought it could isolate different voices?

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      November 22, 2013 6:39 PM

      Xbox on doesn't fucking work and it's making me flip out yelling at my fucking tv

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      November 22, 2013 8:24 PM

      I asked Foom last night if he'd tried "XBox, give me a hummer" and when he did, it placed Killer Instinct Classic HD front and center.

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