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Stream PC games to Xbox One with new Wireless Display app

Microsoft now allows users to stream PC games to Xbox One with the newest version of its wireless display app, adding more value for owners of the console.

Chris Jarrard

March 13, 2019 11:15 AM

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Over the last several years, there has been a big push from consumers and hardware creators to enable the consumption of digital content across a variety of devices. While multi-device accessibility is expected for things like movies and music, video games may soon be following in those footsteps. Thanks to a new update for its Windows 10 Wireless Display app, Microsoft now enables users to stream PC games to the Xbox One console.

How to stream PC games to Xbox One with the Wireless Display App

How does it all work? Using the Miracast connection standard, the Wireless Display app can mirror your PC’s output to the Xbox One console over your local home network. Once the app is installed and both the PC and Xbox One are on the same network, you can use the Winkey+P combination to cast the PC’s output to the Xbox One.

The Wireless Display app has been around for a few years under various names, first appearing on the Surface Hub. While its output has been confined to tablets and other Miracast-enabled devices, compatibility with the Xbox One and its controller is now official.

Xbox One users have been able to play their console games on PCs via local network streaming for a couple of years now, so the option to cast your games in the opposite direction is pretty cool. The Wireless Display app offers a variety of latency options to best match the type of content that will be streamed from the PC to the Xbox One, with the lowest latency option being best for games, especially those that require precise, timely inputs.

The speed of your home network is also a factor. Ideally, the source device would be connected to the local network via ethernet, as having both devices connected with wifi will add additional latency and potential headaches to the equation. Also, the app does not support mouse and keyboard input at the moment, so you’ll be limited to games that have controller support.

As this console generation progresses, Microsoft continues to blur the lines between Windows 10 PCs and the Xbox One. Most Xbox exclusive games are now available on PC and Microsoft announced plans for an updated version of the Halo: Master Chief Collection, to release for the Windows 10 store and Steam this week.

Chris Jarrard

Contributing Tech Editor

Chris Jarrard likes playing games, crankin' tunes, and looking for fights on obscure online message boards. He understands that breakfast food is the only true food. Don't @ him.