Well, the wait is finally over. Microsoft has finally launched the Xbox One as promised, a mere week after Sony launched its coveted next-gen PlayStation 4 and directly on the cusp of the holiday shopping season. The console is powerful and flexible as DT’s own Adam Rosenberg outlined in our Xbox One review, and comes equipped with an intuitive set of voice commands engineered to work hand-in-hand with the console’s bundled Kinect. The peripheral also touts a few motion controls, but most users would probably rather speak their mind than perform a bunch of cumbersome, yogi-like maneuvers to navigate the dashboard.
While you could sock away your Kinect after the device’s initial setup, you’ll be doing yourself a huge disfavor. Voice commands allow users to do everything from turning on the console and recording gameplay footage, to sending messages and launching apps in Snap mode, all which can be done by simple saying “Xbox” followed by the appropriate voice command. It’s incredibly useful and quick, even if it is somewhat limited at launch and requires you to say the exact phrase.
Here’s a quick-hit list of the Xbox One voice commands as outlined by the good folks at Microsoft. Also, check out our Xbox One tip guide for some additional tips to make the most of Microsoft’s new offering.
System commands
Command
Function
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 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 are supported. Shows channel shortcuts during full screen TV viewing.
Stop listening
Stop 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)
Identity
Command
Function
Xbox sign in/out
Signs in/out an Xbox Live member
Xbox sign in as [person]
Signs in/out an Xbox Live member
Gaming
Command
Function
Xbox record that
Records the previous 30 seconds of gameplay
Xbox start a party
Launches the Party app in Snap mode
Volume
Command
Function
Xbox volume up/down
Controls volume of TV set
Xbox mute/unmute
Controls mute function of TV set
Navigation and Multitasking
Command
Function
Xbox go Home
Returns to Home
Xbox show my stuff
Returns to Home
Xbox go to [activity]
Launches specific games, TV shows, apps, notifications and sections of the dash
Xbox show menu
In full screen: shows menu for whatever is one 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
Command
Function
Xbox Skype [person]
Launches Skype call, must be a person from your Skype favorites list on your Xbox One
Xbox 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
Send a message to your Xbox Live friends
TV
Command
Function
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
Launches OneGuide for cable or satellite TV subscribers
Xbox OneGuide
Launches OneGuide for cable or satellite TV subscribers
Transport Controls
Command
Function
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
Command
Function
Browse to [website]
Browses to the specific website when in Internet Explorer
Xbox Bing [name]
Launches Bing and searches for the specific item(s)
