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) |
