Microsoft tests phone as controller for Xbox Cloud Gaming on smart TVs

Microsoft announced on November 4, 2026, through Xbox Wire that it is testing a phone-as-controller option for Xbox Cloud Gaming on supported smart TVs, removing the need for a physical gamepad.

The preview works with Android and iOS devices and opens virtual gamepad controls directly in the phone’s web browser, so players do not need to install a separate app. Users connect by scanning a QR code shown on the television, and some games will receive customized touch layouts tailored to how they play. Unlike remote play apps that stream the game to the handset, this approach keeps the game running on the TV screen and uses the phone purely as a virtual input device after they scan the QR code.

The company does not present the virtual gamepad as a replacement for a physical gamepad. Microsoft said the phone controller is for times when a player does not have a physical controller nearby and is not positioned as an invitation to abandon physical controllers entirely. The feature targets moments when a gamepad is out of reach. Microsoft described the option as something to use when a player does not have one nearby when it announced the preview on Xbox Wire on November 4, 2026.

To activate the phone controller, users open the Xbox app on a supported smart TV, go to Settings, select Account, and enable Preview Features. They then begin a game with no physical controller connected and scan the QR code on the TV. Microsoft published these activation steps.

Microsoft has released setup documentation covering phone control instructions, and Xbox maintains a verified devices page listing compatible television models for the preview. Xbox provides a setup guide for cloud connect on its support website. Full setup instructions exist for both previews.

The phone controller preview is becoming available in every market served by Xbox Cloud Gaming, though it works only on supported television models. Microsoft notes that game and device support may stay limited during the preview while the team collects feedback. Both tests are still experimental. The company is treating both features as experiments and is gathering player reaction to decide how broadly to release them.

Microsoft is also testing a second preview called cloud connect for the new Xbox Nano Controller, and this test is currently limited to the United States. Cloud connect changes how the Nano Controller communicates with the game session by using Wi-Fi to connect directly to the cloud server instead of pairing to the TV over Bluetooth. Microsoft states that linking the controller straight to the cloud server running the game can lower input delay and make gameplay feel more responsive. The preview functions on supported televisions and web-based sessions, though not across every cloud gaming experience, and Microsoft is making the direct Wi-Fi link available on certain television models and browser-based cloud sessions while other experiences remain excluded.

Cloud connect works on selected smart televisions and web-based play, though not across every cloud gaming offering. Microsoft restricts the initial cloud connect test to certain television models and browser-based cloud sessions in the United States rather than all devices that can access Xbox Cloud Gaming. The Xbox Nano Controller is priced at USD 49.99, and players in the United States can test the cloud connect feature for this controller. Other cloud gaming experiences remain excluded during the preview.

To set up cloud connect, users can use the Xbox beta app on Android or iOS. They can also use the Xbox Accessories app on a PC. PC users must enroll in the Xbox Insider program before using that app.

Microsoft says both previews are still being tested, and availability and supported games or devices may be limited while Xbox learns from user feedback. The company is gathering player reaction to decide how broadly to release the features, so access could remain restricted while testing continues. Testing is ongoing and no wider launch date has been set for either preview.

Xbox Cloud Gaming already lets players stream console games to a compatible smart TV without owning an Xbox console, but a controller was required to get started. The phone controller preview works around that existing need. It gives players a way to start a game when no gamepad is within reach, using only a supported television and a phone.