Xbox is testing a way to play cloud games on a supported smart TV using your phone as the controller. A supported Android phone or iPhone opens the controls in its browser, giving you an option when you don't have a physical gamepad nearby.
For a console owner trying cloud gaming in another room, the useful part is that you can check this option before buying another controller. It remains a preview, though: supported devices, games and availability can be limited. Treat it as something to try with your existing setup rather than a reason to replace equipment that already works for you.
Turn on the TV preview first
In the Xbox Wire announcement, Microsoft gives a specific starting point: the latest supported smart TV experience, with Preview Features enabled under Settings, then Account. The phone option appears when you launch a game without a physical controller connected.
The practical order is:
- Open the latest Xbox Cloud Gaming experience on your supported TV.
- Go to Settings, then Account, and enable Preview Features.
- Launch a game without a physical controller connected.
- Choose the phone-controller option if it's offered and follow the pairing instructions for that session.
Windows Central's setup walkthrough corroborates that sequence and the browser-based controls. You don't need to start by installing a separate phone-controller app. Microsoft also says some games will have tailored controls, so don't assume every game presents exactly the same layout.
If the option isn't there, check the preview's availability before spending money on new hardware. The announcement doesn't promise that every smart TV, phone and cloud game will work. Enabling a preview setting is an invitation to test supported combinations, not confirmation that your particular combination has been approved.
When it does appear, begin with a short, familiar session. Check whether you can reach the controls comfortably while watching the television and whether the layout makes sense without constantly looking down. That tells you more about its usefulness for your household than a feature announcement can. If you're lending the TV to a guest, let them try the controls before committing to a long shared session.
Keep the Nano preview separate
The other feature announced alongside phone control is cloud connect for the Xbox Nano Controller. That uses the controller's Wi-Fi connection to reach the cloud server instead of connecting to the TV over Bluetooth. It isn't a requirement for the phone option.
There is also a regional difference. GamesHub's coverage of the two previews confirms that phone control is rolling out on supported TVs in cloud-gaming markets, while Nano cloud connect is a US preview. Microsoft lists supported TVs and the web for that separate Nano test.
Don't buy a Nano just to unlock the phone feature, and don't mistake either preview for a promise that a game will feel more responsive on your connection. Start with the phone and TV you already have. If the option is available, use one short session to decide whether it solves the missing-controller problem comfortably enough for you to keep using it.