
It’s amazing what you can do nowadays with Xbox One.
Beyond just playing games…
You can now stream movies and sports…
Listen to music and even browse the web.
And what’s even better?
Installing 3rd party apps is really easy.
Continue reading to find out:
- 3 easy ways to install apps on your Xbox One.
- Xbox One settings that you need to check before installing.
- Whether you can install apps that aren’t on the Microsoft Store.
- And this is just the beginning…
How to install 3rd party apps on Xbox One?
To install 3rd party apps on Xbox One, go to the Store section of your console. Then select the Browse Apps option. And type in the name of the app that you’d like to install. In addition, you may also install apps remotely. You can do it via the Xbox mobile app or the Microsoft Store on Windows.
3 ways to install 3rd party apps on Xbox One
Microsoft’s Xbox One was originally released in November 2013. It was the successor to the Xbox 360.
This groundbreaking gaming console has since had several other versions. Including:
Xbox One is among the most well-received consoles. With many praising its innovative features.
However, in 2020, Microsoft released an announcement. They said the production of Xbox One would stop by the end of that year.
This is so they can focus on the newer generation of Xbox consoles. Such as the Series X and the Series S.

But don’t call Xbox One obsolete just yet. With the several easy ways to install 3rd party apps on it, it’s still very much relevant in 2022.
Now I’ll be providing a step-by-step guide on 3 different ways to install apps on it.
But before that, there are a couple of settings that you need to check:
- Console Info.
- Remote Features.
You’d need to set your console’s name in the Console Info menu. And you need to enable Remote Features.
Not sure how to do it?
Don’t worry. The steps are really simple.
How to set your Xbox One’s name
- Open the guide by pressing the Xbox button on your controller.
- Go to Profile & System.
- Select Settings.
- Select System.
- Select Info.
- Click on the Name option. Enter your name using letters, numbers, and hyphens.
- Select Restart Now.
How to enable Remote Features
- Sign in on your Xbox console.
- On your controller, press the Xbox button.
- Once the guide opens, select Profile & System.
- Select Settings.
- Select Device & Connections.
- Select Remote Features.
- Look for the Remote Features check box and click it to turn it on.
- Navigate to Power Mode and select Instant On.
Now you may be wondering what Instant On is in that last step.
Instant On means your console will automatically turn on when installing apps remotely. So you’ll also need to keep your device plugged into an outlet.
Otherwise, remote installation of 3rd party apps won’t work.
Done with these settings?
Then let’s dive right into the installation steps.
#1: From the Xbox One console’s Microsoft Store
The easiest way to install apps on Xbox One is through the console’s Microsoft Store.
From there, you’ll find all sorts of apps that’ll suit your needs.
Some of the app categories you’ll see include:
- Music.
- Education.
- Entertainment.
- Personal Finance.
- News and Weather.
Now here are the steps to download and install 3rd party apps:
Step #1: Select the Store option from the Xbox home screen. It’s on the right-most part of the main menu.
Step #2: Scroll down and look for the Browse Apps icon. It’s the one with 3 boxes. Once you find it, click it.
Step #3: If you already know the exact app you’re looking for, click the Search Apps option.
A message box and a virtual keyboard will appear. Just type in the app title that you’d like to install.
But if you’d rather browse the available apps, you may simply scroll down. You’ll see some of the most popular apps by category.
Another way to browse is by clicking the All Apps option.
Under this, you can select a category. And then browse all apps available under that.
Step #4: Once you find the app that you’d like to install, click it.
Doing so will take you to the app’s main page. Where you’ll see a description of it. As well as ratings from users.
Click the Get button to begin the download and installation process.
After that, you may access the app by pressing the Xbox button. And then selecting the My Games & Apps option.
For a visual guide, you may check out this video below:
#2: Using the Xbox mobile app
This is one of 2 remote ways to install games and apps on your Xbox One.
For this one, you’ll need to download the Xbox app on your mobile phone.
How to download the Xbox app on iOS
- From your Home screen, tap the App Store icon.
- Click the Search icon on the bottom-right of your screen.
- Type in “Xbox” on the search bar.
- Click Search.
- Once you find it, click the Get button.
How to download the Xbox app on Android
- Click the Play Store app on your Home screen.
- In the search bar, type in “Xbox”.
- Once the Xbox page comes up, click the Install button.
Now that you have the Xbox app, you’re ready to install apps remotely.
Here are the steps:
Step #1: Sign in with the same account you used for your Xbox One console.
This is important. Remote app installation won’t work if you’re using a different account.
Step #2: On the app’s home screen, you can already browse some of the available games and apps.
But you can also directly search for an app. Just click the Search icon on the bottom of your screen. Then type in the name of the app.
Step #3: Once you’ve found an app to install, select the “Download to Console” button.
Your Xbox One console should automatically turn on. And begin downloading the app that you selected.
#3: Through a Windows 10 or 11 device’s Microsoft Store app
Another way to install apps remotely is via a Windows device. You’d need either a Windows 10 or 11 OS for this to work.
And just like with the Xbox app…
You’d also need to sign in on Windows with the same account you used on Xbox One.
Now there are 2 ways to install Xbox apps through Windows:
- Via a web browser.
- Via the Microsoft Store app.
How to install via the Microsoft Store app
Step #1: Click the Microsoft Store icon on your Windows taskbar. It’s the one with the shopping bag.
If you can’t find it, you may also press the Windows logo + S. This’ll open a search bar. Type in Microsoft Store.
Step #2: Once you’re on the Microsoft Store, you can browse the available apps by category. Or you can look for specific apps via the Search bar.
Step #3: Click the app that you’d like to install.
Step #4: On the app’s details page, select More Options.
Step #5: Select Install On My Devices.
Step #6: Look for your Xbox One console and highlight it. Then click Install Now.
How to install via a web browser
- Open a web browser on your device.
- Go to the Windows App Store page.
- Sign in with your Xbox One account.
You may then follow steps 2 to 6 of installing via the Microsoft Store app.
Bonus: Can you sideload apps on Xbox One?
Sideloading is a method of installing apps. Particularly those that aren’t on the manufacturer’s authorized app store.
Some gaming consoles and streaming devices like Amazon’s Fire TV Stick allow it.
Unfortunately, you can’t do that with Xbox One.
So the only apps and games you can install are those found in these:
- Microsoft Store.
- Xbox App Store.
- Xbox Game Pass.
But with plenty of choices available, you’ll never run out of apps to install.
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