Different Ways to Watch Movies on an Xbox

Gone are the days where you would only find an Xbox sitting beneath the TV of a dedicated gamer. Thanks to the huge variety of features present on today’s consoles, many households have an Xbox connected to their HD TV for multiple purposes, aside from playing games.

Xbox consoles are a great media player option for people who want a little more out of their entertainment setup. The Xbox console not only allows for the reading of physical discs, for those who enjoy collecting physical box sets, but it also gives viewers a range of digital options to view their favorite media. Here are five ways you can watch movies on an Xbox console.

Online Via a Streaming App

Streaming apps have seen a spike in popularity in recent years with streaming services now dominating the home entertainment market. Apps such as Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Disney+ are just some of the main players in the streaming market. Check out this list of Xbox free movie apps to see what apps you have access to with an Xbox.

Xbox console owners have access to all these services through the Microsoft Store, which can be reached through the Xbox Home Screen. Once you have downloaded your streaming platform of choice, simply log in to your account and start streaming your favorite movie or series.

For access to even more streaming options, using a VPN (virtual private network) will allow you to view content that would normally be inaccessible to your region. VPNs can also be used for a range of other purposes.

From a Blu-ray Disc or DVD

While DVD discs and Blu-ray discs may not be the most popular way to consume media, many people have held onto this physical format as their preferred way to watch movies.

In order to watch a DVD or Blu-ray on your Xbox, you will need to first download the Blu-ray Player app from the Microsoft Store. This app allows you to watch Ultra HD Blu-ray movies, Blu-ray movies, and DVDs on your Xbox One S or Xbox One X. The app is only 27.73MB in size so will not take long to download onto an internet-connected device.

This movie option is not available at all for owners of an Xbox One S All-Digital Edition as this console does not have a disc drive. It should also be noted that the HD-DVD format is not compatible with the Xbox One.

Purchase Movies on the Xbox Video Store

If you prefer the digital route, movies and other content can also be purchased or rented from the Xbox Store through the Movies and Videos section of the store. The store can be accessed from the Xbox Home Screen or by pressing the Home button on your Xbox controller. Once the store opens, using the search option will allow you to find the movie or TV show you wish to watch and you can choose to either purchase the media or rent it.

The store offers weekly specials that offer discounts on movies and TV shows and buying or renting through the store also allows users to earn Microsoft Rewards points. These points can be redeemed for sweepstake entries, nonprofit donations, gift cards, and more. The best part is you don’t even need to create a new account to have access to the Xbox Video Store, this media is linked directly to your Microsoft account so simply by signing into your console you will have access to a huge library of content.

Through XBOX Live

If you already have a full library of media on your console but you aren’t at home to watch it, there is one more way to watch media on an Xbox that may come in handy. With Xbox One, creating a personalized home screen will allow you full access to your digital profile, games, and other content such as movies that you have purchased through the Microsoft Store.

With Xbox Live, all your digital content is stored on the cloud so you have access to it wherever you are, provided you have access to an Xbox and internet access.

With Friends Via Skype

Thanks to Skype also being a Microsoft application, this popular communication tool is also available to Xbox One users at just the touch of a button. Skype allows you to not only chat with family and friends across the world through one-to-one video calls, but you can even activate a Skype video call alongside your other Xbox One activities to allow you to share your screen with your contacts on Skype. Using an audio link or picture-in-picture video call enables Xbox One users the ability to watch movies and series together from opposite ends of the world.

So, now that you know there are more ways than one to watch movies on an Xbox, your weekend should be sorted!