Xbox Insiders Can Now Play Games With Mouse and Keyboard

Back in September, Microsoft officially announced that the company is finally bringing support for mouse and keyboard to the Xbox One. Support for mouse and keyboard has been a much-requested feature for a long time, and it’s finally coming to the Xbox after such a long wait.

Microsoft announced earlier that the company will start testing the new feature with Xbox Insiders with the Xbox One 1811 system update, and the company is shipping a new build of the update today to include support for mouse and keyboard. If you are an Xbox Insider in the Alpha Skip Ahead ring, downloading and installing the new update will give you access to support for mouse and keyboard.

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But, don’t get too excited: support for mouse and keyboard is something that developers have to update their games to work. This means every single game you have won’t work with your mouse and keyboard unless they are updated to support the new feature. For now, Warframe is the only title that supports mouse and keyboard, with more games expected to get the new feature going forward.

The new Xbox One 1811 system update also introduces an improved search feature that’s now capable of surfacing helpful results from the Xbox Assist app.

Microsoft will release the Xbox One 1811 system update to the general public sometime next month, so keep an eye out for that. And if you are an Xbox Insider, make sure to give the new mouse and keyboard feature a try.

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Conversation 18 comments

  • nbplopes

    24 October, 2018 - 3:55 pm

    <p>This is something I have been waiting for years and years since I got cured from the desktop/laptop gaming rig syndrome.</p>

  • Andi

    24 October, 2018 - 5:18 pm

    <p>I wonder if MS could use the xbox with mouse/kb combo as a way to reset the desktop paradigm, at least as a "hobby" project. Slowly open the xbox os and add productivity software without the weight of full fat windows. Bare metal software on relatively inexpensive hardware with PC level gaming and top notch media capabilities.</p>

    • locust infested orchard inc

      24 October, 2018 - 6:43 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#356212">In reply to Andi:</a></em></blockquote><p>Microsoft has already been developing this so-called of yours "'hobby' project" named Windows Core OS (WCOS).</p><p><br></p><p>WCOS is a noble, bold, and a Herculean task in undertaking Microsoft's vision for Windows to become a truly universal OS, operable on the internet of things (IoT, e.g., home heating controls, baby room monitors, the Raspberry Pi, etc.), the Surface Foldable™, tablets, laptops, desktops, servers, Xbox, HoloLens, and the Surface Hub 2X.</p><p><br></p><p>WCOS is part of Microsoft's OneCore vision, where the OS is a fully modular platform by componentising the OS, with the appropriate modules used for the appropriate device form factor.</p><p><br></p><p>The advantages of doing this are tremendous, not least because it gives all devices, both big and small, having near identical user interfaces (though it can be customised at the behest of the user), but also the subsequent future improvements to WCOS can be achieved with a reduction in cost due to savings in both time and labour, rather than having to deal with disparate OSes.</p><p><br></p><p>This is actually one of the holy grails of computing, being able to have a unified OS across all devices, something that has yet to be achieved.</p><p><br></p><p>WCOS has been beset with delays, understandably so with the complex intricacies of the modularisation. However, it appears a Q4 2019 to Q1 2020 release of WCOS is widely anticipated.</p><p><br></p><p>The well-known allegory from the Lord of the Rings may be transposed by just one word to summarise Microsoft's vision:</p><p><br></p><p>One OS to rule them all.</p>

      • skane2600

        24 October, 2018 - 7:23 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#356234">In reply to locust infested orchard inc:</a></em></blockquote><p>It's a pipedream, as all such endeavors end up being. </p>

      • MikeGalos

        25 October, 2018 - 1:16 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#356234">In reply to locust infested orchard inc:</a></em></blockquote><p>And until then most of the application level API is identical from IoT through desktop through gaming through VR/AR through Enterprise Server.</p>

        • skane2600

          25 October, 2018 - 11:36 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#356316">In reply to MikeGalos:</a></em></blockquote><p>Most of the application level API would be irrelevant to many IoT projects. It's like driving an 18-wheeler on a golf course. Similarly, nobody wants to haul freight across country in a golf cart.</p>

      • maethorechannen

        Premium Member
        25 October, 2018 - 4:20 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#356234">In reply to locust infested orchard inc:</a></em></blockquote><p><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">One OS to rule them all.</em></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">That would be Linux.</span></p>

      • skane2600

        25 October, 2018 - 11:48 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#356234">In reply to locust infested orchard inc:</a></em></blockquote><p>I think the Azure Sphere approach has the potential to be more viable for IoT devices since the new OS it includes is supposed to be designed specifically for IoT applications. Specific designs are almost always superior to generic ones.</p>

  • gregsedwards

    Premium Member
    24 October, 2018 - 6:39 pm

    <p> Forget mouse &amp; keyboard input within a game, I have a media keyboard with a trackpad, and I’d love to use this just to navigate the Xbox UI. </p>

    • noelt1955

      Premium Member
      24 October, 2018 - 7:58 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#356233"><em>In reply to gregsedwards:</em></a><em> I agree! It would be great for browsing the web and using the photos app. Can we assume that outcome right from the start?</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

      • gregsedwards

        Premium Member
        26 October, 2018 - 4:32 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#356246">In reply to noelt1955:</a></em></blockquote><p>One would think so. But one would be wrong. The keyboard works (mostly), but there's no mouse support whatsoever.</p>

  • IanYates82

    Premium Member
    24 October, 2018 - 10:04 pm

    <p>Paul (or Mehedi if you're an insider), can you test this out for built-in apps like Edge, OneDrive, etc.</p>

  • MikeGalos

    25 October, 2018 - 1:13 am

    <p>And yet another <em>Microsoft is FINALLY </em>…</p><p><br></p><p>Let's see, they announced it was coming "back in September" – you know way back last MONTH, previewed the feature a few WEEKS after announcing it and will make it available to the general public a month later.</p><p><br></p><p>Wow. That's just been forever and really deserves a call-out in every update article Mehedi writes.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

  • irfaanwahid

    25 October, 2018 - 3:51 am

    <p>I'm still trying to see incentive for the game developers for putting extra resources into bringing KB and mouse support.</p><p>I'm not sure if a game supports KB and mouse, there will be more traffic or sales. Are there gamers out there who are waiting for this kind of support on Xbox? Why wouldn't they just game on a PC? </p><p>Somebody can enlighten me on this.</p>

    • rhrmn

      25 October, 2018 - 9:48 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#356336">In reply to irfaanwahid:</a></em></blockquote><p>I am a volunteer community moderator on the official Age of Empires forums and see the request quite frequently for Age of Empires on Xbox.&nbsp; In order to make that happen without overhauling the controls like was done for Halo Wars, keyboard and mouse support is required.&nbsp; Some gamers who already own an Xbox do not see an advantage to buying a gaming PC or upgrading their existing PC, if possible, to run a few PC exclusive titles.</p>

    • Rob_Wade

      25 October, 2018 - 1:30 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#356336"><em>In reply to irfaanwahid:</em></a><em> Well, speaking for myself, it absolutely will draw me to purchase games. I'm a PC-only gamer for the following reasons: I can put more </em> power &amp; capability into my PC; I absolutely HATE using controllers and prefer keyboard and mouse; VR. I'd be willing to buy games for our Xbox One if they supported keyboard and mouse and the graphics is acceptable enough under those conditions.</blockquote><p><br></p>

  • maethorechannen

    Premium Member
    25 October, 2018 - 4:22 am

    <p>What about UWP? While I wouldn't expect UWP keyboard and mouse support to be trumpeted, it would be nice to see it quietly added.</p>

  • Rob_Wade

    25 October, 2018 - 1:27 pm

    <p>I'm on Skip Ahead and still haven't seen this update. Very frustrating.</p>

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