Today, the Chief Technology Officer of Xbox, Scott Van Vliet, announced the rollout of two early previews for Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Starting today, we’re rolling out two early previews for XBOX Cloud Gaming. In the U.S., you can try cloud connect with the new XBOX Nano Controller on supported Smart TVs and the web. It connects over Wi-Fi directly to your cloud gaming session, which can help your controls feel…
— Scott Van Vliet (@scottvanvliet) November 4, 2026
Two early previews for Xbox Cloud Gaming
Use your phone as a controller on a Smart TV
In this preview, you can use a supported Android or iOS phone as your controller on a supported Smart TV. The controls open in your phone’s browser, so you don’t need a separate controller. Some games will also have controls tailored to how they play.
To try the preview, turn on Preview Features under Settings > Account in the latest supported Smart TV experience. When you launch a game without a physical controller connected, you will see an option to use your phone for that session.
The preview is rolling out today on supported TVs in countries where Xbox Cloud Gaming is supported.
Try Cloud Connect with the Xbox Nano Controller
Players in the US can preview Cloud Connect with the Xbox Nano Controller starting today. Instead of a Bluetooth connection to your TV, Cloud Connect uses your WiFi to connect directly to the cloud server running your game.
Cloud Connect is still an early test, so it won’t work with every cloud gaming experience yet. For now, you can try it on supported Smart TVs and the web.
How to use Cloud Connect with the Xbox Nano Controller?
- Set up your controller: Use the XBOX beta app on Android, or the Xbox Accessories app on PC, to set up Cloud Connect on your XBOX Nano Controller. XBOX Insider enrollment is required for setup through the PC app.
- Connect to Wi-Fi: Follow the steps in the app to connect your controller to your Wi-Fi network.
- Start playing: Open a supported XBOX Cloud Gaming experience and sign in with the same XBOX account used during setup. Your controller will connect through Cloud Connect.
For phone controllers, you can share feedback right from your phone or through a supported Smart TV app. For Cloud Connect, you can submit feedback through the Xbox Accessories app on PC or the Xbox mobile app by selecting the ‘Feedback’ icon.
