How to stream Xbox One games to your Mac

By

OneCast Xbox One for Mac
OneCast in action on macOS.
Photo: OneCast

Microsoft lets Windows 10 users stream Xbox One games to their PC, but it doesn’t support Mac. Now there’s a third-party solution that lets Apple fans get in on the action.

Here’s how to stream Xbox One games to your Mac using OneCast.

The Xbox One’s game streaming feature is one of the few awesome advantages it has over PlayStation 4. It lets users enjoy their favorite titles on a Windows 10 PC or tablet connected to the same local network. The feature also supports things like voice chat and game clip sharing.

It’s perfect for playing games in another room when the TV is already in use, but if you chose a Mac, you’re out of luck. You either have to install Windows 10 on a separate partition via Boot Camp, or use an app like Parallels to create a Windows 10 virtual machine.

Not anymore.

OneCast brings Xbox One games to Mac

OneCast is a new Mac app that lets you stream your Xbox One games directly to Mac. By using the same protocol Microsoft uses for Windows, it delivers super-sharp 1080p video in fullscreen or windowed mode, without the performance issues the above-mentioned workarounds often bring.

You can use your standard Xbox One controller connected via USB or Bluetooth, and with support for multiple profiles, you can link any number of Xbox One consoles or Xbox Live gamertags.

How to set up OneCast

Setting up OneCast is incredibly easy. Simply download the Mac app from the OneCast website and follow the installation process. Once the driver is installed, login using the same Microsoft account you use on your Xbox One.

OneCast is currently on sale at $11.99 — down from $24 — but you can enjoy it for 14 days before you have to pay a penny. This gives you a chance to trial the service on your home network before you commit to making a purchase. Once you’ve bought a license, that’s it; there is no monthly fee.

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.