How do you play Xbox One games on the Xbox Series S?

Written by Giovanni

Edited on

1 May 2023

·

13:07

How do you play Xbox One games on the Xbox Series S?

You want to play your Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One games on your brand new Xbox Series S. With backward compatibility, you can play digitally bought Xbox games on your Xbox Series S as well. In this article, we'll explain how you can do so.

Backwards compatible

How does backward compatibility work on the Xbox Series S?

On the Xbox Series S, you can play all Xbox One games and a few original Xbox and Xbox 360 games. This is called backward compatibility. With backward compatibility on the Xbox Series S:

  • You can play all digital Xbox One games.
  • You can play a few digital original Xbox and Xbox 360 games.
  • You can automatically download the best version of the game via Smart Delivery.
  • You can get some games for free, or paid upgraded with improved graphics and framerates.
Digital games

How do you play digital Xbox One games on the Xbox Series S?

You can play digital Xbox One games from your games library on your Xbox Series S, just like you're used to from the Xbox One. That's because the interface is the same. You can play a digital Xbox game like this:

1: press the Xbox button on your controller. 2: select My games and apps. 3: choose Show all 4: select Complete library. 5: go to All owned games. 6: from this overview, you can choose the game you want to download and install.

Smart Delivery

What is Smart Delivery?

Smart Delivery is a function that's on your Xbox by default, which downloads the newest game updates. Via Smart Delivery, you can download and install the best version of the game automatically. Did the game get an upgrade with 1440p graphics for the Series S? The Xbox will automatically install this version, so you can enjoy optimal graphics and framerates. Does a game not have this upgrade? You can play the regular Xbox One version, which often does have a higher framerate on the Xbox Series S.

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Article by Giovanni

Gaming Expert.

Giovanni