How to play keyboard and mouse on Xbox Cloud Gaming: The Ultimate Guide

2025-04-29

Hey! Are you a fan of Xbox Cloud Gaming? Are you tired of struggling with the controller? Here is some good news for you! You can use your keyboard and mouse with Xbox Cloud Gaming. Amazing, is it? I’ll show you how to play keyboard and mouse on Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Step-by-step, everything you need to know is easy to follow and fun. Ready? Let's jump in!

How to play keyboard and mouse on Xbox Cloud Gaming: The Ultimate Guide 1

What is Xbox Cloud Gaming Anyway?

If you are a new player, Xbox Cloud Gaming, often called xCloud, is a Microsoft game. You can play Xbox Cloud Gaming directly from Microsoft's server. Microsoft's server to your devices─ like a phone, tablet or a laptop. You don't need to have an Xbox Cloud console. You don't even need to download. Amazing!

You are free from long downloads or heavyweight, expensive devices. All you need is an internet connection. Just like YouTube videos, you can watch them streaming; there is no need to download them. The same is true here: you can play games from the Microsoft server.

Now, to make your gaming experience smooth, you need to know how to play keyboard and mouse on Xbox Cloud Gaming.

How to play keyboard and mouse on Xbox Cloud Gaming?

Here’s the catch─ Xbox Cloud Gaming is mostly played with the controller. But if you are not flexible with the controller, to solve your problem, now it’s possible to use a keyboard and mouse instead.

Other than a controller, you can enjoy some Xbox cloud games on your PC with a keyboard and mouse, like other PC standard games.

You can use the Xbox app or a compatible Windows, Linux, or MacOS PC browser. So far, Chrome and Edge are the only browsers that support keyboard and mouse functionality on cloud gaming.

Some games support a keyboard and mouse by default, while others only support the controller. Xbox is gradually updating to full keyboard and mouse support.

Do you know?

You can use both the wired and wireless keyboard and mouse.
Though a few of the cloud gaming services support keyboard and mouse on PC and browsers presently, many more are about to come.
Get an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and enjoy your cloud gaming.

What to Do Before Starting?

You will need an Xbox Cloud Gaming supportive device ─ like a Windows PC, iPad, Mac, iPhone, Android tablet, etc.
An uninterrupted and fast internet connection ─ 10 Mbps or higher is ideal for smooth gaming.
Keyboard and Mouse ─ USB or Bluetooth
An Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription ─ to get access to Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Updated web browser ─ Chrome or Microsoft Edge.

How to play keyboard and mouse on Xbox Cloud Gaming─ Step-by-Step Guide

Are you ready to start? Let’s go!

1. Connect Your Keyboard and Mouse

If you’re on a laptop or PC, you’re almost set. But if you’re on a tablet or phone, connect with a USB cable or Bluetooth.

Connect your device with a keyboard and mouse outside the game first, in case you need to type or move your mouse.

2. Open Xbox Cloud Gaming

Go to the official Xbox Cloud Gaming site ─ xbox.com/play
Sign in with your Microsoft account. Use Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
You can find your favourite games on the Xbox app, too.

Boom! A big library of games is waiting for you!

3. Find a Game That Supports a Keyboard and Mouse

Sorry to say, you won’t get support in every game for keyboard and mouse yet.

I can give you a list of popular cloud games that support keyboard and mouse functionality so far:

Fortnite
Minecraft Dungeons
Gears 5
Sea of Thieves
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Flight Simulator

How to play keyboard and mouse on Xbox Cloud Gaming: The Ultimate Guide 2

Here is a tip for you ─ check the game's settings to see if it has Keyboard & Mouse support.

Sometimes, you will find a “Play with mouse and keyboard” category with a mouse and keyboard badge. These games are marked with a mouse-shaped special icon.

4. Start and Play

Choose your favourite game and click on the game. Game, set, match!

If the game allows a keyboard and mouse, you will get a sign on it. Then, you can control your game with a keyboard and mouse like other standard PC games.

Do you know you can switch from keyboard to controller anytime by pressing any key on your keyboard or Xbox button on your controller? It's all fun!

How to play keyboard and mouse on Xbox Cloud Gaming─ Make your Gaming Experience Easy.

Here are some important points to remind you ─

When you play on a browser, get your game stream in full-screen mode to play with keyboard and mouse. By pressing the "Esc key", you can exit full-screen mode anytime.
You will get some games to display controller UI elements; don't worry! When you start to use a keyboard and mouse, it will be adapted to that.
You must select on the game screen to switch to keyboard and mouse mode on App or browser so that your game can recognise mouse input in it.
You can select F9 to stop the game stream from capturing your pointer. In the App, you can change this shortcut by selecting your Gamertag

> Settings> Cloud gaming> Keyboard shortcuts.

By selecting “More options (…) you can also this setting while streaming > Menu > Keyboard shortcuts.

And you are good to go!

Move around with WASD, click to shoot, type in chats — just like you would on a PC game.

What If the Game Doesn’t Support Keyboard and Mouse?

Here’s where things get spicy.

If your favourite game doesn't yet support keyboard and mouse natively, you have a few options there:

1. Use a Controller Emulator

You can use software like reWASD or Xpadder to map keyboard and mouse movements to emulate a controller.

This way, the game will think you're using a controller, but you're actually using your keyboard and mouse.

Here are some important issues to keep in mind:

It may take some setup time.
Facing issues with third-party software because some games might not like that.
Check before starting whether it’s allowed in your favourite game.

2. Updates are Coming

Good to know that Microsoft is working hard to provide full support on how to play keyboard and mouse on Xbox Cloud Gaming.

In more games, Xbox Cloud Gaming will soon be compatible with the official keyboard and mouse.

So don't be sad if you can't play today in your way; you can; it's coming soon!

How to play keyboard and mouse on Xbox Cloud Gaming: The Ultimate Guide 3

How to play keyboard and mouse on Xbox Cloud Gaming -Best Tips for smooth playing

Use Wired Connections for Better Results. Bluetooth connections are not always comfortable. For the best result, connect your keyboard and mouse via USB.
Keep Game Mode or Focus Assist Turn On. If notifications pop up in mid-game, that may hamper your performance. So, to stop that, turn on Game Mode or Focus Assist.
High-speed Internet Connection. If possible, try to use a 5GHz WiFi network, or even better, to get a better gaming experience.
Use Chrome or Edge Browser. Compared with other browsers, Chrome or Edge work better with Xbox Cloud.

Which is Better─ a Keyboard and Mouse on Xbox Cloud Gaming or a Controller?

You prefer using a keyboard, but other gamers may prefer controllers — that's okay!

But how does a gaming experience differ between a keyboard and mouse or a controller?

Keyboard users feel a better-aiming experience with a keyboard, especially in FPS games like Fortnite.
On a keyboard, there are more buttons, which means more hotkeys that help you react faster.
A keyboard can give you a more comfortable and faster gaming experience.

Give your Gaming Experience Comfort

It's not a dream now; it's real ─ Playing keyboard and mouse on Xbox Cloud Gaming. It might not be true for each game yet, but upgrading is working towards success every month.

This guide on how to play keyboard and mouse on Xbox Cloud Gaming will help you adjust your devices as you want. 100% support isn’t universal yet, but you can already enjoy many more games in a way that you love to play.

And just like that ─ Connect your device > Choose a supported game > win the battle.

Stay tuned for updates on new additions.

How to play keyboard and mouse on Xbox Cloud Gaming: The Ultimate Guide 4

A few words before wrapping up on how to play keyboard and mouse on Xbox Cloud Gaming

Since you are going to use your keyboard and mouse for gaming purposes, make sure of the quality before spending your money on it. Here is a tip ─ the keyboard and mouse, which are compatible with Windows 10/11, should work for Xbox cloud gaming.
Wired keyboard and mouse are the best for optimising your gaming experience. But if you use a wireless keyboard and mouse, be sure those are fully charged. You can use fresh batteries to get maximum output.
Check your mouse pointer’s speed before hitting the play button to match the game.
And lastly, one quick tip: if you are a regular gamer, adjust your desk and chair to maintain your eye level to ensure your health and comfort. Happy gaming