How to Connect Mouse and Keyboard to Xbox

Video game consoles are primarily designed for controllers, but many modern models support mouse and keyboard compatibility. Using this control setup can improve gameplay for certain games, such as strategy and shooters.

Luckily, this method is simple and straightforward to set up. The key is to have the right equipment before beginning.

How to Connect a Keyboard:

While Microsoft has promised that the Xbox One will get better support for mouse and keyboard input in the future. So for now, you’ll need to rely on an external USB adapter.

Thankfully, this method of connecting a keyboard and mouse to your Xbox is relatively straightforward and doesn’t require any complicated software or setup.

To connect a wired keyboard and mouse to an Xbox series console. So simply plug them into a USB port on the front or back of the device.

Wireless peripherals that use their own USB dongles will work too, as long as the dongle is compatible with the Xbox.

A few games on the Xbox series X|S console are especially well-suited to keyboard and mouse control, including strategy titles like The Sims 4. So and even some first-person shooters like Halo and Sea of Thieves.

If you’re curious about whether a particular game supports this type of input, a quick web search should provide you with all the information you need.

How to Connect a Mouse:

Some Xbox users have been able to use wired USB mice to play games on Microsoft’s console. However, this only works for games that support mouse input and have been enabled by the game developer.

In order to connect a mouse to an Xbox, users must have a stable WiFi connection and a compatible keyboard.

The keyboard will also need to have a dedicated Xbox key that can be used to navigate the dashboard (which doesn’t allow for mouse pointer navigation). There are also some keyboard shortcuts available to get around quicker – which are similar to Windows shortcuts.

Most gaming mice and keyboards will be compatible with an Xbox, but there are some issues to look out for.

For instance, some mice will use a single two-in-one dongle for both the mouse and keyboard which can cause compatibility issues.

This is usually due to the fact that the peripherals aren’t using the same driver system that Windows uses.

How to Set Up a Keyboard:

A few simple steps are all you need to connect a keyboard and mouse to your Xbox. Just make sure that you have a mouse and keyboard that are compatible with your console and a USB adapter or hub.

The Xbox Series X and S consoles have built-in USB ports that support most wired and wireless mice and keyboards.

So, The older Xbox One consoles have fewer built-in USB ports and require a separate USB hub to work with keyboards and mice.

Once you have a mouse and keyboard that are compatible with your Xbox, you can test them by opening a game or app that supports mouse and keyboard input.

Note that you won’t be able to use a mouse within the dashboard or Microsoft Edge, and the main Xbox UI isn’t designed to accommodate keyboard and mouse navigation.

In most cases, your USB mouse and keyboard will be automatically recognized by the console. However, if they aren’t working, the drivers for either device may need to be updated or restored.

How to Set Up a Mouse:

Many gamers are surprised to learn that most modern Xbox consoles can support mouse and keyboard input.

These devices can be used for navigation in games that support them. So as well as for text entry when prompted for such input.

While the Xbox series X|S models have built-in support for these peripherals. So the older models require a third-party adapter to work.

Once the correct USB-connected hardware is installed, users can simply connect it to their Xbox and begin playing. The console will recognize the device immediately.

Depending on the mouse, it may come with a USB dongle that must be connected to the console as well.

Once the devices are properly plugged in, users can configure them through the iCUE application on their PC.

This will allow them to change settings like pointer speed and even create custom game profiles for their gaming setups.

This is especially useful for those that play a variety of different games that have different control schemes.