Xbox Series X|S accessibility settings: a menu-by-menu guide

Set it up, step by step

1. Press the Xbox button to open the guide.
2. Select Profile & system > Settings > Accessibility.
3. Narrator: select Narrator and turn on Narrator on; choose Narrator options for voice, volume, speed and pitch.
4. Magnifier: select Magnifier and check the box next to Magnifier on.
5. High contrast: select High contrast, then turn on Dark theme or Light theme.
6. Colour filters: select Colour filters, choose a Correction type, then adjust Intensity and Colour boost.
7. Captions: select Captioning, then choose On using default style or On using customised style.
8. Audio: select Audio to turn on Mono output or mute navigation and notification sounds.
9. Chat: select Game and chat transcription and tick Speech-to-text and/or Text-to-speech.
10. Controller: select Controller, then Xbox Controller Assist settings to link two controllers.

Where it works

Narrator and Magnifier on the console

Narrator is the Xbox screen reader. It reads text, buttons and other elements aloud. Besides the menu route, you can turn it on by holding the Xbox button until the controller vibrates and then pressing the Menu button, or with Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter on a keyboard. In Narrator options you can choose a voice, adjust volume, speed and pitch, set the Narrator key for a keyboard, and allow content to be read aloud when the console is idle.

Magnifier enlarges part of the screen. With a controller: right stick to move around, left stick to interact, right trigger to zoom in, left trigger to zoom out. The options include Follow controller focus, a Large on-screen keyboard, and a warning prompt when Magnifier is switched on. Microsoft notes that Narrator and Magnifier can also be switched on from the menu that appears when you hold the Xbox button. With a USB keyboard, Windows logo key + plus sign turns Magnifier on and Windows logo key + Esc turns it off.

High contrast, colour filters and Night mode

High contrast offers a Dark theme or Light theme designed to separate items and text clearly. It applies to everyone on the console, and custom colours and backgrounds are hidden while it is on. A keyboard shortcut is Shift + Alt + PrtScn.

Colour filters are aimed at players with colour vision deficiency. The screen shows three colour wheels labelled Deuteranopia, Protanopia and Tritanopia; you choose the one that looks least distinct in the Correction type menu, then use the Intensity and Colour boost sliders. Filters apply across the console but do not change game clips or screenshots.

Night mode can dim the screen, filter blue light, and lower the brightness of the controller and console power button lights, on a schedule or permanently. Microsoft suggests it may be useful for people who are photosensitive or have sensory processing differences.

Captions, mono output and quieter menus

Under Captioning you can turn on captions using the default style or a customised one. Customisation covers caption colour, transparency, size, style and effects, plus background and window colour and transparency. These settings apply to video content; game subtitles are set inside each game.

Under Audio, Mono output combines all channels so every speaker plays the same sound, which Microsoft notes can help with asymmetrical hearing loss. The same screen lets you mute navigation sounds, notification sounds, the power chime and the start-up sound without affecting in-game audio.

The chat mixer, reached from the Audio & music icon in the guide or Profile & system > Settings > Volume & audio output > Additional options, sets party chat volume separately from the game.

Game and chat transcription

Game and chat transcription turns other players' speech into on-screen text, and can read your typed messages aloud to them. In Game and chat transcription, tick Speech-to-text and/or Text-to-speech, choose the voice others hear, and turn on Let games read to me where games support it.

Microsoft notes that party chat transcription works on Xbox consoles but not in Discord-hosted party chats, and that game transcription only works in games that support it. If it does not work, check that everyone has a headset connected before the game launches and that communication privacy is set to allow it. For more on deaf and hard of hearing players, see our hearing guide.

Finding accessible games and pacing play on Xbox

The Xbox Store can filter games by accessibility tags. Press the Xbox button, go to Store, open a category and press the X button to browse everything in it, or press Y to search. While browsing a list, press X to open the filters, choose Accessibility and pick one or more features. Press B to back out and see the tagged games.

Xbox is moving to the Accessible Games Initiative tag set, alongside six Xbox-specific tags such as Accessibility on launch, Single-stick gameplay and Adjustable input sensitivity. Microsoft notes that developers choose which tags to apply and tags are not exhaustive, so use them as a starting point.

For pacing, Profile & system > Settings > Preferences > Break reminder can show a reminder every 30 minutes up to every 2 hours, only while you are playing a game. Our game profiles summarise official feature lists for popular games.

Controller remapping and Controller Assist

Standard Xbox Wireless Controllers can be remapped in the Xbox Accessories app: open it from My games & apps > See all > Apps, choose the controller, select Configure and create a profile. You can swap buttons and stick functions, and remap the Share button on newer controllers. To undo everything, choose a profile and select Edit > Restore to default.

Xbox Controller Assist, formerly Copilot, links two controllers so they act as one. With both connected, use the primary controller to open Profile & system > Settings > Accessibility > Controller, choose Xbox Controller Assist settings, and select Turn on Xbox Controller Assist. Achievements go to the primary controller's profile; the assisting controller does not need to be signed in. For dedicated hardware, see our Xbox Adaptive Controller guide.

Tips that save time

• Shortcut for Narrator: hold the Xbox button until the controller vibrates, then press the Menu button.
• Shortcut for Magnifier: hold the Xbox button until it vibrates, press the View button and choose Yes.
• Press the Xbox button twice while magnified to keep the zoom while you use the controller for gameplay.
• Turn on Warn me when turning Narrator on to avoid switching it on by accident.
• High contrast and saved colour filters can be toggled from Quick settings in the Profile & system tab.
• Set a Break reminder under Profile & system > Settings > Preferences > Break reminder.
• Filter the Store by Accessibility to find games tagged with the features you need.

Questions people ask

Where are the accessibility settings on Xbox Series X|S?

Press the Xbox button to open the guide, then go to Profile & system > Settings > Accessibility.

How do I turn Narrator off quickly?

Hold the Xbox button until the controller vibrates, then press the Menu button. Repeat the same steps to turn it back on.

Do Xbox caption settings change game subtitles?

No. They apply to video content such as films and TV apps. Game subtitles are set in each game's own options.

Can someone help me play using a second controller?

Yes. Turn on Xbox Controller Assist under Accessibility > Controller so two controllers act as one.