Any way to play music I own (not from a streaming service) on Xbox Series S or X?

GraniteStateColin · Dec 29, 2023

I have my Xbox Series X in our game room connected to an AVR (tuner/amp) and on the same LAN as my Windows 11 PC, which is set up as a DLNA media server (music is accessible to other DLNA-supporting devices on the network like other Windows PC's and smart TV's, so this issue is limited to Xbox). I also have all the music in OneDrive. I know it used to be possible to play music on Xbox Series S and X a while back, but Microsoft seems to have removed all of those older methods. I can't even find a Groove or OneDrive app in the Store on Xbox and the new Media Player app doesn't seem to support either a network server or OneDrive access.

I know that Spotify offers a way to stream your own music, but that's only under their paid plan and I own all the music I care about, so I have no interest in paying for a streaming service just for someone else to randomize my music for me. Also, I think it would probably work if I put everything on a USB drive and plugged that into the Xbox (maybe), but when there's some music I want, I'll buy it digitally or on CD and then rip it. Because I have multiple Xboxes on the LAN and want the same solution to work on all of them, copying multiple USB drives is a hassle and a cost for multiple drives that I'd rather avoid. For those reasons, I want a solution that stays sync'd with my main music Library on PC and OneDrive.

Internet searches provide lots of info... on how to do this on the old Xbox One which supported both network access and OneDrive access, and then on Series S | X using the no-longer-available Groove app. Nothing I can find applies to the current Xbox situation.

So, as we head into 2024, is there any way to play my music, either via DLNA (provided by the Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service) or from OneDrive on the Xbox Series S and X? If so, how?

:)

GraniteStateColin

i'd suggest you start with VLC, which I know for a fact and access drives on the net work and cloud storage services as well as take media off of a USB drive

Thank you! I feel stupid. I'm familiar with VLC, but never thought to check the Microsoft Store on Xbox for that. When I read your post, my first thought was, "no, that only runs on computers and can't possibly be in the Xbox Store, right?" Sure enough, it was, and it worked perfectly. From going to the Store to search for VLC to playing my music in it probably took no more than about 2 minutes. In other words, it's a very small download and instantly sees all available DLNA servers.

I still find it frustrating that MS removed all support for owned music (and especially for OneDrive, which it seems they want people to use) with the latest Xbox updates, but glad there are third party solutions like VLC to fill in the gap.

GraniteStateColin

Less important to me, but it would be nice: is there a way to sync playlists between Windows and Xbox and Android devices?

SwordofWhedon

i'd suggest you start with VLC, which I know for a fact and access drives on the net work and cloud storage services as well as take media off of a USB drive

Obsessive Power

Hi,

Xbox Streaming is a subscription only service, you can't stream owned games on it.

Unless you have desire to buy a capable gaming PC or an Xbox Series S or X, you're better off requesting a refund.

Obsessive Power

Be sure to check that the game is compatible with Xbox Series X before purchasing.

Another option is to look into game streaming services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming or Nvidia GeForce Now

It's not backwards compatible I'm afraid.

It's not listed on GeForce Now's game list. Besides, GeForce now requires you to own a digital PC version of a game before you can play it.

Furthermore, the backwards compatibility program has ended. There will be no more Xbox 360 or original Xbox games made available for Xbox One or Series X|S consoles.

Blur was delisted from the Xbox Store around January 2013. It was likely removed because the licenses for in-game cars and music had expired.

The only way to play this game now is on an Xbox 360 console.

Any way to play music I own (not from a streaming service) on Xbox Series S or X?