How to Use the Xbox Series X Disc Drive for Games and Media
- The Xbox Series X includes a 4K UHD Blu-ray optical disc drive that supports physical game discs, backward-compatible legacy titles, standard Blu-ray movies, DVDs, and audio CDs.
- Owners of the Xbox Series X can use physical game discs from older consoles, including the Xbox One, Xbox 360, and the original Xbox.
- However, users must ensure that the inserted discs are part of the backward compatibility whitelist, which currently contains over 600 games.
The Xbox Series X includes a 4K UHD Blu-ray optical disc drive that supports physical game discs, backward-compatible legacy titles, standard Blu-ray movies, DVDs, and audio CDs. Unlike the budget Xbox Series S, the Series X allows physical media collectors to run disc versions of games without a hassle and use the console as a standalone media playing hub.
Xbox Series X Supports Discs from Four Console Generations
Owners of the Xbox Series X can use physical game discs from older consoles, including the Xbox One, Xbox 360, and the original Xbox. The console features a four-generation backward compatibility feature that lets players enjoy classic titles on better hardware with faster loading times, better frame rates, and higher resolution.
However, users must ensure that the inserted discs are part of the backward compatibility whitelist, which currently contains over 600 games. When an older disc is inserted, it acts as an authorization tool or license, and the console downloads the updated version from its library if the game is on the whitelist. Kinect-exclusive games are not supported on the new-generation console because Microsoft discontinued the Kinect sensor after the Xbox One.
Entertainment Playback Across Different Formats
The optical disc player on the Xbox Series X supports playback for 4K UHD Blu-ray, standard Blu-ray, and DVDs. To run Blu-ray content, users must manually download Microsoft’s free Blu-ray Player app from the Microsoft Store, after which the console can run all the different content formats. The console does not support 3D Blu-ray discs, as Microsoft dropped support for that format.
For audio CDs, users must download Windows Media Player from the Microsoft Store. Once installed, inserting the audio disc should start it playing automatically, or users can open the media player and play the disc from there.