better-xcloud.github.io

Better xCloud improves Xbox Cloud Gaming (xCloud) visuals in three main ways: it can enable 1080p resolution on all devices (where supported), apply a high-quality codec profile to the stream, and use Clarity boost — a set of methods that make the picture look clearer and sharper. These features target the xbox.com/play website and are described as free and open-source, with no ads or tracking beyond the xCloud site's own trackers (which can be disabled).

The three visual quality features

1080p resolution on all devices

Better xCloud enables 1080p resolution across devices, provided the device supports it. The project also notes that, despite its name, it supports Remote Play on the xbox.com/play website at 1080p, including streaming Xbox 360 games.

High-quality codec profile

Alongside resolution, Better xCloud can enable a high-quality codec profile on all devices (if supported). This affects how the stream is encoded and decoded, which is the other half of perceived image quality beyond raw pixel count.

Clarity boost

Clarity boost uses multiple methods to improve the visual quality of the stream so it looks clearer and sharper. The site describes it as a distinct feature with its own "How to use" instructions rather than a single toggle with one fixed effect.

What this means in practice

The recurring "if supported" caveat matters: these are capability-dependent settings, so the same account can get different results on a phone, a desktop browser, or a TV.

Where these features live

The site organizes these under Features → Global settings and Stream settings, alongside related stream controls like stream stats and screenshot capture. If you're troubleshooting, the project also maintains a Troubleshooting / FAQ section and device-specific guides (Android WebView tweaks, Nvidia SHIELD TV).

A reasonable way to approach it

1. Confirm your client — Windows/macOS/Linux/SteamOS via Chrome or Edge, Android/Android TV/Meta Quest via the Android app or Edge, macOS/iOS/iPadOS via Safari, or LG TV via webOS 22+.
2. Enable 1080p and the high-quality codec profile, then check whether your device actually reports the higher resolution.
3. Turn on Clarity boost and compare against the same scene with it off.
4. If the stream looks worse or stutters, revert one setting at a time — the site's troubleshooting section covers common issues.

One caveat from the source: the project states it never sends your Xbox account or token to another website, and that xCloud developers have said they "don't ban people for using a third party client or extension" — while still advising you use it at your own risk.

No. According to Better xCloud's own documentation, xCloud developers have endorsed Better xCloud and confirmed they "don't ban people for using a third party client or extension." The project also states it never sends your Xbox account or token to another website. The same page adds a caveat: use it at your own risk.

Why the ban question comes up

Better xCloud is a third-party tool that modifies the Xbox Cloud Gaming experience on xbox.com/play. Anything that sits between you and a Microsoft service can look like a terms-of-service risk, so the question is reasonable. The distinction that matters here is between modifying the official web client and bypassing the service itself — Better xCloud does the former.

What the project says about safety

The site makes three specific claims:

• Developer endorsement — xCloud developers endorsed Better xCloud before and confirmed they don't ban users for third-party clients or extensions.
• No credential forwarding — your Xbox account and token are never sent to another website.
• Free and open-source — the code is open, ad-free, and tracking-free, apart from trackers that come from the xCloud website itself, which you can disable.

The stated risk line is explicit: "As always, use it as your own risk."

What this does and doesn't guarantee

The endorsement is the strongest signal available, but it is a statement reported by Better xCloud, not a Microsoft support page you can cite in a dispute. Treat it as strong evidence, not a contractual guarantee.

Practical steps if you want to use it

1. Install from the official source — the Chrome/Edge extension, the Android app (Beta), or the Safari/webOS builds listed on the site — rather than a mirror.
2. Keep your Microsoft login inside the normal xbox.com sign-in flow. If any tool asks you to paste your token or password into a separate page, stop.
3. If you use the extension, review its permissions in your browser before enabling.
4. Keep a fallback: you can always play through the standard xbox.com/play client without the extension.

Bottom line

Using Better xCloud is described as safe by the project, backed by an endorsement from xCloud developers and a no-token-forwarding design. The residual risk is the ordinary one that applies to any unofficial client: policy can change, and you accept that by choosing to use it.

Better xCloud can let you play Xbox Cloud Gaming with a mouse and keyboard, but the exact method depends on where you run it. On desktop browsers and in the Android app, the extension offers both native and virtual mouse & keyboard support. You enable it from Better xCloud's settings, then pick the mode that matches your device and the game you want to play.

What "native" vs. "virtual" means

Better xCloud describes two ways to get mouse & keyboard input into a stream:

The practical difference: native is what you want when a game actually supports mouse and keyboard, because your inputs go through as-is. virtual is the fallback for games that only understand a controller — Better xCloud maps your keys and mouse movement onto a virtual gamepad so you can still play without a physical controller.

Before you start

• Install Better xCloud first. The site lists install paths for Chrome/Edge (Windows, macOS, Linux, SteamOS/Steam Deck), the Android app (Beta) or Edge on Android/Android TV/Meta Quest, Safari (macOS, iOS, iPadOS), and webOS 22+ for LG TVs.
• Mouse & keyboard support is described for desktop browsers and the Android app. If you are on a TV or a headset, check your client's own input options instead.
• Have a mouse and keyboard connected and working in your browser or on your Android device.

Steps to enable it

1. Open Xbox Cloud Gaming at xbox.com/play with Better xCloud active.
2. Open the Better xCloud settings panel (the extension's own settings, separate from the Xbox site menu).
3. Find the Mouse & Keyboard option and turn it on.
4. Choose the mode you need:
   • Select Native Mouse & Keyboard if the game supports mouse and keyboard input.
   • Select Virtual controller if the game is controller-only and you want to play with mouse and keyboard anyway.
5. Start or resume your game and test input. Move the mouse and press a few keys to confirm the stream is receiving them.

Expected result: your mouse and keyboard control the game in the stream, either directly (native) or through a virtual controller mapping.

Common snags

• Nothing responds. Confirm you enabled the option in Better xCloud's settings, not just in the Xbox site. The two are separate.
• The game ignores your mouse. That usually means the title has no native mouse & keyboard support — switch to the virtual controller mode.
• You are on a platform where it is not offered. The feature is documented for desktop browsers and the Android app. On other clients, use whatever input method that client supports.
• You are worried about account safety. Better xCloud states it never sends your Xbox account or token to another website, and that xCloud developers have said they "don't ban people for using a third party client or extension." The site still frames use as at your own risk.

Related capabilities worth knowing

Better xCloud also offers a touch controller for playing with on-screen controls in all games, plus custom touch controller layouts for games without touch support. If mouse & keyboard does not fit your setup, those are the alternatives the project documents.

Better xCloud is a free, open-source enhancement for Xbox Cloud Gaming (xCloud) on xbox.com/play, and the right client depends entirely on your device and browser. The official site lists four install paths: a Chrome/Edge extension for Windows, macOS, Linux, and SteamOS (including Steam Deck); an Android app (Beta) or Edge browser install for Android, Android TV, and Meta Quest VR headsets; a Safari extension for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS; and a webOS app for LG TVs running webOS 22 or later. Pick the row below that matches your hardware, then follow the linked install method on the site.

Client options by device

The site also provides a "How to pick the best client for your device" guide if you want the project's own recommendation rather than this table.

How to decide

If you're on a desktop or handheld PC

Use the Chrome/Edge extension. This covers Windows, macOS, Linux, and SteamOS, so Steam Deck users fall here too. It's the most direct path since it runs inside the browser you already use for xbox.com/play.

If you're on Android or a headset

You have two choices: the Android app (Beta) or installing through the Edge browser. The Beta label means the app is still in testing, so if you prefer a more stable setup, the Edge browser route is the alternative. This same path covers Android TV and Meta Quest VR headsets.

If you're on Apple mobile or desktop

Use the Safari extension for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. Note that macOS appears in both the Chrome/Edge row and the Safari row — the difference is which browser you play in, not the operating system.

If you're on an LG TV

Use the webOS app, but only if your TV runs webOS 22 or later. Older webOS versions aren't listed as supported.

What you get regardless of client

The feature set doesn't change by client — the client is just how you access it. According to the site, Better xCloud is:

• Free and open-source, with no ads and no tracking (aside from trackers on the xCloud website itself, which you can disable).
• Safe with your account — it never sends your Xbox account or token to another website.
• Remote Play capable — despite the name, it supports Remote Play on the xbox.com/play website at 1080p, including Xbox 360 games.

Feature-level options like clarity boost, native mouse & keyboard, virtual controller, local co-op, stream stats, and screenshot capture are covered in the site's Features section and apply across clients where the device supports them.

A note on bans

The site states plainly that you won't get banned: xCloud developers have endorsed Better xCloud and confirmed they "don't ban people for using a third party client or extension." The site still frames usage as at your own risk.

Third-party option

If you're on Apple Vision Pro, there's a separate third-party app called Nexus+ (with a guide), created by another developer, KhaosT. It is not part of the official Better xCloud install paths, so treat it as an independent project.

Better xCloud is a free, open-source browser extension and Android app that improves the Xbox Cloud Gaming (xCloud) experience on xbox.com/play. It adds higher visual quality, Remote Play support, and extra control options across Windows, macOS, Linux, SteamOS, Android, iOS, iPadOS, and LG TVs. It is not an official Microsoft product, but the xCloud developers have endorsed it and confirmed they "don't ban people for using a third party client or extension."

What It Does

Better xCloud works on top of the existing xbox.com/play website rather than replacing it. You still sign in with your own Xbox account, and the tool never sends your account or token to another website.

Its main additions:

• Higher visual quality — enables 1080p resolution and a high-quality codec profile on supported devices.
• Clarity boost — applies several methods to make the stream look clearer and sharper.
• Remote Play support — despite the name, it lets you use Remote Play on the xbox.com/play website at 1080p, including Xbox 360 games.
• Mouse & keyboard support — native or virtual, on desktop browsers and in the Android app.
• Touch controls everywhere — adds touch controls to games that don't normally support them, plus custom touch controller layouts.
• Local co-op — allows local co-op play in some xCloud games.
• Stream stats and screenshot capture — for monitoring and saving your stream.

Supported Platforms

The site also offers guidance on picking the best client for your device, since the experience differs between the browser extension and the Android app.

Is It Safe?

According to the project, yes. Better xCloud is free and open-source, ad-free, and tracking-free (aside from trackers that come from the xCloud website itself, which you can disable). The xCloud developers endorsed it before release and stated they don't ban users for third-party clients or extensions. The project still notes you use it at your own risk.

Who It's For

Better xCloud suits anyone who already uses Xbox Cloud Gaming in a browser and wants better image quality, Remote Play on the web, or keyboard-and-mouse and touch input options that the standard site doesn't provide. If you only play through the official Xbox app or console and don't need those extras, it adds little. If you play on a Steam Deck, an Android device, or an LG TV and want a sharper 1080p stream with more control choices, it's aimed directly at you.