Yes, but only as a basic video passthrough. Connect a second console or another HDMI source to the Xbox One HDMI-In port, connect the Xbox One HDMI-Out to your TV or monitor, then open the Xbox TV/OneGuide view. The external picture can appear on the display, but the Xbox One does not control, combine with, or add compatibility to the connected device. For a PC, this is not a dependable substitute for a monitor input; Microsoft support describes the relevant Xbox One S PC-monitor arrangement as unavailable because of system limitations. If you need recording, streaming, or a PC preview, use a capture card with HDMI passthrough instead.
What the Xbox One HDMI-In port actually does
HDMI-In accepts video from an external HDMI device and routes that signal through the Xbox One to the display connected to HDMI-Out. The port was designed primarily for devices such as a cable or satellite box that play video. It is an input for the Xbox One’s TV features, not an additional HDMI output and not a second console bay.
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The Xbox One remains in the middle of the signal path. Your television or monitor sees the incoming source only when the Xbox One is powered on and its TV/OneGuide view is selected. The external console still runs its own software, uses its own controller, and keeps its own game and network connection. The Xbox One does not provide dashboard integration, achievements, voice control, or game compatibility for that console.
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- What it cannot do: turn the Xbox One into a capture device, add Xbox controls to another console, or create another HDMI output.
- What determines success: the exact source, Xbox model, display, resolution, HDR mode, HDCP state, cables, and any other device in the chain.
How to connect a second console
The physical wiring is straightforward. You need the second console’s HDMI output, an Xbox One with HDMI-In and HDMI-Out, a display with a compatible HDMI input, and two suitable HDMI cables.
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- Turn off the Xbox One and the external source before connecting cables.
- Connect the second console’s HDMI output to the Xbox One HDMI-In port. Do not use the Xbox One’s HDMI-Out for this connection.
- Connect the Xbox One HDMI-Out port to an HDMI input on the television or monitor.
- Turn on the display, Xbox One, and second console.
- On the Xbox One, open the TV/OneGuide view so it displays the incoming HDMI source. The exact on-screen wording can vary with system software and region.
- Set the source and display to a mutually supported resolution and refresh mode if the picture does not appear.
Users have reported connecting systems such as a PS4, Nintendo Switch, or another Xbox to HDMI-In, but those reports are anecdotal. Microsoft does not publish a universal compatibility guarantee for every console-and-display combination. A connection that works with one console, television, and cable may fail with another.
Using a PS4, Switch, or another Xbox
PS4 or another HDMI console
A PS4 or another console can be tried as an HDMI source using the wiring above. The source console’s rendered picture is simply passed onward; you still play it with that console’s controller. If its video mode, copy-protection handshake, or output timing is not accepted by the Xbox One and display together, the TV/OneGuide view can remain blank.
Nintendo Switch and docked systems
A Switch must be docked to provide HDMI output. The dock connects to HDMI-In in the same way as any other source. Handheld mode has no HDMI signal to pass through. Display compatibility still depends on the dock’s output mode and the capabilities negotiated across the complete chain.
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The HDMI-In port does not merge two Xbox dashboards or let one Xbox launch games from the other. It only forwards the second system’s video. Sign in, game licenses, controllers, voice chat, and network services remain associated with the external Xbox.
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Can you run a PC through Xbox One HDMI-In?
Do not treat Xbox One HDMI-In as a general-purpose PC-monitor input. A Microsoft Q&A response about an Xbox One S PC-passthrough arrangement says the requested setup was unavailable because of system limitations and recommends using a TV for that scenario. That makes direct PC-to-HDMI-In use an unreliable workflow rather than a supported replacement for a monitor’s HDMI port.
Even when a PC produces an image that appears briefly, the arrangement can be unsuitable for normal desktop work. The Xbox One must be powered and showing its TV/OneGuide view, and the PC, Xbox, and display must complete a compatible video and HDCP handshake. Unsupported resolution, refresh, HDR, or copy-protection combinations can result in no signal. The Xbox One also does not add PC input controls, operating-system integration, or a captured signal that software on the PC can automatically use.
If your goal is simply to view a PC, connect the PC directly to the monitor or TV whenever possible. If your goal is to record or stream console video on a PC, use a capture card rather than relying on HDMI-In.
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A capture card is built to accept a source over HDMI, pass that signal to a display, and expose a captured feed to a computer. Elgato’s documented HD60 setup states: “Connect your Xbox One to the HDMI In of Elgato Game Capture HD60 via an HDMI cable.” In that arrangement, the Xbox One connects to the capture card’s HDMI input, the capture card provides HDMI passthrough to the TV, and USB connects the capture device to the PC for recording or streaming software.
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- Connect the Xbox One or other console HDMI-Out to the capture card’s HDMI-In.
- Connect the capture card’s HDMI-Out or passthrough output to the TV or monitor.
- Connect the capture card to the PC using the interface specified by that model.
- Open compatible capture or streaming software and select the card as the video source.
- Test the complete chain with the intended resolution, HDR setting, audio path, and game before relying on it for a broadcast or recording.
This route separates two jobs: passthrough lets you play on the display, while the capture interface supplies a signal that the PC can record or stream. A capture card is therefore the clearest supported hardware path when “use Xbox on my PC” means preview, recording, or live streaming rather than merely showing a picture on a monitor.
Direct passthrough, capture card, or HDMI switch?
| Option | Intended purpose | Number of sources | HDCP and format support | Display compatibility | Cable complexity | Does the PC receive a captured signal? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox One HDMI-In | View one external video source through the Xbox One | One source at a time | Dependent on the source, Xbox, display, and complete handshake; protected content can fail | Must be compatible with the Xbox One’s passthrough path and the display | Source to Xbox HDMI-In, then Xbox HDMI-Out to display | No |
| HDMI capture card | Record, stream, or preview a source on a PC while providing passthrough | Usually one HDMI source per input; model-dependent | Varies by model; HDCP-protected video can block capture | Passthrough and supported formats depend on the card and display | Source to card, card to display, card to PC | Yes |
| HDMI switch | Select between several HDMI sources for one display | Multiple inputs, depending on the switch | Varies by model and does not inherently remove HDCP restrictions | Depends on the switch’s supported resolutions, HDR, HDCP, and the display | Each source to switch, switch output to display | No |
Choose HDMI-In when you already own an Xbox One and only need to view one compatible source through its output. Choose a capture card when a computer must receive video for recording, streaming, or software preview. Choose an HDMI switch when the real problem is too few HDMI inputs on the display and you do not need a captured PC signal.
HDCP, 4K, HDR, and resolution limits
Copy protection and video-format negotiation can decide whether the chain works. HDCP-protected video may block capture or passthrough, depending on the devices involved. Xbox Wire notes that every device in a 4K passthrough chain must support the required 4K and HDCP capabilities, and that suitable certified HDMI cables should be used.
Do not assume that an Xbox One HDMI-In setup will preserve a particular resolution, HDR mode, refresh rate, or audio format. The source, Xbox model, intermediary device, cable, and display all participate in the handshake. A 4K-capable television does not make every device in the chain 4K-capable, and an HDR-capable source does not guarantee HDR after passing through the Xbox One.
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- Analog Audio In: Capture in-game chat or commentary with 3.5mm input
- Check the source console’s output mode and temporarily select a lower, widely supported resolution if the screen is blank.
- Use certified HDMI cables appropriate to the signal and avoid adding unnecessary adapters or splitters.
- Test the source directly with the display to determine whether the console works before inserting the Xbox One.
- If protected video fails while menus appear, suspect HDCP rather than a defective HDMI port.
Troubleshooting a blank or unstable picture
No picture at all
- Confirm the source is connected to HDMI-In and the display is connected to HDMI-Out; reversing either cable defeats the intended path.
- Power off all devices, reconnect the cables firmly, then power on the display, Xbox One, and source again.
- Open the Xbox TV/OneGuide view instead of staying on the Xbox dashboard.
- Connect the source directly to the display. If direct connection also fails, troubleshoot the source or display first.
Picture appears, then disappears
This commonly points to an unstable HDMI handshake, an unsupported output mode, or HDCP renegotiation. Remove intermediate devices, try another certified cable, and select a resolution and HDR setting supported by every device. If the signal is stable only when the source is connected directly, the Xbox One path is not compatible with that combination.
Menus work but protected video does not
HDCP can allow unprotected menus while blocking protected playback or capture. Do not attempt to bypass copy protection. Use a direct display connection or hardware and software that explicitly support the source’s protection requirements.
The PC shows no usable monitor or capture feed
For direct PC passthrough, the Microsoft-documented Xbox One S limitation may be the reason the arrangement cannot work as a monitor workflow. Connect the PC directly to the display, or move the source to a capture card when the PC needs a recorded or streamed signal.
HDMI-In versus Xbox game streaming
HDMI-In is a physical video path. Xbox game streaming is a separate network feature: Microsoft’s support instructions require enabling Allow game streaming to other devices and using the Xbox app. Streaming does not send an external console’s HDMI signal through the Xbox One, and connecting a PC to HDMI-In does not activate game streaming. Choose the feature based on the task: HDMI-In for a compatible wired video source, game streaming for supported Xbox gameplay delivered over a network.
Quick Recap
What you need before trying it
- An Xbox One with a functioning HDMI-In and HDMI-Out port.
- The external console or video device’s HDMI output and its own power supply and controller.
- Two suitable HDMI cables, with certified cables for demanding 4K chains.
- A TV or monitor whose input supports the negotiated signal.
- For PC recording or streaming, a compatible capture card, USB connection, and capture software.
- Time to test the exact source, Xbox model, display, resolution, HDR mode, and HDCP combination you plan to use.
Bottom line for each common use case
- Second console on one display: Often possible through Xbox One HDMI-In and TV/OneGuide, but it is anecdotal and source/display dependent rather than universally guaranteed.
- PC through Xbox One to a monitor: Not a dependable workflow; Microsoft support reports the relevant Xbox One S arrangement as unavailable because of system limitations.
- Recording or streaming Xbox video on a PC: Use a capture card with HDMI input and passthrough.
- More HDMI inputs: Use an HDMI switch, checking its resolution, HDR, HDCP, and display compatibility.
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