Kinect setup

Set up Kinect for Xbox

Position the Kinect sensor

Position Kinect

Kinect needs to see your entire body
  • Place the sensor near the edge on a flat, stable surface.
  • Position the sensor between 2 feet (0.6m) and 6 feet (1.8m) from the floor. Ideally, the sensor should be within 6 inches (15 cm) above or below your TV.
  • Avoid positioning the sensor in direct sunlight or within 1 foot (.3m) of audio speakers.
  • Do not manually tilt the sensor; it adjusts automatically.
  • Be careful not to drop the sensor.

Note In smaller rooms, try to position the sensor as close to 6 feet (1.8m) as possible.

Set up your play space

Play space setup

Kinect needs to see your entire body
  • Clear the area between the sensor and the players.
  • One player: Stand back 6 feet (1.8 m).
  • Two players: Stand back 8 feet (2.4 m).
  • Make sure that the play space is at least 6 feet (1.8 m) wide, and not wider or longer than 12 feet (3.6 m).
  • Make sure the room has bright, even lighting.

Connect the cables

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Original Xbox 360 console
  • Plug one end of the cable into the USB port on the back of the console and the other end into an electrical outlet.
  • If you have a wireless networking adapter, plug it into the USB port on the front of the console by using the supplied USB extension cable.
  • Move all other USB accessories to USB ports on the front of the console.

Note If you bought a Kinect sensor with an Xbox 360 S console, you will need to purchase a power/USB cable if you want to connect the sensor to an original Xbox 360 console. Order a Kinect power/USB cable.

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Xbox 360 S console
  • If the Kinect sensor is attached to a cable with a power plug, disconnect the power plug portion of the cable. A power cable is not needed with the Xbox 360 S console.
  • Plug the sensor cable into the AUX port on the back of the console.

Update your console software

Before using Kinect for the first time, you might need to update your console software. If you don’t complete this step, you might see one of the following messages:

Update Required: Insert the disc that came with the device.

Update Required: A system update is required to use Kinect.

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Update your console software for Kinect

Need help?

Use Kinect for the first time

Once your console software is updated, step through the on-screen tutorial to help you become familiar with Kinect.

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How Kinect appears on your Xbox 360 console

When the Kinect sensor is active, a window appears in the lower-right corner of the dashboard. If you can see yourself in this window, then you can interact with Kinect.

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