Windows 7: Set up Windows Media Center with Xbox 360

Overview

You can use Windows Media Center to stream music, pictures, and video to your Xbox 360 console from any computer on your home network. The following steps are for the versions of Windows that include Media Center (Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Home Premium, and Windows 7 Enterprise versions). For help installing Windows Media Center on your computer, see Windows Media Center.

Note Xbox One does not support streaming media from Windows Media Center.

To set up Windows Media Center on other versions of Windows, see the following articles:

Step 1: Connect your console to your network

If you’ve already connected your console to your network, you can go to step 2 below.

If not, connect your console to your home network using a wired or wireless connection. Then, test to make sure that your Xbox console connects successfully. Here’s how:

On your Xbox controller, press the Guide button.

Press the Guide button on your Xbox controller.

Go to Settings, and then select System Settings.

Select Network Settings.

Select the name of your wireless network, or select Wired Network for a wired connection.

Select “Wired Network” or the name of your wireless network.

Select Test Xbox Live Connection.

If the network status for the connection to your network shows as Connected, go to step 2 below. Otherwise, select More Info on your console and follow the suggestions.

Step 2: Remove previous connections (if necessary)

If you previously connected a computer to your Xbox 360 console, you’ll need to remove the existing connection.

You can remove the previous steps on your computer or on your Xbox console:

Computer steps: Remove previous connections
Console steps: Remove previous connections

Computer steps: Remove previous connections

Start Windows Media Center.
At the bottom of the menu, select the Down Arrow, and under Tasks, select Settings.

Select Extender.

Select “Xbox 360 Media Center Extender.”

Select Xbox 360 Media Center Extender.
Select Uninstall.
Select Next.

Console steps: Remove previous connections

Go to My Settings, and then select System.
Select Computers.
Select Windows Media Center.
Select Disconnect.
Press the B button on your controller to return to the Xbox Dashboard.

Step 3: Get the setup key on your console

On your console, go to Apps, select My Apps, and then select Windows Media Center. Tip Not seeing Apps? You might need to update your Xbox 360 console software.
Select Continue.
Write down the 8-digit setup key.

Step 4: Add your console to Windows Media Center

Start Windows Media Center on your computer.
Go to Tasks, and then select Add Extender.

On the Extender Setup screen, select Next.

Select “Next” on the Extender Setup screen.

When prompted, enter the 8-digit setup key from step 3.

Select Next to complete setup.

Select “Next” after you’ve entered your 8-digit key.

Step 5: Start Windows Media Center on your console

Go to Apps, select My Apps, and then select Windows Media Center. It will take some time to build your media libraries the first time you use Windows Media Center on your console.

What are other users saying about these topics?

To see what other users are saying about these topics, or to ask your own questions, go to our Xbox Support Forums and view the following conversations:

Please note that Xbox Support Forums content is available only in English. To translate Xbox Support Forums content into another language, paste the URL into an online translation tool such as Bing Translator.