Like other modern consoles, including the PS4, PS5, and Xbox One, the Xbox Series X|S is more than capable of playing Blu-ray discs. That shouldn’t be too surprising, as modern consoles are more like entertainment systems rather than dedicated gaming machines, with gamers often using them in place of other pieces of hardware such as DVD players. The only current Xbox console that doesn’t support Blu-ray or DVD playback is the Xbox Series S, a digital-only console that doesn’t have a disc drive.
However, the process is not as simple as placing the disc in the console and then expecting it to play — at least, not for the first time. Users need to download the Blu-ray Player app from the Microsoft Store to actually watch movies and television series from discs. Set up is easy, though, with the app just a few megabytes in size. Players will even get a prompt to install the app if they place a DVD or Blu-ray in the disc drive.
The app essentially provides all the features you’d expect from a traditional Blu-ray player, including the ability to fast forward, rewind, skip chapters, and open advanced playback controls. All of these can be accessed with the standard Xbox controller, a media remote, or even a USB keyboard that has been plugged into the console. The Blu-ray player on Xbox Series X|S even supports Ultra HD Blu-ray discs that allow for 4K resolution and HDR technology.