How to use XREAL glasses with a PS5 or Xbox

Want your PS5 or Xbox on a giant screen in your glasses? It works, but not with a single cable. Consoles send video out over HDMI. XREAL glasses take video and power over USB-C. You need something in between, and what that is depends on which glasses you have.

What you need

Glasses	What to use
XREAL 1 Pro+	A powered HDMI to USB-C video adapter made for AR glasses
XREAL One, One Pro and 1S	An adapter that converts HDMI for the glasses and powers them
ROG XREAL R1	The ROG Control Dock that comes in the box

XREAL doesn't name an adapter model in its manuals. For the 1 Pro+, it says to ask XREAL Support for a recommendation. For the One series, it points you to its customer service or its online store's support team.

Before you buy an adapter

• Check the direction. You want HDMI in and USB-C video out. The common USB-C to HDMI adapter, the kind for plugging a laptop into a TV, works the other way. XREAL says it won't work here.
• Look for a power input. The glasses need power as well as video, so the adapter has to supply both.
• Pick one built for AR glasses. That's what XREAL's 1 Pro+ guide asks for.
• Ask first if you're unsure. XREAL's support team can tell you which adapters work with your glasses.

Connect a 1 Pro+, One, One Pro or 1S

1. Connect the console's HDMI output to the adapter's HDMI input.
2. Plug in the adapter's power supply.
3. Plug your glasses into the adapter's USB-C video output.
4. Turn on the console and check the picture in the glasses.

These steps come from XREAL's 1 Pro+ manual. Its One series manual gives the same advice, an adapter that converts HDMI and supplies power, without the step-by-step.

Connect an R1

The R1's dock does the adapter's job. It can also keep a PS5, an Xbox and a PC plugged in at the same time.

1. Run an HDMI cable from the console to one of the dock's two HDMI inputs.
2. Use one of the USB-A to USB-C cables from the box to connect the console to the dock. That link carries power and data.
3. Use the other cable to connect the dock to a power source, so it gets enough power.
4. Plug the glasses into the USB-C port on the front of the dock.
5. More than one source plugged in? Double-click the dock's joystick, open Input Select and pick the one you want.

Once the glasses are on the dock, you control them from the dock instead of the buttons on the glasses.

Have a One or One Pro and an R1 dock? ASCII tried that in its R1 review. Video came through, but pressing the dock's joystick showed an error saying the display isn't supported. The glasses' own menu still worked.

No sound? Switch to DP audio

Consoles usually need the glasses set to DP audio.

• 1 Pro+: double-click X, then Display and Sound, then Audio Protocol, then DP. Check that neither the console nor the glasses is muted.
• One, One Pro and 1S: double-click X, then Sound, then Audio Protocol, then DP. XREAL lists the PS4, PS5 and Xbox among the devices that usually need it. In DP mode, the glasses' volume doesn't stay in sync with the console's.

Tired of switching it every time you plug in? You can make DP the default:

• 1 Pro+: turn on Default DP audio under Settings, then General, then Laboratory. XREAL recommends turning it off again before a firmware update. Our XREAL firmware guide has the update steps.
• One series and R1: open Other, scroll to the last page, open Laboratory and pick DP.

What changes on a console

• No UltraWide. XREAL lists PlayStation and Xbox among the devices that don't support UltraWide Mode. Stick with the regular 16:9 screen.
• AI HDR needs 60 or 90 Hz. On a 1 Pro+, AI HDR only works with 60 Hz or 90 Hz input. If your console sends 120 Hz, you can't use it.
• 240 Hz is mostly for PCs. On an R1, XREAL says phones, the Switch and some consoles may only support lower refresh rates.

Still no picture?

Work through these in order:

1. Check the adapter's direction and power. XREAL's 1 Pro+ guide points to both when the glasses can't find a signal.
2. Reseat every cable. Unplug both ends and plug them back in firmly.
3. Wake the console. Make sure it's fully on, not asleep in rest mode.
4. Black in just one app? If games show up but a movie app doesn't, copy protection is the likely cause. XREAL says DRM and HDCP protection can block some content on external screens.
5. On a PS5, try turning off HDCP. HDCP is a copy protection signal, and a PS5 sends it by default. Gear that can't handle it may show nothing at all. Capture card makers Elgato and AVerMedia tell PS5 owners to switch it off under Settings, then System, then HDMI, then Enable HDCP. It's easy to switch back if it doesn't help. Streaming apps like Netflix still turn HDCP on while they run, so they may stay black either way.
6. On an Xbox, restart after streaming. AVerMedia says Xbox Series X|S consoles turn HDCP on while a media app like Netflix runs. If it doesn't switch off after you close the app, restart the console.
7. Still stuck? Contact XREAL Support. Have your console model, your adapter, your audio setting and your glasses' firmware version ready.

For black screens on other devices, see our XREAL black screen fix.

What about the Switch?

The Switch works a little differently. On a 1 Pro+, XREAL says a Switch or Switch OLED needs its own dock in TV mode, plus a powered HDMI to USB-C adapter. For the 1S, XREAL's manual names its own XREAL Hub instead. On an R1, run HDMI from the Switch dock into the ROG Control Dock, and give the Control Dock power.

The Switch 2 has its own rules. Our Switch 2 guide covers the setups that work.

Picking glasses for console gaming?

The R1's dock makes consoles the easiest, while the 1 Pro+ is brighter and costs less. Here's 1 Pro+ vs ROG XREAL R1 side by side. Plugging into other gear too? Check it in the compatibility checker.