Learn how to quickly and easily pin a game or app on Xbox One

By Will Fulton January 14, 2018

how to pin a game or app on xbox one pins — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Serving as an all-purpose media hubs for many players, the Xbox One can be a crowded place, with dozens of games and apps we use regularly. While the ever-evolving dashboard does an admirable job giving you tools to cut through the chaos and find what you need, the Xbox One allows you to avoid all that by “pinning” your favorite games and apps to your home screen for easy access. Here’s our quick guide on how to pin a game or app on Xbox One.

How to pin a game or app

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 1: Find the game or app you want to pin

To locate whatever game or app you want, select the “My Games & Apps” tile from the dashboard or Xbox Guide. If you want to pin a game, go to the “games” section. To select an app, go to “apps.” You can scroll between them using the dashboard bar on the left-hand side of the screen.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: Pin it!

Highlight the game or app you want and press the Menu button (below the Xbox button to the right), then select “Add to Pins.”

That’s it! The app or game is now available easily from the dashboard home page.

How to find your Pins

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Your full list of pinned games and apps is stored on a secondary home screen. There are two quick ways to access it.

From the dashboard, simply navigate down using the left analog stick until you reach the pins screen, and your pinned games and apps will be lined up.
Press the Xbox button on your controller and select the pin icon on the Xbox guide.

How to edit and sort your Pins

Image used with permission by copyright holder

To edit your pins screen, highlight a pin and press Y to move it around, or press Menu and select “move pin.” To delete a pin, highlight it and press “menu,” then select “unpin.”

You can also reorder your submenus, including the pins screen, your club home pages, and Xbox Store recommendations, by pressing the menu button on the “Pins” tile. You’ll have the option to move the screen to the top or remove it entirely. If you plan on using pins regularly, we recommend keeping the pins screen as close to the main home screen as possible.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Will Fulton is a New York-based writer and theater-maker. In 2011 he co-founded mythic theater company AntiMatter Collective…

Gaming

Best Xbox Series X and Series S deals: discounts and bundles

Microsoft Xbox Series X and Series S game consoles.

The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S have really come a long way from when they first came out, especially with a lot of support from Microsoft and excellent Xbox Game Pass deals for folks to enjoy. Of course, if you want to pick one up now, it's a lot easier, and there are some good sales and bundles that are worth grabbing, and the same goes for various accessories. On the other hand, if you already have one, then you may want to check out these video game deals, and if you're more of a PS fan, then these PlayStation deals may be more up your alley.
Xbox Core Wireless Controller -- $55, was $65

Whichever Xbox you buy, you get a standard controller but how about having one that shows off some of your personality? Or one that means you can play games on the couch with your buddies or family. That's where the Xbox Core Wireless Controller is so useful. Available in many different colors, you get all the benefits of an ergonomic design with sculpted surfaces and refined geometry for enhanced comfort. Up to 40 hours of battery life is convenient while it connects via Xbox Wireless and Bluetooth so you can use it with your PC, phone or tablet too.

Gaming

Will Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 be on Xbox Game Pass?

Key art for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War season 2.

Activision Blizzard, which is now owned by Microsoft, has just confirmed that the next Call of Duty game is titled Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. There's been one major point of contention ahead of this year's Call of Duty: Will it be on Xbox Game Pass at launch? A new report from The Wall Street Journal suggests that is the case.

Historically, Microsoft has added all its first-party games from Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda to Game Pass the day they launched. That applies to big AAA releases like Starfield, as well as more experimental titles like 2022's Pentiment and Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, which came out this week. Microsoft's public messaging thus far has teased that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will come to the Xbox Game Pass. That said, Microsoft has not officially confirmed it, so there have been conflicting reports on this actually being the case.

Gaming

The most common Sea of Thieves problems and how to fix them

Sea Of Thieves Hands-on Preview | First person helm of ship

There are few experiences better than gathering a crew of friends and embarking on a thrilling pirate adventure in Sea of Thieves. When everything is working as intended, Sea of Thieves is a fun and addicting time, but players have reported a number of technical issues and bugs that can interrupt your voyage. We compiled a list of the most common problems players have reported, as well as how to fix them.
Connection issues

While Sea of Thieves depends on online group-ups, sometimes the digital waves get a little choppy. Upon loading into the Sea of Thieves main menu, you might see a message such as “KiwiBeard, “Greybeard,” or “DaffodilBeard,” among other facial hair-themed errors. The majority of these are error messages related to the game’s servers rather than a problem with your system or your own internet connection.