To use your Xbox console as a testing device, before installing the customer app, you will need to prepare it for that. The process is generally easy, and to do this, you need to:
Creating a Microsoft Developer account
For Microsoft Developer account creation, you will need to navigate to the Registration page and fill out a form which usually consists of 3 steps:
⚠️ Please use for registration an account that is set on your Xbox console. If you are not sure about it, you can navigate to the Setting screen -> Account tab -> Sign-in, security & PIN, and you should be able to see the email address under the "Show on Home" option.
Account info
After you navigate to the Registration page and enter the email that will you use for the Developer account, you will first land on the Account info step, where you will need to select the country/region where you live.
When you make a selection for the country/region, you will need to choose the Account type. Here, please select an Individual account type, and fill in the required field:
Publisher Display name
First name
Last name
Email address
Phone number
Address line 1
City
State/province
Postal code
Preferred email language
After you are done with filling in this information, please click on the Next button. Keep in mind that after this action, you will be maybe asked for a password, regarding the email that you added to the "Email address" field, so please enter the correct password and proceed to the next - Payment step.
Payment
In this step, you will need to add a Payment option. If you do not have any Payment option added to your profile, please click on the "Add a new payment method" under the Billing section and one (Keep in mind that only Visa and Mastercard are accepted as cards). After you add the payment option, please proceed to the next step - Review.
Review
Here, you will need to validate the previously given Account information and press the Finish button. Keep in mind that after you press the "Finish" button, the payment process will be triggered.
If the payment was approved, then you have successfully created the Microsoft Developer account.
⚠️ Test IO will not reimburse you for the purchased Developer account. You need to pay at your own cost.
Switching your Xbox console to Developer mode
After you have successfully created a Developer account, now it is time to switch your Xbox console to the Developer mode. To do this, firstly you will need to install the Xbox Dev Mode from the Microsoft Store.
When you install the Xbox Dev Mode, please open the app and proceed to the Code screen.
Now, open the https://aka.ms/activatexbox link and you should land on the Microsoft Partner Center website - Manage Xbox devices page. If not, please visit the link: Partner Center and make sure that you see the page below:
Make sure that in the Partner Center, you are logged in with a previously created Developer account.
Click on the + button which is located in the top right corner, and then click on the Enter activation code option.
In the Enter activation code box, please enter the activation code that is displayed on your Xbox console, and click on the Submit button. Your Xbox console should be added now to the list. On the other side, the Xbox console should start with the activation process, and on the end, you should see a confirmation screen, where you will need to select the Switch and restart option.
The console should be restarted and you should land on the Dev Home which looks like this:
Troubleshooting
If the console restarted but for some reason did not enter into the Developer mode, please follow these steps:
Navigate to the Settings
Open the System tab and then Console info
When you land on the Console info page, press fast the following buttons on your Xbox controller: LB > RB > LT > RT
Now you should see the Developer settings option. Please open it and select the Developer mode checkbox. Afterward please confirm this action.
The console should be restarted and should enter into Dev mode.
Installing the app on the Xbox console
When you land on the Dev Home screen, first of all, make sure that you are connected to the Network. If not, please navigate to the Network Settings screen, and set up an internet connection. Make sure that your Xbox Console and your PC are connected to the same network.
After connecting your Xbox console to the Network, go back to the Dev Home screen, and navigate to the Remote Access Settings.
Here make sure that the Enable Xbox Device Portal checkbox is enabled.
You can proceed now back to the Dev Home screen, and in your PC browser, please enter and navigate to the address that is shown under the Remote Access section. For example https://192.168.31.73:11443
Your browser will probably tell you that the connection is not private, but you can disregard this, click on the Advanced option, and then Continue to ip_address (unsafe)
By following the steps above, you should land now on the Home - Xbox Device Portal page, which will you use to install the apps. In order to install the app, you should click on the Add button located at the top of the page.
Now the Deploy or Install application windows will be shown, here please choose the file (app) that needs to be installed and click on the Next button.
An additional screen (Choose any necessary dependencies) will be shown, here you will need to choose some additional files (such as libraries) if they are attached to the test instruction, or maybe to the downloaded file from the "Access" section. If no additional files are provided, you can just click on the Start button, and the installation process will begin.
Afterward, when the installation is done, the app will be shown under the Games and apps section on the Dev Home on your Xbox console - you can open it from there and start testing.
How to set up a VPN connection for your Xbox on your Windows 10 PC
An important request from customers might be to use a VPN on your Xbox device for testing. To do that, you must set up a virtual router on your desktop device because Xbox doesn’t support installing VPN clients directly.
The easiest way is to download and install the VPN client on your PC, register, log in, and connect it (it works with paid VPN clients like Avast Secure Line, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, privateVPN, or Windscribe).
After that, you need to click on the Wifi icon on the Taskbar and click on the Mobile Hotspot to enable it.
Now enter the keyword Settings in the Search field and press Enter.
Click on the Network & Internet>Mobile Hotspot>Change Adapter Options.
Right-click on your VPN Name Network Adapter and then click on the Properties.
Switch to the Sharing tab, and check the Allow other network to connect through this computer's Internet connection. When the popup window shows up, click on the OK button.
Underneath, you will see a Home networking connection. Click on the drop-down and select Local Area Connection* 16.
Click on the OK button to save the settings.
Open the Settings of your Xbox device and navigate to Network.
Select Set up Connection and then select Wireless.
In the list of available wireless networks, select the one you created for VPN and enter your Password.
Select Connect.
Note: After you finish testing, you can turn off the Mobile Hotspot by clicking on the Wifi on the Taskbar and then clicking on the Mobile Hotspot.
How to set up a VPN connection for your Xbox on your Macbook
⚠️ Some VPN Services no longer support L2TP/IPsec connections.
An important request from customers might be to use a VPN on your Xbox device for testing. To do that, you must set up a virtual router on your desktop device because Xbox doesn’t support installing VPN clients directly.
The easiest way is to download and install the VPN client on your PC, register, log in, and connect it (it works with paid VPN clients like Avast Secure Line, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, privateVPN, or Windscribe).
Important: You must connect your Macbook to an ethernet cable (This is the only way your Macbook can hotspot the WiFi connection to your other devices). Some Macbooks don't have an ethernet port and you need to use the adapter instead. Before setting up your Macbook, log into your VPN client account and obtain the following data: L2TP/IPsec Username, Password, and server address.
Open System Preferences.
Click on the Network icon.
Click on the + button.
Click on the Interface drop-down and select VPN.
Click on the VPN Type and select L2TP over IPSec.
Enter your VPN service name.
Click on the Create button.
For the Server Address, enter the one provided by your VPN client (e.g. xyz.com).
In the Account Name field, enter the Username provided by your VPN client.
Click on the checkbox Show VPN status in the menu bar.
Click on the Authentication Settings.
In the Password field, enter the password provided by your VPN client; in the Shared secret field, enter 1234567 and click the OK button.
Click on the Advanced button.
Click on the checkbox Send all traffic over VPN connection and click the OK button.
Click on the Apply button.
Select the VPN network you just created and click on the Connect button.
Go back to the System Preferences and click on the Sharing icon.
Click on the Internet Sharing.
In the Share your connections, from the drop-down, select the L2TP/IPsec VPN you created above.
In the To Computers using, select Wi-Fi.
Click on the Wi-Fi Options.
In the popup window, fill in the data as follows: Network Name (Associate it with your VPN for more visibility), don't change anything in the Channel or Security (the default should be WPA2 Personal), and enter the password you like. Confirm the settings by clicking on the OK button.
Note: If you disabled the wireless connection, you must enable it after completing the settings above. Afterward, you must click the Start button to share your internet connection with other devices.
Note: After you finish testing, you can turn off the Internet Sharing by navigating to the System Preferences>Network>Select the name of your VPN network>Disconnect.