If you’ve ever hopped on Rainbow Six Siege on your Xbox and wanted to squad up with a friend who only plays on PC, you’ve probably asked: can you cross play Rainbow Six Siege Xbox and pc? You’re not alone. Cross-platform play is one of the most requested features for competitive multiplayer games, and Siege’s player base has been asking for clear answers for years. This guide breaks down everything you need to know, from official support to hidden limitations, so you don’t waste time fumbling with settings when you could be securing rounds.
Can You Cross Play Rainbow Six Siege Xbox and PC? The Official Answer
The short answer is yes, full crossplay between Xbox and PC is fully supported by Ubisoft for all game modes. The feature rolled out gradually starting in Year 7, after years of player feedback asking for cross-platform compatibility between console and PC. It now works across all Xbox models, including Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X, and all PC versions of the game, including Steam, Ubisoft Connect, and Epic Games Store releases.
Crossplay between Xbox and PC is enabled by default for all new players, but you may have to adjust settings if you turned it off previously. You can opt out of crossplay entirely if you prefer, but that will limit your matchmaking pool to only other Xbox players who also opted out, leading to much longer queue times for all modes, especially ranked play in lower-population regions.
One of the biggest perks of linking your accounts is that your core progression is shared across both devices. That includes your operator unlocks, battle pass progress, ranked MMR, and most in-game currency, so you don’t have to start from scratch if you switch between Xbox and PC regularly. Platform-exclusive cosmetics, like Xbox-only operator skins, won’t transfer, but most universal skins and items will show up on both devices.
Step-by-Step Setup for Crossplay Between Xbox and PC
Setting up crossplay between Xbox and PC only takes a few minutes, as long as you have a valid Ubisoft Connect account linked to both devices. I’ve run into the account linking issue myself a few years back, when I switched from PC to Xbox for a few months and accidentally created a new Ubisoft account instead of linking my existing one. It took 24 hours for support to merge the accounts, so double check your login details before you start the process to avoid the same headache.
Follow these steps to get set up:
- Link your Xbox account to your Ubisoft Connect account via the Ubisoft website or the Ubisoft Connect app on either device. Make sure you log into the same Ubisoft account you use for Siege on PC if you already have one.
- Boot up Rainbow Six Siege on both devices, head to the Options menu, then navigate to the General tab.
- Scroll down to the Crossplay subsection and toggle the Crossplay Matchmaking and Crossplay Invitations options to On.
- Search for your friend’s Ubisoft Connect username in the in-game friends list, send an invite, and accept the request on their end. You won’t find them by searching their Xbox gamertag or Steam username, so make sure you have their correct Ubisoft ID.
- Once added, you can send squad invites directly from your friends list no matter which device either of you are using.
You don’t need an active Xbox Live Gold subscription to play crossplay with PC players if you’re playing on Xbox, though you still need it for console-only multiplayer. That’s a huge bonus if you only play Siege with PC friends and don’t want to pay for the extra subscription. If you run into issues seeing your friend in your list, try restarting both games to refresh the friends list, as it can take a minute for new requests to show up after linking accounts.
Key Limitations to Know Before Playing Crossplay
While crossplay works well for most players, there are a few important limitations to keep in mind before you jump into a squad with your PC friends. The biggest one is input-based matchmaking, which is turned on by default for all players. That means if you’re playing on Xbox with a controller, you’ll only be matched with other controller users (whether they’re on Xbox or PC) unless you manually turn off input-based matching in your settings.
If your PC friend is using a keyboard and mouse, you’ll have to turn off input-based matchmaking to play together, which can put your squad at a disadvantage. Keyboard and mouse users have faster aim response time and more precise control, so you’ll likely be matched against other KBM teams that have a clear edge in gunfights. This is especially noticeable in ranked play, where even small input differences can change the outcome of a round.
Some in-game purchases, like exclusive operator skins or battle pass progression, are shared across linked accounts, but platform-specific cosmetics won’t transfer between Xbox and PC. That means if you bought an Xbox-exclusive skin for Ash a few years ago, you won’t see it in your skin library when you log into Siege on PC. Most universal skins and battle pass rewards will transfer, but always check the item description before buying if you want to use it on both platforms.
Another small limitation is that anti-cheat enforcement differs slightly between platforms. PC uses both BattlEye and Ubisoft’s own anti-cheat system, while Xbox relies on console-level anti-cheat. While rare, you may run into more cheaters on the PC side if you opt in to cross-input play, so keep that in mind if you’re playing high-stakes ranked matches.
Pro Tips for a Smooth Crossplay Experience Between Xbox and PC
A few small tweaks can make your crossplay experience far more enjoyable, whether you’re playing casual matches with friends or climbing the ranked ladder together. First, if you’re an Xbox player playing with KBM PC friends, consider adjusting your controller sensitivity by 10-15% higher than your usual setting. KBM players move and aim faster, so a higher sensitivity will help you keep up with enemy movements in gunfights. If you have a controller with back paddles, map common actions like leaning or melee to the paddles to cut down on input time.
Use in-game voice chat instead of Xbox party chat if you're playing with PC friends, because Xbox party chat can have audio lag or connectivity issues when mixed with PC users. The in-game voice chat is cross-platform by default, and it has lower latency than most third-party chat apps for casual play. If you prefer a third-party app, Discord works across both Xbox and PC, so that’s another solid option if you have trouble with in-game chat.
If you’re a PC player playing with Xbox controller users, consider adjusting your in-game FOV to around 90, which is the default FOV on Xbox. That gives you a similar field of view to your squadmates, so you’ll be able to call out enemy positions more accurately since you’re all seeing roughly the same area on your screens. You can turn it back up to your usual setting after you finish playing with your Xbox friends if you prefer a wider FOV for solo play.
Turn off cross-input matchmaking if you're playing ranked and want to keep your matches fair for your whole squad, especially if most of you are using controllers. That way you won’t get matched against full KBM teams that have a clear advantage, and you’ll be able to climb the ranks at a pace that feels fair for everyone. If you do decide to play with cross-input enabled, stick to unranked or casual modes first until you get used to playing against KBM players, so you don’t risk losing your ranked MMR while you adjust.
If you run into constant disconnects when playing crossplay, try restarting your router and verifying game files on PC, or clearing the cache on your Xbox. Most crossplay connectivity issues come from network settings, not the game itself, so a quick reset usually fixes the problem in a few minutes.
At the end of the day, the answer to can you cross play Rainbow Six Siege Xbox and pc is a resounding yes, with far more pros than cons for most casual and competitive players. Whether you're looking to squad up with old friends who switched platforms, or just want shorter queue times for ranked play, crossplay opens up a ton of new opportunities for Siege players. Just keep the limitations and tips we covered in mind, and you'll be securing aces with your cross-platform squad in no time.
