If you’ve ever curled up on the couch with a friend and wondered can you split screen Apex Legends Xbox, you’re far from alone. Local co-op is one of the most underrated perks of console gaming, and the fast-paced, squad-based action of Apex feels like it would be perfect for shared play. I can’t tell you how many times my roommate and I have tried to figure out a way to play duos together on the same TV after work, so I’ve done all the trial and error for you. This guide breaks down exactly what’s supported, what workarounds actually work, and how to get the most fun out of playing Apex with people in your living room.
Can You Split Screen Apex Legends Xbox Natively Right Now?
The short answer is no, there is no official native split screen support for Apex Legends on any Xbox console as of today. That includes Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X, even if you have the latest game update installed. A lot of players assume the feature exists because other popular battle royales like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone offer split screen options, but Apex is built on a much more demanding engine.
Respawn Entertainment has stated in multiple community Q&As that split screen is a feature the team has discussed for years, but it’s not currently on the public development roadmap. The main barrier is the game’s performance requirements: Apex runs at 60fps (or 120fps on Series X/S) with 60 players per match, and rendering two separate game instances on one console would require massive cuts to graphical quality and frame rate to run smoothly. The team has also noted that integrating split screen with crossplay and ranked mode would require extensive reworking of the game’s netcode.
That doesn’t mean you can’t play Apex with friends in the same room, though. There are several legitimate workarounds that get you almost the same experience as split screen, without any hacks or mods that risk getting your account banned.
Legitimate Workarounds for Local Shared Apex Play on Xbox
All of these methods use official Xbox and Apex Legends features, so you don’t have to worry about account penalties. I’ve tested every single one of these setups personally, and they all work reliably if you have the right equipment:
- Xbox Cloud Gaming paired with a second display: If you have a phone, tablet, laptop, or secondary small screen nearby, log into a secondary Xbox account on Xbox Cloud Gaming, connect a second controller, and queue into the same lobby as the player on your main console. Latency is barely noticeable if you have a 50Mbps+ internet connection, and you can prop the second screen right next to your main TV for a split screen-adjacent experience.
- Two consoles on the same home network: If you have two Xbox consoles in your home, set both as your home Xbox for your primary account, and you can both access the same copy of Apex Legends without buying it twice. Connect both consoles to ethernet if possible, and you’ll get lower local ping when queuing into matches together than you would playing with remote friends.
- Capture card routed to a second display: If you own a capture card, you can route one player’s game feed to a second TV or monitor, while the other player uses the main display. This is a great option if you don’t have reliable enough internet for cloud gaming, though you will still need two separate Xbox accounts and controllers to join the same match.
None of these are true split screen, since they require two separate displays, but they’re the closest options available right now. The most common mistake people make when testing these is trying to log into the same Xbox account on two controllers, which won’t work. You’ll need a separate free Xbox account for each player, and you don’t need a paid Game Pass Core subscription since Apex is free to play.
Pros and Cons of Using Local Shared Play Setups for Apex
Before you run out to buy extra equipment, it’s worth weighing the benefits and downsides of these workarounds to see if they’re right for you. The biggest upside by far is the in-person experience: coordinating with your squadmate without voice chat lag, trash talking after a bad play, and high-fiving after a clutch win is way more fun than playing with randoms or remote friends. It’s also a great way to teach new players the game, since you can watch their play in real time and give tips as you go.
There are some clear downsides too, of course. None of the setups give you true single-display split screen, so you’ll need extra hardware to make them work. Cloud gaming can have stutter or lag if your internet is slow, or if other people in your house are streaming 4K video or downloading large files at the same time. You also won’t be able to play ranked matches together if your two accounts have ranks more than one tier apart, which is the same rule that applies to remote squad play.
You won’t get banned for using any of these workarounds, for the record. All of them use official first-party features, so Respawn and Xbox fully allow them. I’ve been using the cloud gaming workaround for over a year with no account issues at all.
Tips to Optimize Your Local Apex Play Experience on Xbox
These small tweaks will make your shared play sessions run way smoother, no matter which workaround you use. First, use wired connections wherever possible. Plug your main Xbox into ethernet, and connect any cloud gaming devices to your 5GHz Wi-Fi network instead of the 2.4GHz band. That cuts down on latency by 70% in most cases, so you won’t have issues with input lag during fights.
Second, adjust your in-game settings for performance first. Turn off crossplay in the Apex settings menu if you’re only playing with other people on your local network, which will lower your ping and reduce the chance of running into very skilled PC players. If you’re using cloud gaming, lower the stream quality to 720p if you notice lag – the lower resolution is barely noticeable on a small phone or tablet screen, and it cuts down on bandwidth use a lot.
Third, pick supportive squad compositions if you’re playing with new players. If one of your local co-op partners is new to Apex, pick Legends like Lifeline or Gibraltar to give them extra shields and healing, so they don’t get frustrated dying every two minutes. Drop into less crowded areas of the map like Storm Point’s northern beaches or World’s Edge’s train yard at first, so you can loot and practice fighting without getting third-partied immediately.
Finally, don’t be afraid to mess around with non-competitive game modes first. Mixtape modes like Team Deathmatch or Control are perfect for local play sessions, since matches are shorter and there’s less pressure to get a win. You can still practice your aim and learn the maps, without the stress of losing a Battle Royale match 30 seconds after dropping.
At the end of the day, if you were asking can you split screen Apex Legends Xbox, the short answer is no, there’s no native support right now, but the workarounds we covered will let you play with friends in the same room almost as easily. Respawn has hinted that split screen might come to the game in a future update, but until then, these setups are the best way to enjoy local co-op Apex on your console. Next time you have a friend over, skip the remote party chat and try one of these methods – you’ll have way more fun celebrating a win in person than you ever would over a headset.