Pandora UWP for Xbox One can now play music in the background

By Jez Corden
last updated

Pandora joins Groove as the second background audio music service available for Xbox One.

Thanks to an update rolling out today, users of the UWP version of Pandora will now be able to enjoy music while using other applications or while playing games.

Mike Ybarra from the Xbox platform team announced the update on Twitter, stating that the app is rolling out now.

Pandora will update over the next 24 hours to include background music on Xbox One functionality! #Xbox

The old Pandora app is still available in the store, so make sure you search for and download the new UWP app if you want to take advantage of this update.

Pandora has a free version supported by ads, or a paid subscription experience that removes the ads. At present, the service is only available in the United States, Australia and New Zealand, but the team is exploring the possibility of bringing the service to other territories.

If you need more information on how to use background audio on Xbox One, check out the link below!

QR: Pandora

Jez Corden
Jez Corden
Co-Managing Editor

Jez Corden a Managing Editor at Windows Central, focusing primarily on all things Xbox and gaming. Jez is known for breaking exclusive news and analysis as relates to the Microsoft ecosystem while being powered by caffeine. Follow on Twitter @JezCorden and listen to his Xbox Two podcast, all about, you guessed it, Xbox!

24 Comments
  • I thought before Groove got it, Pandora was being touted as the first one to get background music? (I don't have Pandora, so never tried).
  • Pandora did have background music on mobile already, this update brings background music to Xbox.
  • I was referring to this quote by MS in the Summer Update change log: "An updated Pandora app in the U.S. is the first app to support background music—and more are coming soon." See article here: http://m.windowscentral.com/xbox-one-summer-update-rolling-out-public-he... Just saying, was a little confused.
  • Groove was
  • Me too. That's exactly what u thought windows central was saying. I even went and dl the app only to realize that it wasn't the case
  • I must be dreaming! No wait, this is really happening! :) UWP!
  • I'm just as excited about UWP.
  • I love Pandora. Thank you Pandora
  • I do enjoy that feature tough. I can be listening to J. Cole while playing Battle Field 4
  • Whenever I turn on a game, the background music with groove turns off.
  • That's unfortunate. It never does that for me
  • Wonder wthe game has anything to do with it, I play battlefront, mostly.
  • You aren't setting it correctly to run in the background
  • Been waiting for pandora to work in canada for ages. One I was working at a place were the internet traffic all went through us servers. Loved it while I could use it. Lost hope for Canada support though.
  • Canada will get it in the 2020s just how they got the 80s in the 90s! (Its a "How I Met Your Mother" reference, before anyone gets upset)
  • Loving it.
  • The Media Player really needs this capability.
  • This background music edition is awesome! I finally have been utilizing groove with the one drive mp3 uploading and now Pandora i have always had a great radio selection! Up until now, iv had to use an external speaker for music while playing Xbox, now I can finally use my awesome sound bar to hear great quality music without sacrificing my game audio...this is great.. Really something I use alot
  • There's 2 Pandora apps now though. Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • Yes, as was clearly mentioned in the article.
  • Sorry, I just find it weird since Hulu and Netflix updated their native apps to the UWP app and Pandora didn't. Otherwise there would be 2 pairs of those apps as well until they would take them down. Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • Another popular app that lost voice commands...
  • I think UWP is really working out for Xbox One, since it now has 4 apps that can play background audio. Cast, Pandora, Groove, and Simple Background Music Player, with both Cast(when you download) and SBMP providing an offline option. I wonder what other apps would be making their way to Xbox soon.
  • when I launch the Pandora UWP, I get 'Pandora is currently conducting system maintenance, please try again later'. The old app works fine though.