How to Access Home Learning on Video Game Consoles

15th January 2021

With schools closed due to the COVID pandemic, home learning is set to continue, but not everyone has access to a PC or laptop.

If you’re lacking the resources to get online, don’t worry. Home learning software can also be accessed through any video game consoles that have an internet browser. Once you combine PlayStation and Xbox consoles with a compatible mouse and keyboard, you can use them in the same way you can use a desktop computer or laptop.

To help more people access the home learning tools that they need, GAME has shared its top tips on how video game consoles can double up as an educational hub.

How to Access Home Learning on a Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch has a web browser which can be used to access Google Classroom, but you’d be forgiven for not knowing about it as it’s difficult to find!

To access Google Classroom on a Nintendo Switch, you’ll need to follow these steps and make sure you’re connected to the internet.

  1. Access ‘System Settings’ from your Nintendo Switch’s main menu
  2. Select ‘Internet Settings’ on the left hand side
  3. Find the router you’re connected to (usually at the top) and select it.
  4. This will bring up three options. Choose ‘Change Settings.’
  5. Once you’ve done that, scroll down to where it says ‘DNS Settings’ and switch it from ‘Automatic’ to ‘Manual.’
  6. After that, scroll down to where it says ‘Primary DNS’ and select it. You’ll need to change the number that’s in there to the following: 045.055.142.122.
  7. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be asked to ‘Complete Registration.’ Select ‘Continue.’
  8. Once these settings have been saved, you’ll be connected to the SwitchBru DNS page. All you need to do is select ‘Continue to Google.’ You may need to wait a couple of minutes for the connection to be established.
  9. You can then access any web pages you need, such as Google Classroom.

This method will work on both regular Nintendo Switch consoles and the Switch Lite.

As the Nintendo Switch doesn’t support web browsing as standard, you may find that some features of home learning do not display correctly.

How to Access Home Learning on an Xbox One, Xbox One S, Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X

Accessing a browser directly from your Xbox console is a simple process, and there’s a large selection of compatible keyboards and computer mice to make using home learning software easier. These can be connected via bluetooth or by using the USB ports on your console.

Here’s what you’ll need to do:

  1. On the Xbox One variants and Series X console, simply press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide and select ‘My Games and Apps’
  2. The Xbox has its own internet browser, so select ‘Microsoft’ Edge’ from ‘My Games and Apps,’ open it up and you’ll be able to access any websites and home learning suites as usual!

Unfortunately, you cannot access home learning on an Xbox 360 console as the console’s browser, Internet Explorer, is no longer updated.

How to Access Home Learning on a PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5

Locating the internet browser on a PS4 or PS5 is just as simple as it is on Xbox consoles. Make sure you’re connected to the internet and then do the following:

  1. From the PS4 home screen, scroll until you find your ‘Library,’ and select it.
  2. In your Library, click on ‘Applications’.
  3. If you scroll through your apps, you’ll eventually find a ‘www’ sign. Select it.
  4. You’ll now be online in your PS4’s browser!

You can click here to browse our range of keyboards and computer mice. MAke sure to check the product descriptions to see if they're compatible with consoles.