Microsoft is warning users not to follow instructions which claim to allow Xbox One consoles to play Xbox 360 games.

The six-step instructions have circulated across several social media sites with the promise of unlocking the ability for Xbox One to be backwards compatible with Xbox 360 titles. This tip has circulated in the form of a graphic (below) which claims you can access developer menus and change a few settings which will allow you to play Xbox 360 titles.

This is the graphic in circulation:

Note: DO NOT follow the steps in the graphic below!

The graphic above states:

By default, Xbox 360 compatibility is disabled on Xbox One. To unlock it, follow these steps:

1. Go to the system menu
2. Press LB, RB, LT, RT in order quickly
3. Select the Developer Console
4. Check the “Enable devkit” box
5. Change the sandbox ID to freezone.reboot
6. Select “Reset Home Console”

Xbox 360 games will now be playable on your console

Xbox Live director of programming Larry Hyrb tweeted a warning about the instructions:

“To be clear there is no way to make your Xbox One backwards compatible & performing steps to attempt this could make your console inoperable.”

The instructions above do not unlock Xbox 360 compatibility, but instead sends the Xbox One into and endless reboot cycle, “bricking” the console.

Bottom Line
The instructions claiming to unlock Xbox 360 compatibility on Xbox One machines will render your console inoperable.

Sources

• Xbox One owners warned to avoid ‘backwards compatibility’ prank that bricks consoles (Tom Warren, The Verge: December 7, 2013)
• Microsoft warns of Xbox One backwards compatibility prank (Joe Svetlik, CNET: December 7, 2013)