Microsoft is rolling out Xbox Mode to Windows 11 PCs starting today. The feature, which brings a controller-optimized full-screen interface to any Windows 11 device, has been available on gaming handhelds for a while, but today marks the start of its wider rollout to laptops, desktops, and tablets.
Xbox Mode is designed for the moments when you want to sit back and play without the desktop getting in the way. It puts your game library and recently played titles front and center, cuts out background distractions, and works entirely with a controller. You can drop in and out of it freely, jumping back to the Windows 11 desktop whenever you need to.
The library view pulls together everything in one place, including your Xbox Game Pass catalog and games installed from other PC storefronts. Microsoft is framing it as an additive experience rather than a replacement for the desktop, with the flexibility of Windows underneath and a console-style layer on top.
Xbox Mode was previously called “full screen experience” on handhelds. Microsoft says player feedback from that rollout shaped how it works on PCs.
How to Get It
Xbox Mode is rolling out gradually, not all at once. To get it as early as possible, go to Settings, Windows Update, and turn on “Get the latest updates as soon as they are available.” Once it lands on your device, it’ll be accessible directly from your PC.
The rollout is starting in select markets, with more regions added over the coming weeks. Microsoft says it will continue updating Xbox Mode based on feedback as the rollout expands.
For more on what else arrived in today’s Xbox update, including custom console colors, ten Home groups, and a unified PC game library, see our full April Xbox update roundup.