Microsoft has started rolling out Xbox Mode on Windows 11 PCs, bringing a console-style gaming interface to desktops, laptops, tablets and handhelds in supported markets. The feature is designed to make PC gaming easier to navigate with a controller, with games and apps opening in a full-screen experience that keeps the focus on play.
The rollout began on April 30 and is being handled gradually. Microsoft said some players in select markets can download Xbox Mode now, with availability expanding to more players in those same markets over the next several weeks.
Xbox Mode gives Windows 11 users a streamlined gaming home with their library and recently played titles close at hand. It can also pull together an aggregated library, including Xbox Game Pass titles and installed games from leading PC storefronts, while still letting players switch back to the normal Windows desktop when they need it.
How Xbox Mode works on Windows 11
Microsoft's support page says Xbox Mode requires Windows 11 version 24H2 or later and is only available in supported markets. On standard PC form factors, users can enable it through Settings, Gaming and Xbox Mode, then enter through Game Bar, the Xbox app, Task View or the Win + F11 shortcut.
Handheld gaming PCs get a few extra options. On supported handhelds, Xbox Mode can be set to start automatically after sign-in, and Microsoft says Windows limits background processes when that startup option is enabled to improve gaming performance and battery life. Players can also return to the desktop from Game Bar, Task View or Win + F11.
Inside Xbox Mode, Windows shows one window at a time and displays apps full screen when possible. Microsoft warns that apps with multiple windows may only show the most recent one, some desktop shortcuts are disabled and apps that do not support full screen appear on a black background.
The Windows team also used the same April 30 update window to highlight handheld-specific work for ROG Xbox Ally devices, including an Automatic Super Resolution preview for Xbox Insiders on the ROG Xbox Ally X. That separate update reinforces where Microsoft is aiming with Xbox Mode: a Windows PC gaming setup that feels less like managing a desktop and more like picking up a dedicated gaming device.