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Microsoft begins rolling out Xbox Mode to Windows 11 desktops and laptops — consolidated storefronts and console-style interface come to PC
Microsoftannounced yesterday that Xbox Mode is rolling out to Windows 11 PCs, bringing the controller-optimized, full-screen gaming interface to desktops, laptops, and tablets for the first time. The feature, which consolidates games from multiple PC storefronts into a single dashboard, launched in select markets on April 30 and will expand to more users over the coming weeks.
Xbox Mode replaces the standard Windows desktop with an Xbox-style interface designed for gamepad navigation. It pulls together installed titles from Steam, Epic Games Store, Battle.net, and the Xbox Game Pass catalog into one unified library. Users can browse, launch, and switch between games without touching a mouse or keyboard, then return to the regular Windows desktop whenever they want.
The feature runs on top of Windows 11 and, when active, suppresses background distractions and presents a streamlined UI modeled on the Xbox console dashboard. Microsoft is marketing it as an optional layer that doesn’t lock users out of the full desktop environment, and switching between the two is seamless.
The expansion to full-sized PCs puts Xbox Mode in direct competition with Valve's Steam Big Picture mode and, more broadly, with SteamOS itself. Valve's operating system has attracted a following among handheld and living-room PC gamers for its low-overhead, controller-first design. Xbox Mode's advantage is native access to every Windows-compatible game and storefront without the compatibility layers that Linux-based SteamOS requires.
Xbox Mode is also a building block for Project Helix, the next-gen Xbox that Microsoft confirmed will run both console and PC games on a custom AMD SoC, and development kits are expected to ship in 2027. Rolling the same interface across existing Windows 11 hardware gives Microsoft a head start on software maturity before that console arrives.
Xbox Mode is being deployed via Windows Update in a phased rollout. To get access as early as possible, users need to open their settings, navigate to Windows Update, and toggle on "Get the latest updates as soon as they are available." Once the update reaches a given device, Xbox Mode can be launched directly from the PC.
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Microsoft didn’t specify which markets are included in the initial wave or provide a timeline for full global availability. The company said it plans to continue evolving the feature based on user feedback.
Luke James is a freelance writer and journalist. Although his background is in legal, he has a personal interest in all things tech, especially hardware and microelectronics, and anything regulatory.
Wasn't it supposed to reduce/suppress unnecessary RAM usage?
Yeah but the article says "on top of windows" which would mean that it runs on top of the unmodified windows which would add bloat, it should be "on top of the windows kernel" or "baseline windows" or something, this interface will be "un-loading" a bunch of the normal windows stuff, at least that was the explanation until recently.
