Xbox Mode on Windows 11 Offers Full-Screen Gaming Interface, Engadget Explains How to Use It

To turn on Xbox mode, open Settings with Win + I and go to Gaming > Xbox mode. If an Enable Xbox mode slider is present, enable it. In Choose home app, select Xbox. Users can also enable Show Xbox mode in Task View or Enter Xbox mode on startup. The mode can be opened in several ways: Win + F11 toggles between the desktop and Xbox mode; Win + G opens Game Bar, where the gear icon leads to Enter Xbox mode; a shortcut appears at the top-right of the Xbox app home page; and with the Task View option enabled, Win + Tab shows an Xbox mode shortcut to the right of open desktops. Pressing the Windows key while playing opens a task view for the Windows desktop and shortcuts at the top. To exit, return to the Xbox app home screen and click Exit Xbox mode in the top-right, or press Win + F11 again.

Engadget reported that a common misconception is that Xbox mode improves gaming performance. Microsoft has made no such claim; performance is handled by a separate toggle at Settings > Gaming > Game Mode, which 'turns things off in the background.' Xbox mode instead moves the most computer-like parts of Windows out of the way and replaces them with a full-screen gaming experience for controller or keyboard and mouse. It is Microsoft's answer to Steam's Big Picture Mode, and Engadget described it as a response to Valve's SteamOS as more gamers consider switching to Linux.

The mode is most useful for players who have libraries across multiple providers. It shows games from Battle.net, Epic Games, Steam, Ubisoft Connect and Humble Launcher in one place, although Engadget did not test other launchers such as EA App. Missing titles can be added to the Xbox app by selecting the plus icon at the top-right of the Library tab. Launching a game from the Xbox app avoids opening its launcher because Xbox targets the game executable and boots the necessary software in the background. In Engadget's testing, this was not the quickest or smoothest process; games launched every time, but opening third-party launchers before starting Xbox mode made it faster.

Xbox Game Pass subscribers can reach that library through Xbox mode. The Cloud Gaming tab does not lock users to Microsoft's services, and Nvidia GeForce Now can be set as the default streaming service in the Xbox app's settings. Engadget said Xbox mode in its current form is little more than a souped-up Xbox app with controller mapping and extra settings to avoid interacting with Windows. It is more useful on handhelds and living-room PCs than on a standalone gaming PC. With more gamers switching to Linux than before, Engadget said it is good to see Microsoft exploring improvements to the Windows 11 gaming experience.