Microsoft brings the console to the PC: Xbox Full Screen Experience now available in the new Windows Insider Preview

Around a week ago, Steam presented its new Steam Machine. It is a device that combines PC and console and is designed to deliver strong performance for gaming (if you want to find out more about the Steam Machine, I recommend reading Karsten’s article ). Now Microsoft is apparently following suit and is bringing a new function with Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7271 (KB5070307) that integrates the Xbox console interface directly into Windows 11.

For the first time, the Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) feature is now also available on regular Windows 11 PCs. Previously, it was only available on handheld consoles in order to offer users the simplest and most performance-optimized interface possible. One example of this is the new Xbox Ally X. Controller gamers in particular should find their way around better without having to constantly switch between controller and mouse/keyboard. This makes it easy to browse through your own game library without the usual Windows clutter.

Designed with console-style navigation in mind, the Xbox full screen experience delivers a clean, distraction-free interface for controller-first gaming. Pair a controller to your PC for smooth task switching and a streamlined gaming experience on your desktop, laptop, or tablet.

The full view can be activated in several ways. Either via the task view, the game bar settings or the Win F11 key combination. Users are free to choose what suits them best. However, the feature is not yet completely error-free. As Microsoft lists in its errors, there are probably still a few known problems. Some apps cause problems in full-screen mode and therefore do not work optimally. In addition, no virtual keyboard appears on devices without a touchscreen when using a controller, which is why you are still dependent on a real keyboard despite this version. To test the feature, you need to sign up for the Xbox Insider Program and the Xbox Insider Hub app for the PC Gaming Preview.

Source: Microsoft