Microsoft has pushed an update to the Xbox app for PC that it says makes the software noticeably quicker to open and move around in. The refresh is reaching Xbox Insiders first, with a wider release expected afterward. According to the company, the app now starts up as much as 60 percent faster than before.
Microsoft says the speed gains carry through to the app's main sections. The Home, Store and Game Pass pages each load up to 50 percent faster, and windows within the app open up to 65 percent faster. Microsoft based those figures on its own internal testing, so actual performance may differ from user to user.
Beyond speed, the update overhauls how the Xbox app's library works, with revised filters and new ways to organize games. Search has been consolidated into a single place that covers games, installed titles, people and add-ons. Friends and social features now appear in the main navigation, and the app carries a cleaner appearance overall, including redesigned game cards and a refreshed Home page and Settings.
Microsoft also said the reworked Xbox web experience it showed off in January will soon reach more players automatically. That version can be tried now at play.xbox.com. The company is additionally bringing a comparable redesign to its Xbox cloud gaming apps for TVs and VR headsets, extending the visual and navigation changes beyond the PC app.
The PC update arrives as Microsoft continues to tie its gaming software more closely to its subscription and store offerings. The company has not said when the improvements will move from the Xbox Insiders program to all PC users, and it did not provide a specific release date for the broader rollout.
For US players, the changes apply to the Xbox app on Windows PCs, where the company distributes its PC games and Game Pass titles. The faster load times and streamlined search are aimed at reducing the steps between opening the app and reaching a game, though Microsoft's percentage figures have not been independently verified.
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