windows gaming

  1. Windows 11 Handheld Mode: Xbox-style UX for PC Handhelds

    Microsoft’s handheld gambit has quietly moved from concept to something you can try on your own device: a controller‑first, full‑screen “Xbox” experience built into Windows 11 is rolling out as part of the platform’s handheld work, and enthusiasts are already using the new handheld view and...
  2. Xbox PC App: Aggregated Library, My Apps, and Cross‑Device Play History

    Microsoft’s Xbox app on Windows 11 has quietly evolved from a Game Pass storefront into a genuine, controller-friendly gaming hub capable of listing and launching installed titles from Steam, Epic, GOG, Battle.net and more — and the company is now rolling key pieces of that work out to wider...
  3. Xbox PC App Aggregated Library: One Launcher for Steam, Epic, GOG & More

    Microsoft’s Xbox app for Windows has quietly evolved into a single‑surface launcher that pulls installed games from Steam, Epic, GOG, Battle.net and other PC storefronts into one “My Library” — and with the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds arriving in October, the timing could reshape how many Windows...
  4. Windows 11 Dev Build 26220.6682 Adds Three-State Xbox Button for Game Bar, Task View

    Windows 11 Insiders on the Dev Channel are getting a small but significant usability upgrade: Dev build 26220.6682 introduces a new three‑state behavior for the Xbox (Guide) button on connected controllers — a quick tap opens the Xbox Game Bar, a long press now brings up Task View, and a...
  5. Windows 11 three-state Xbox button: Game Bar, Task View, Power Off

    Microsoft is quietly turning the Xbox button on controllers into a small but consequential multitasking shortcut in Windows 11: a long press now opens Task View so gamers can switch between apps and games without leaving the controller, while a short press still opens the Game Bar and a...
  6. Three-State Xbox Button Mapping in Windows 11 Insider Builds

    Microsoft has quietly adjusted how the Xbox/Guide button behaves when an Xbox Wireless Controller is paired with Windows 11, turning a familiar single-action shortcut into a three-state input that now opens the Game Bar on a tap, launches Task View on a long press, and still powers the...
  7. Windows 11 3-State Xbox Button Mapping: Game Bar, Task View, Power Off

    Microsoft’s latest Insider preview quietly repurposes the Xbox/Guide button into a three‑state system control: a short tap still summons the Game Bar, a long press now opens Task View, and a sustained hold continues to power the controller off — a small UX tweak that signals a deliberate push to...
  8. Windows 11 Insider: Xbox Button Now Maps to Game Bar, Task View, or Power Off

    Microsoft has quietly begun remapping the Xbox controller’s central Guide button in recent Windows 11 Insider builds so that a short tap still opens the Game Bar, a long press now opens Task View, and a sustained hold continues to power the controller off — a small input-change that signals a...
  9. Xbox Button Remapped in Windows 11 Insider: Game Bar, Task View, Power Off

    Microsoft is quietly turning the Xbox button on controllers into a native Windows multitasking tool: in the latest Windows 11 Insider builds Microsoft maps a short press of the Xbox button to open the Game Bar, a long press to open Task View (the system-level app switcher and virtual desktop...
  10. Windows 11 Insider: Xbox Button Maps to Game Bar, Task View, and Power Off

    Microsoft is quietly remapping the Xbox controller’s central Guide/Xbox button on Windows 11 so a short press still opens the Game Bar, a long press opens Task View, and a sustained press continues to power the controller off—an apparently small change that has outsized implications for...
  11. Windows 11 Insider: Xbox Button Long Press Opens Task View, Short Press Opens Game Bar

    Microsoft has quietly repurposed the Xbox button on gamepads when used with Windows 11 Insiders: a long press now opens Task View while a short press still launches the Game Bar, and a press-and-hold continues to power down the controller — a small but practical tweak rolling out to Dev and Beta...
  12. Xbox for Windows: My Apps unifies launchers for handheld PCs and PC gamers

    Title: Microsoft’s new “My Apps” tab in the Xbox app for Windows: what it changes for handheld PCs and every PC gamer TL;DR What it is: “My Apps” is a new tab inside the Xbox app for Windows that aggregates third‑party gaming apps and utilities in one controller‑friendly place. Think...
  13. ROG Xbox Ally & Ally X: Windows 11 Handheld Console-Style Gaming

    Microsoft and ASUS have set a firm retail date for their jointly developed handhelds — the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X — and they arrive not as simple third‑party devices but as the first mainstream proof that Microsoft intends to use Windows 11 as the foundation for a console‑like...
  14. Xbox PC App Expands Local Gaming on ARM Windows 11 (Insiders)

    Microsoft is rolling out a targeted update that begins to change how the Xbox PC app behaves on Arm®-based Windows 11 devices, and for the first time Microsoft is letting Insiders download and run more PC titles locally on ARM hardware rather than relying solely on cloud streaming. This shift —...
  15. Microsoft Gaming Copilot: AI-Powered In-Game Help Now in Windows 11 Game Bar

    Microsoft has thrown open the doors to a new frontier in gaming assistance with the arrival of Gaming Copilot, now available for early testing in the Windows 11 Game Bar. This innovative AI-powered tool reimagines how gamers interact with their PCs, blending contextual understanding, hands-free...
  16. Microsoft Gaming Copilot for PC: AI-Powered In-Game Support and Assistance

    Microsoft’s newest leap in AI-powered gaming support arrives on PC with the beta launch of Gaming Copilot for Xbox Insiders, bringing a suite of smart, real-time assistance features directly into the familiar Game Bar. Designed to function as a persistent, context-aware companion, this move...
  17. Windows 10 at 10: Reflecting on a Decade of Innovation and the Future of Windows 11

    As the decade-long journey of Windows 10 is commemorated, the tech landscape finds itself reflecting on an era that redefined Microsoft's approach to both consumers and enterprise users. From bold intuitive enhancements to controversial shifts in policy, the anniversary comes at a pivotal...
  18. A Decade of Windows 10: Reflecting on Successes, Challenges, and the Future of Microsoft's OS

    Windows 10 has officially reached a decade in the ever-accelerating world of operating systems—a milestone that offers both cause for celebration and a candid assessment of progress, pitfalls, and the shifting sands of the personal computing landscape. A recent episode of “Windows Weekly,”...
  19. Celebrating a Decade of Windows 10: Legacy, Innovations, and the Road Ahead

    Windows 10’s tenth anniversary feels both nostalgic and consequential—a decade since the operating system first offered users a reprieve from the confusion of Windows 8 and the promise of a unified, modern desktop experience. On July 29, 2015, the world watched Microsoft reposition itself, not...
  20. Microsoft Lifts Compatibility Hold for Windows 11 24H2 and Easy Anti-Cheat Issues Resolved

    Microsoft has recently lifted a compatibility hold that previously prevented users with Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) software from upgrading to Windows 11 version 24H2. This decision follows the release of update KB5063060, which addresses critical issues that had been causing system instability for...