Xbox On: A few months after first introducing the feature, Microsoft is now bringing its Xbox mode to all Windows 11 devices. According to early benchmarks, the dedicated runtime environment may offer modest improvements in memory usage and frame rates. A small performance gain is still a performance gain, right?
Microsoft recently announced a new Canary build within the Windows Insider Program. While not particularly groundbreaking in terms of features, Windows 11 Canary Build 29570.1000 does include a potentially interesting change for gaming scenarios. The new preview release finally brings Xbox mode to Windows Insider testers, allowing users to try out the long-discussed feature firsthand.
First announced in 2025, Xbox mode provides a full-screen, streamlined interface designed specifically to prioritize gaming. The console-inspired feature allows users to boot directly into a dedicated full-screen experience, minimizing background tasks and potentially delivering modest performance improvements.
"Xbox mode is designed for those moments when you want to lean back, pick up a controller, and focus on the game," Microsoft said.
Xbox mode can be set as the default interface for Windows or launched from within the system's main GUI. Microsoft provided additional instructions on how to use full-screen mode in its original announcement, while MSI published a step-by-step tutorial on enabling and using Xbox mode on its Claw gaming handhelds.
The Taiwanese motherboard and PC manufacturer also confirmed a potential performance uplift from the new gaming-focused full-screen interface. MSI said in 2025 that the new GUI would reduce Windows 11's RAM usage by around 10%, while frame rates in Cyberpunk 2077 would increase by between 6.3% (Claw A8, FHD+) and 8.9% (Claw A1M, FHD).
While a few additional frames may not represent the kind of performance boost desktop users are hoping for, they could make a meaningful difference on power-constrained devices such as Windows-based gaming handhelds. It remains to be seen how the latest iteration of Xbox mode will improve upon previously recorded benchmarks.
In addition to the full-screen Xbox mode for gaming workloads, the new Windows 11 Canary Build includes an expanded list of pre-installed Microsoft apps (MSIX/APPX) that can now be removed in enterprise and educational environments. Additional changes affect File Explorer's context menu, touchpad settings, lock screen widgets and options, and more.