TL;DR
- Xbox has rolled out a new update for its Home screen.
- The update adds a quick access menu that makes it faster to go to the Library, Microsoft Store, Xbox Game Pass, Search, or Settings.
- Users now have more space for their personalized background and can pick an option to change the background to match the highlighted game.
The Home experience on the Xbox is getting some big changes based on player feedback. The changes should improve functionality and beautify the dashboard.
Today, Microsoft announced it’s updating the Home screen for the Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One. The update had been in alpha testing since May, but is now being rolled more widely.
This new update brings seven changes in total that the blog outlines. Some of these changes include game lists curated for you; the ability to pin games, curated groups, and system groups to Home; an updated Friends & Community Updates row, and a Watch & Listen spotlight that shows content and media apps.
One of the bigger announcements, however, involved backgrounds. According to Microsoft, the layout has been simplified to add more space to look at your personalized backgrounds. This has been done by placing recently played games and other content toward the bottom. Additionally, users will have the option to have the background change automatically to match the game you have highlighted, similar to how the PlayStation 5 handles backgrounds.
It appears that Microsoft is also giving the dashboard a quick access menu at the top of the screen. This menu will allow users to switch between the Library, Microsoft Store, Xbox Game Pass, Search, and Settings faster and easier.
When we first showed Xbox Insiders what we were working on we heard your feedback clearly – you wanted more room to show off custom backgrounds or game art, quicker navigation options, and more personalization. Over the last 8 months since initial release, we’ve implemented changes to meet those requests and have a new Home that feels fresh, puts the focus on your games and apps, and creates space for beautiful backgrounds.
Microsoft is taking a gradual approach to its rollout, stating “the new Home experience [is rolling] out to a subset of all Xbox consoles.” But the company says that the update should arrive to more consoles in the next few weeks.
