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Microsoft is testing a redesigned Xbox PC app with Xbox Insiders and says it launches up to 60% faster, while some pages load up to 50% faster. The update also changes library browsing, search, social navigation and display options; Microsoft has not supplied test data or a public release date.
Microsoft is testing an updated Xbox PC app with Xbox Insiders, saying the app launches up to 60% faster and that key pages load more quickly. The update also reorganizes navigation, search and the game library, but Microsoft has not published test data explaining how it measured the speed gains.
Microsoft says the app itself now launches up to 60% faster, while the Home, Store and Game Pass pages load up to 50% faster. In-app windows are said to open up to 65% faster. The company’s announcement does not give specific startup times, testing conditions, device configurations or a comparison baseline, so the figures are company claims rather than independently verified results.
The redesigned interface changes how players reach their games and social features. Microsoft says the library will have simpler navigation, updated filters and more ways to organize games. Friends and social features move into the main navigation, and search will return results across games, installed titles, add-ons and people.
Other additions include a Library tab that groups games available through cloud play, whether owned or accessed through Game Pass. Microsoft also describes a desktop mode for larger displays, refreshed game cards and animations, dark and light themes, and five high-contrast options. The company says the changes are intended to make browsing and finding games easier.
A Faster Route to PC Gaming
The Xbox app is a gateway to Microsoft’s PC game library, Game Pass and social features. If the reported speed gains hold up across users’ devices, shorter launch and loading times could make routine tasks—opening the app, finding a game or moving between sections—feel more responsive. The interface changes also address discovery: consolidated search and clearer library controls could reduce the steps needed to locate installed games, add-ons or cloud-play options.
For players, the usability changes may matter as much as the claimed performance improvements. Bringing friends into the main navigation may make chats and party access easier to find, while display and contrast choices offer more control over how the app appears. Those benefits remain to be tested in practice, and Microsoft’s stated maximum gains do not establish how much faster the app will feel for a typical user.
The update is also part of a broader push to make the Xbox experience work across screens. Microsoft says it plans to bring visual and user-experience changes to the Xbox web experience and update experiences on other devices, including TVs and VR headsets. The PC test is therefore a current step in a wider interface effort, though the company has not detailed timing or feature parity across those platforms.
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From PC App to Other Screens
The announcement follows recent launcher performance updates from other game companies. TechPowerUp’s report describes Epic Games and Steam as having recently publicized improvements to their launchers, a sequence that provides context for Microsoft’s announcement. That timing alone does not establish that those updates prompted Xbox’s work.
Microsoft is currently making the changes available through the Xbox Insiders program, where participants can try features before a wider release. The company says the visual and user-experience changes will also reach the Xbox web experience and other device types, including TVs and VR headsets. It has not provided a detailed schedule for those versions.
“The app now launches up to 60% faster.”
— Microsoft
Speed Claims Await Testing
Microsoft has not provided the underlying measurements for its speed claims. The announcement does not specify which app version or hardware was used, how many tests were run, what older version served as the comparison, or whether the figures represent typical results or best-case gains. The phrase “up to” signals a maximum, not a guaranteed improvement for every user.
It is also not clear how broadly the current Insider test is available, when testing will end, or whether every listed feature will reach all users at the same time. Microsoft has said a wider rollout is expected in the coming months, but has not named a date. Details of the web, TV and VR updates—including which interface features will carry over—remain unspecified.
Insider Testing Before Wider Release
Xbox Insiders are the first group set to try the updated PC app. Microsoft says it expects to roll the redesigned experience out to a wider audience in the coming months, subject to the testing phase; it has not announced a precise launch date or a schedule by region.
Players outside the program will need to wait for Microsoft to confirm general availability. Further details may clarify how the company calculated the performance figures and when the related web, TV and VR experience updates will arrive. Until then, the speed improvements should be treated as Microsoft’s reported results, while the app’s practical performance and usability remain to be judged during testing.
Key Questions
How much faster does Microsoft say the Xbox PC app is?
Microsoft says the app launches up to 60% faster, Home, Store and Game Pass pages load up to 50% faster, and in-app windows open up to 65% faster. The company has not released supporting test data or a comparison baseline.
Can all Xbox PC app users access the redesign now?
No. Microsoft says the changes are being tested with Xbox Insiders. A wider rollout is expected in the coming months, but no specific public release date has been announced.
What interface features are changing?
The update revises library navigation and filters, places friends and social features in the main navigation, and broadens search to cover games, installed titles, add-ons and people. It also adds a cloud-games Library tab, desktop mode for larger displays, and new appearance options.
Are the speed improvements independently verified?
Not in the supplied announcement or report. The figures are Microsoft’s claims; no test method, device details or independent measurements were provided.
Will the new experience come to other devices?
Microsoft says it plans to update the Xbox web experience and experiences on other devices, including TVs and VR headsets. It has not shared a schedule or explained which PC app features those versions will include.
Source: techpowerup.com
