6 of the Coolest Things the Xbox App on Windows 10 Can Do for You
Windows 10 is kind of a big deal. With countless improvements and pantloads of new features, it’s putting a whole new face on the personal computing world. But of course, what we’re most excited about are gaming features – and fortunately, Windows 10 is bringing with it a renewed focus on gaming. One of the most visible elements is the new Xbox app, which helps unify your gaming experience across your Windows 10 devices and Xbox consoles. Here are just six of the many reasons we love the Xbox app on Windows 10:
It Streams Your Xbox One Games
This is the biggie, of course. Thanks to Windows 10, you can now stream pretty much any Xbox One game to any Windows 10 PC or tablet on your home network. If it runs Windows 10 and you can connect a controller to it, you’re good to go. The device will automagically beam your input over your local network to your Xbox One, and your Xbox One will happily beam output back to you. And yes, it works with the Xbox 360 games you can play with Xbox One Backwards Compatibility. Living in the future is awesome.
It Lets You View, Edit, and Share Your Recorded Game Clips
As part of Windows 10’s renewed focus on games, Game DVR capability is built right into the operating system. That means that with a quick press of Windows + G, you can bring up the game bar, and you can record your most impressive – or most embarrassing – gaming moments without any hassle. Game DVR works in virtually any Windows 10 game, allowing you to save your captured videos (and screenshots!) directly to a folder on your device. Then, you can access those same game clips and share them to the social network of your choice. Or, with the Xbox app, you can quickly trim and share to your friends on Xbox Live.
It Helps You Be More Social
Many of Xbox Live’s social features are baked right into the Xbox app, which means you can interact with your friends (and your own profile) from any Windows 10 device. You can view other users’ profiles, see what your friends are playing now, join a party, voice chat, message, and all that good stuff. Plus, you can customize your own profile: tweak your avatar via the linked Xbox Avatars app, switch up your Gamerpic, modify your account color, set your online status, and even change your Gamertag.
It Keeps You in the Loop
Looking to keep an eye on your achievements while you’re away from your console? The Xbox app does that. Want to visit the Game Hub of your latest obsession to check on any updates or other players’ progress? The Xbox app does that. Want to keep an eye on your activity feed – where you can share, like, and comment on your friends’ progress? You know, the Xbox app does that, too. It can keep you up to date with everything that’s happening in your Xbox world, wherever you are, from any Windows 10 device.
It Help You Keep in Touch with Your Friends
The Xbox app was designed to make bringing gamers together easier than ever, no matter if they’re on a Windows 10 PC or Xbox One. Thanks to the Xbox app, you can now create a party chat on any Windows 10 PC, and talk with friends whether they’re on Windows 10 or Xbox One, and no matter whether they’re playing a game or doing something else entirely. You can even send invites or join a multiplayer game session right from the Xbox app.
It Commands Your Xbox One to Do Your Bidding
We’ve already talked about game streaming, but the Xbox app actually gives you even more control over the Xbox One over your home network. From controlling media playback to changing the volume, there are a lot of things you can do on your Xbox One from your Windows 10 PC. And the Xbox app even goes a step further: As long as you’re on the same network, you can remotely turn your Xbox One on and off with the click of a button.
The Xbox app is just one of the ways Windows 10 is putting gaming front and center. And you won’t have long to wait to put it through its paces yourself: Windows 10 starts rolling out on July 29.