Xbox and Games Basics

Windows 11 is a great option for playing video games. And that’s true whether you’re a hardcore gamer or just someone who occasionally engages in more casual gaming pursuits.

Microsoft also provides game streaming capabilities in Windows via Xbox Cloud Gaming, which is included with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, potentially turning any Windows PC into a gaming powerhouse. This service is described in the Xbox App chapter.

Configure your PC to play games

Before you get started with gaming in Windows 11, there are a few configuration changes you should consider making.

This is especially true if you plan to play any non-casual games and wish to optimize your PC for these experiences.

Configure Gaming settings

First, you should review and, if necessary, configure the Gaming settings in the Settings app. To do so, open the Settings app and navigate to Gaming.

There are several pages in this interface, each tied to a specific Windows gaming feature. These are:

Xbox Game Bar. You can enable a special overlay called the Xbox Game Bar while in a game to capture screenshots and video clips, chat with friends, and more.

We cover this feature in more detail in the Xbox Game Bar chapter.

Captures. This interface is used to configure how Windows captures screenshots and video clips while you play games. There are options for determining the location for saved screenshots and clips, whether Windows should automatically record all gameplay sessions in the background, and the like.

This feature is also discussed in the Xbox Game Bar chapter.

Game Mode. Windows 11 supports a special Game Mode that improves performance and minimize distractions outside the game while you are playing. There’s little in the way of configuration here. If your PC supports this feature, you can simply toggle Game Mode on or off. (It’s on by default.)

Connect and configure an Xbox Wireless Controller

While many traditional gamers still use the keyboard and mouse to play games on their PCs, you can also use an Xbox Wireless Controller for a simpler, more console-like experience.

There are multiple versions of the Xbox Wireless Controller dating back through previous generations of the Xbox videogame console. Here, I am referring specifically to the Xbox Wireless Controller that debuted with the Xbox Series X and S. But the newer-generation Xbox One Wireless Controllers work similarly, as do other Xbox-compatible controllers.

You can connect an Xbox Wireless Controller to your PC wirelessly using Bluetooth, wirelessly via an Xbox Wireless Adapter USB dongle, or via a USB cable.

Wireless connectivity is convenient, but when it comes to a game controller and your PC, using a USB cable will provide the best performance.

Connecting a controller wirelessly via Bluetooth works similarly to any other Bluetooth device: You need to pair it with the PC in the Settings app by navigating to Bluetooth & devices, clicking the “Add device” button, and then selecting “Bluetooth” in the window that appears. (If you are using an Xbox Wireless Adapter, choose “Other” in the window that appears.)

Bluetooth connectivity is described in the Bluetooth chapter.

Regardless of how you connect it, Windows 11 will automatically configure the controller. But you can further customize how the controller works—and download and install firmware updates—by using the the Xbox Accessories app, which is available for free from the Microsoft Store.

Here, you can perform the following actions:

Update the controller firmware. Before doing anything else, ensure that your controller’s firmware is up-to-date. To do so, navigate to “More options” (“…”) > Update and then update the controller if needed.

Configure. Click this button to access the controller configuration page, where you can create custom profiles, map buttons, swap the thumbsticks, and perform other customizations.

Those with a more expensive Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 Core will see more even configuration options here.

Vibrate this controller. Navigate to “More options” (“…”) > “Vibrate this controller” to identify which controller you’re customizing.

Turn on Copilot. If you have two connected controllers, you can enable a special Copilot mode in which both are used as if they were a single controller. This is a fun option if you’re teaching a young child how to play, among other uses. Navigate to “More options” (“…”) > “Turn on Copilot” to enable this feature.

More options (…). The display that appears when you select this button helps you find firmware updates, vibrate your controller so that you can find it when lost, and use Xbox’s Copilot feature, which links two or more controllers together as if they were a single controller.

Test Mode. Click the “Test Mode” button—it resembles a laboratory beaker—to test each of the buttons on your controller to make sure everything is working properly.

Windows also includes a legacy Game Controllers control panel that can be used to test and calibrate the buttons and controls on Xbox and third-party game controllers.

Find and buy games

If you already own PC games from whatever source—disc-based games purchased at retail, digital games purchased from Steam, Epic Games, and other online stores, or whatever—you can of course install and play them normally, as you could with previous Windows versions.

But the Microsoft Store, which is built-in to Windows, also lets you find and purchase games as described in the Microsoft Store and Apps chapter.

Play a game

Games work as you would expect. So rather than focus on the basics, this section will instead highlight those things that are unique to games played in Windows 11, in particular those games you acquire from the Microsoft Store.

When you launch a game, it will sometimes run in a windowed display mode, much like a normal app.

This is acceptable for some casual games like Microsoft Solitaire Collection or Candy Crush Soda. But you may prefer to run games full-screen instead. If a game doesn’t automatically switch to the full-screen display mode, type ALT + ENTER. You can do so at any time to toggle a game between windowed and full-screen display modes.

You can also control the display mode on the fly from within a game. To do so, move the mouse cursor to the top edge of the screen—or, on a touch-screen, tap the top edge of the screen—to reveal a title bar with Minimize, Restore, and Close command buttons on the far right.

You can use the Restore button to toggle between full-screen and windowed display modes.

Most Store games also provide a display mode option in the in-game settings. The name and location of this option will vary from game-to-game, of course. But most games acquired from the Store will offer a way to enable full-screen mode at all times.