XBOX PC and Games

The PC is an excellent choice for gamers, especially those who want the best performance and graphics fidelity. And Windows 11 is the best option for PC gamers, whether you're a hardcore gamer or just someone who occasionally engages in more casual gaming pursuits.

Windows 11 comes with an XBOX app that integrates with popular third-party game stores like Steam and the Epic Games Store and Microsoft's vast videogame ecosystem, and a Game Bar that helps you capture screenshots and video clips, interact with your friends on XBOX Live, and more. There's even a controller-optimized XBOX Mode that dramatically reduces background resource usage, freeing up your PC's CPU, GPU, and RAM for gaming.
Defaults
Windows 11 is configured to meet the needs of casual and mainstream gamers by default.

The XBOX app is bundled with Windows 11 and integrates with your Microsoft account, allowing you to find and install XBOX PC games, including, if you're a subscriber those on Game Pass, access your game libraries across XBOX PC and popular third-party stores, and more.
The Game Bar is also bundled with Windows 11 and can be toggled on at any time so you can access gaming-related utilities without leaving the game you're playing.
Screen captures and video clip recordings are saved to your Videos folder in a Captures subfolder with reasonable default settings for most.
Windows 11 automatically configures an XBOX Wireless Controller so you can begin playing immediately.
The new XBOX Mode is available but not enabled by default.

Customize
Before getting started with gaming on Windows 11, you should review and, if needed, configure any gaming-related settings to your needs.
Customize Windows 11 gaming features
To get started, open the Settings app and navigate to Gaming.

The following settings are available here:
XBOX mode
New to 2026, XBOX Mode in Windows 11 provides a console-like, controller-optimized, full-screen experience for gamers.

Windows 11 reports that this feature is "enabled" by default, but really it's just "available" by default: You enable this mode, which replaces the Windows 11 Desktop experience with a full-screen XBOX app experience, in the XBOX app.

Most people should leave these settings as-is. But if you use XBOX Mode regularly, you might consider configuring "Show XBOX mode in Task View" to "On" to make that easier; otherwise, you will need to toggle XBOX Mode in the XBOX app.

If you have an XBOX gaming handheld, you can use XBOX Mode full-time: These PCs have two unique options, "Enter Xbox mode on startup" and "Choose home app"--which has Xbox and Desktop choices--to make that happen.
Game Bar
You can enable a special overlay called Game Bar while in a game to capture screenshots and video clips, chat with friends, and more.

Keyboard shortcut: You can quickly toggle the Game Bar by typing Windows key + G at any time. It works with the Desktop and any app, not just games.
If you're going...