Microsoft introduced a compact mode for its Xbox app on Windows last year, designed to improve the portable experience. While Compact Mode initially focused on UI improvements for smaller screens, Microsoft is now tackling some of the challenges of navigating the Xbox app with a D-pad and sticks.
In a new update for Xbox Insiders today, Microsoft is adding a new “Go Back” feature that lets you quickly launch games you’ve recently played on a Windows handheld. Going Back lists up to nine games on the main Xbox app screen, and you can press the menu button on a controller to launch the game directly.
It’s smart enough to know if a game is already running. So it will just jump to that instance and by default it will navigate to a game’s gaming hub so you can see which friends are playing, your achievements and more.
Microsoft is also improving the Friends Panel for easier access with a handheld or controller. There is now quick access from the sidebar to a sliding friends list with large buttons to press to join group chats.
While this addition is nice, I still have trouble navigating the Xbox app on a ROG Ally without touching the screen. Accessing the sidebar can often be difficult if you’ve navigated to the bottom of a page, and the Xbox app seems to get stuck in certain sections and prevent you from accessing the sidebar when navigating left, unless you’re at the top of the page or you’ve highlighted a particular item.
Microsoft still has a long way to go in improving the overall Windows handheld experience, but if you’re a PC Game Pass subscriber and have a Windows handheld, you’ll get some early improvements before the Windows team only really focuses on controller navigation throughout the operating system.
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