Microsoft is giving Xbox Series X & Series S owners several new ways to improve their console experience, from sharper Remote Play streaming to clearer voice chat and faster local search. The update is currently rolling out to Xbox Insiders, with wider availability expected before the end of the year.
The biggest change is to Remote Play, which is getting support for resolutions of up to 1440p alongside higher video bitrates. Xbox Series X and S users in the Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha Insider rings can try the upgrade now, which should make streamed games look sharper and play more smoothly on supported PCs, phones and TVs. Remote Play doesn’t require an additional subscription, although your actual experience will still depend on your device and network connection.
Microsoft is also adding a new Voice Clarity setting that reduces background noise during party chat and in-game conversations. It’s enabled by default for most games released since 2020, though you can turn it off manually if you prefer.
If you have a soft spot for the older Xbox startup sounds and animations, there’s a nice bit of nostalgia here too. Insiders can now choose startup animations from the Xbox One generation through to the current Xbox Series X|S era. The option lives under Settings > System > Startup, where you can also decide whether the animation plays with sound.
Profiles are getting a little more flexible, with the option to display up to five badges on your profile card. You can also hide individual badges from other people, giving you more control over what appears publicly.
Search is getting an overhaul as well. A new local search tool lets you search through your games and other content, including official club achievement lists and your own achievement history. It works alongside Microsoft’s existing filtering and sorting options, which should make finding something in a large library less of a chore.
Finally, Xbox is making downloads less disruptive. Games can now continue downloading in the background while you’re using Xbox Cloud Gaming. Microsoft says this should cut down on waiting around, particularly for Series X|S owners.
These features are still being tested through Xbox Insider channels, so there’s no need to start hunting for the update just yet. Microsoft expects them to reach more players before the end of the year.
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