Microsoft announced a redesigned Home tab for the Xbox app on Windows on October 28, 2024. It first went to Xbox Insiders enrolled in the PC Gaming Preview, bringing Game Pass and Microsoft Store discovery into one place. Microsoft later said the experience was rolling out to all players over the following weeks; that rollout statement did not promise simultaneous availability to every account.
What changed in the Xbox app for Windows?
This is a redesign of the Xbox app’s Home tab on Windows—not a new Xbox console dashboard, a replacement for the Windows desktop, or a new storefront. Microsoft’s stated aim was to combine highlights previously spread across the app’s Game Pass and Microsoft Store areas. The Home page is a discovery and navigation surface; it does not replace the stores or determine whether a game is included in a subscription. Microsoft’s October 28, 2024 announcement describes the design and its initial Insider availability.
Featured games, events, and news
The featured area is intended to surface new releases, events, Game Pass content, sales, free-to-play content, and other Xbox highlights. Microsoft also described curated collections and personalized recommendations, but did not explain how recommendations are ranked, what data they use, or whether users can turn personalization off.
Deals and collections
Deals and discounts appear alongside collections intended to make browsing for games easier. Promotional images in Microsoft’s announcement used illustrative prices, which may vary; check the current listing for the price and terms available to your account and region.
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How Jump back in works
Microsoft highlighted a Jump back in row for Compact Mode. Selecting a recently played game card takes you to that game’s hub, where you can launch or resume it; the announcement did not describe the card as launching straight into gameplay. Compact Mode was designed with Windows gaming handhelds and smaller screens in mind, but Microsoft did not provide a complete device compatibility list in the Home announcement.
The documented connection to Compact Mode matters: do not assume the row appears identically in the standard desktop layout. The Home announcement also does not establish that every element of the initial preview remains unchanged in later app versions.
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Who can try the Home experience?
At launch, the redesigned Home was available to Xbox Insiders in the PC Gaming Preview using the Xbox app on Windows. Microsoft directed interested users to the Xbox Insider Program; merely signing into the Xbox app was not enough to guarantee access.
- Install or open the Xbox Insider Hub on a Windows PC. Microsoft’s program information is at xbox.com/en-US/insider.
- Join or register for the Xbox Insider Program, then enroll in the PC Gaming Preview.
- Update or launch the Xbox app on Windows and check for the Home tab. Access may depend on staged deployment and account eligibility.
If the tab does not appear, confirm that you joined the PC Gaming Preview—not just the general Insider Program—then update the app through Microsoft Store and restart it. These steps cannot force access if your account or app build has not been selected. Microsoft invited Insiders to share feedback through its survey and Insider feedback process. If preview stability matters more than early access, you can leave the preview instead.
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From Insider test to wider rollout
The October announcement described an Insider test. In its November 14, 2024 Xbox update, Microsoft said the new Home experience was rolling out to all players over the coming weeks. That is a broader rollout than the initial test, not evidence that every user received it on the same day. The available announcements do not establish a precise current app version, universal country-by-country availability, or whether every part of the 2024 design is still identical.
This Windows app change is separate from the Xbox console Home redesign Microsoft announced in 2023. The console announcement concerns the console dashboard, not the PC app.
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- Gaming Resolution: 1440p; Performance Target: Up to 120 FPS; HDMI Features: Auto Low Latency Mode, HDMI Variable Refresh Rate, AMD FreeSync.
Do you need Game Pass?
No subscription is required simply to use the Home experience, based on Microsoft’s announcement. Microsoft said the redesign was intended for both Game Pass users and people who buy games individually. A card in the feed is not proof that a game is included with Game Pass: it may be a subscription title, a purchase, a free-to-play game, a sale, or a recommendation. Check the card’s availability and entitlement details before assuming you can play it without paying separately.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Trade-offs and remaining uncertainties
- It emphasizes discovery. A feed of promotions, recommendations, and deals may suit players looking for something new, but may feel busy to people who mainly want to open their library and launch a known game.
- Customization details were not specified. Microsoft’s announcement did not describe controls for filtering or hiding promotional modules.
- Preview software can change. Insider builds may have bugs or inconsistent behavior, and preview features can change or disappear.
- Prices are not universal. Promotional screenshot prices were illustrative; the live listing is the relevant source for the price shown to you.
- Availability is not fully documented for every current setup. The dated announcements do not give a 2026 build number or guarantee that every account, region, and layout has the same Home modules.
For the separate October 2024 Insider context, Microsoft’s October Xbox Insider community update also places the PC Gaming Preview among its PC testing programs.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
