Xbox PC App to Get Major Overhaul With Faster Loading and Simpler Navigation
Microsoft is reportedly testing a major redesign of the Xbox PC app, with a stronger focus on performance, simpler navigation, and better support for controller-based gaming.
The rebuilt app is internally codenamed Garrison and is currently being tested in an early form.
Much Faster For Large Game Libraries
One of the biggest improvements appears to be performance. Windows Central’s Jez Corden tested an early build with a library containing more than 1,400 games and reported significantly faster loading and navigation compared with the current Xbox PC app.
There are no detailed benchmark numbers yet, but early impressions suggest Microsoft has substantially improved responsiveness, particularly when browsing large libraries.
That could address one of the most common complaints about the existing Xbox app, which has often been criticized for slow navigation and sluggish library loading.
Simpler Interface
The new app also reorganizes how games are displayed.
The current Xbox PC app separates game listings from their individual store pages.
In the redesigned version, Microsoft reportedly combines the two into a single interface, reducing the number of pages users need to open when browsing games, checking details or managing purchases.
Screenshots shared separately by The Verge’s Tom Warren also show a cleaner layout, while Warren said performance is noticeably better than in the existing app.
Microsoft is also making it clearer whether a game can be installed locally or is only available through Xbox Cloud Gaming.
This should make large libraries easier to understand, particularly when they contain games from multiple generations or different Xbox services.
Better Controller Support
The redesigned Xbox PC app supports both mouse-and-keyboard and controller navigation.
The interface can automatically adjust its scaling when used with a controller, making it better suited to gaming handhelds and living-room setups.
Users will reportedly also be able to set the Xbox app as the default home interface when entering Windows 11’s new gaming-focused mode.
That could make the app particularly useful on handheld gaming PCs such as the ROG Xbox Ally.
Still Missing Some Steam Features
The current overhaul appears to focus mainly on speed, navigation, and usability rather than adding a large number of new features.
Microsoft still trails Steam in areas such as community features, user reviews, developer interaction, and store discovery.
Those areas are not said to be major parts of the current Garrison build.
Release Could Come Before the End of 2026
Microsoft has not announced an official release date for the redesigned Xbox PC app.
However, the new version could reportedly reach Xbox Insiders in the coming weeks, potentially before the end of 2026.
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