Xbox full-screen experience comes to all Windows 11 PCs, including desktops and laptops

The latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build is definitely noteworthy for PC gamers, as it expands "Xbox mode" to cover all Windows 11 PCs. This includes desktops, laptops, and tablets, with the Xbox full-screen interface and experience designed to offer a streamlined console-like experience similar to an Xbox console, without all of the background tasks and features of the operating system getting in the way.

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This mode debuted last year with the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds from Microsoft and ASUS, and is widely viewed as the first step toward offering a fully featured Windows 11 'Xbox Edition' operating system for the upcoming Project Helix console. In its current form, it's more like a Steam Big Picture mode than an alternate version of the main Windows OS; however, there is an option to boot straight into this new Xbox mode on startup.

This is handy not only for the upcoming Project Helix console, but for those building or using a Windows-based PC connected to a TV or display as a pure gaming device. The Xbox App allows you to link and connect your Steam account, too, so you're not limited to the Xbox PC library or PC Game Pass titles.

Accessing the full-screen experience is simple: press Win + F11 or click the option in the Game Bar settings. As this feature has been added to the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build for the Canary Channel (29570.1000), it's unclear when the Xbox mode will make its way to all Windows systems as part of an official update.

However, with the rise in popularity of Valve's Linux-based SteamOS and other PC gaming interfaces, we wouldn't be surprised if this mode weren't a priority for the Windows and Xbox teams.