The latest Xbox feature makes major game updates a lot less annoying

When you purchase through links in our articles, Future and its syndication partners may receive a commission.

The Xbox September Update is here, bringing a host of new features and changes to the Xbox experience on PC, mobile and consoles.

The most important new feature is the ability to pre-download a game’s upcoming updates on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One. This means that on the day the update is released, you don’t have to go through a long download, but you can start taking action straight away.

This could be an absolute game changer, especially for live service games that often receive a lot of new content. Unfortunately, the feature is currently only supported in a few select titles. The latest Xbox Wire blog post lists Sea of ​​Thieves, Minecraft, And Cassette beasts below, but says to “expect many more titles to support it soon.”

If you want to try this feature, make sure your Xbox is up to date and then go to the My Games and Apps window. From there, click on “Manage” and “Updates”. This gives you an advance overview of all updates for your library that are available for download.

There are also changes to the Wishlist system, which will now notify you when a game you want is released, added to Xbox Game Pass, or available to try for free during a Free Play Day promotion. If you are not a fan of this change, please note that you can turn off these notifications in your notification settings.

The Xbox mobile app is also being revised. Features of the separate Xbox Game Pass app will be integrated, although this application will no longer be available for download in November. This means that with the Xbox app you can finally manage your Xbox Game Pass membership and browse the Xbox Game Pass catalog in one place.

Finally, Game Bar Compact Mode is now rolling out for PC gamers. This mode is specifically optimized for smaller displays and handhelds, which is good news if you own something like the Asus Rog Ally X.

Some improved game management features will also be available for the Xbox app on PC. This includes the ability to easily view and install add-ons, as well as some interface changes that make it easier to keep track of everything that’s installed. Considering how bad the Xbox app is on the platform, small improvements like this can only be a good thing.

You might also like…