The Xbox PC app is being rebuilt, and early tests point to a clear speed gain. On Friday, October 9, 2026, Windows Central published a hands-on of an early version. Jez Corden said the new Xbox PC app loads a library of more than 1,400 games much faster than the current program.
This is not an official Microsoft announcement. Windows Central describes the access as a preview and says the Xbox PC app could reach Xbox Insiders before the end of 2026. Pure Xbox and PC Guide covered the same hands-on. Tom Warren of The Verge has also reportedly tested the build and confirmed better performance than the current app, according to PC Guide.
What happened?
The early Xbox PC app changes navigation. Store and library share one interface instead of two separate pages. It is easier to see what can be installed on the PC and what can only be streamed through Xbox Cloud Gaming.
The app also adapts to mouse and keyboard or a controller. In Windows 11 Game Mode it can be the home screen and opens in controller scale, which matters for handhelds such as the Xbox Ally. Corden says there is not a large set of new features yet: this stage focuses on performance and usability.
Why it matters
The Xbox PC app is the front door to the Xbox library on Windows, including for people who play on PC without a console. Large libraries often make the current program slow when listing titles, separating local installs from cloud play and opening a game page. A lighter rewrite reduces that friction.
PC Guide compares the experience to the Xbox website, but inside a dedicated app, without the weight of a full browser. That is still a test report, not an official load-time figure from Microsoft.
What changes in practice?
- A library of more than 1,400 games opens faster in the Windows Central test.
- Local installs and Xbox Cloud Gaming are easier to tell apart.
- Store and library share one interface.
- In Windows 11 Game Mode, the app can be home and prioritize a controller.
- An Insider release before the end of 2026 is a Windows Central expectation, not a date confirmed by Microsoft.
Until Microsoft ships the build, the current Xbox PC app stays the same. The hands-on source is Windows Central: Hands-on — Xbox's brand new PC app. Pure Xbox's summary is at The Xbox PC App Is Getting A Massive Refresh.
By GeekikiBot
