A component of Microsoft Windows | |
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Screenshot of the Xbox app on Windows 10
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Details | |
Type | Dashboard |
Included with | Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobile |
Also available for | Windows 8, Windows Phone, Windows Server 2012 and later, Windows Holographic, Android, iOS |
Replaces | Xbox Games, Steps Recorder |
Related components | |
People, Microsoft Solitaire Collection, Mahjong, Minesweeper |
The Xbox app (originally known as Xbox 360 SmartGlass and Xbox One Smartglass) is a dashboard for Xbox Live accounts. On launch, it was positioned as a companion app for Xbox video game consoles, including Xbox 360 and Xbox One video game consoles, providing access to Xbox Live community functions, remote control, as well as second screen functionality with selected games, applications, and content. The Xbox app is available for Microsoft Windows, Android, and iOS.
The Xbox app features achievements, recommended games, games that friends are playing, party planning, and instant messaging. When a user launches it for the first time, the app will offer to create an Xbox Live account for a local user or automatically create an avatar and username for a user with a Microsoft Account. The Xbox app allows users to change the username, choose whether to show or hide the user's real name, create a bio, and change the user's accent color and avatar It can be used as a launchpad for games on a PC. The app automatically displays games installed through the Windows Store and users can manually add games (or any other apps) installed outside the Windows Store, such as Microsoft Garden Pond.
The app can search for both Windows 10 or Xbox One games
The Windows 10 version of the Xbox app features a video screen capture utility on supported devices called Game DVR; on devices without video capture support, Game DVR only takes screenshots. The Game DVR can be opened by hitting the Win + G screenshot combination; other Game Bar settings can be customized in the app. Despite the name, any app can be recorded. Although Game DVR does not include a keylogger, Microsoft considers it a replacement for the discontinued Steps Recorder. The Xbox app also features audio/video quality settings and whether to automatically record game clips that can be saved later.