Xbox Full Screen Experience arrives on Windows 11 PCs

Microsoft keeps threading console-grade features into the Windows ecosystem, and now the Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) is rolling out to regular Windows 11 PCs and laptops via the Insider program. Previously seen on handhelds like the Asus ROG Ally, the mode is finally within reach for standard systems as well.

Testing by popular creator ETA Prime suggests there’s no heavy setup required: install the Xbox Insider Hub, switch to the Beta or Dev channel, and update. After that, Windows 11 can boot straight into a full-screen Xbox dashboard, skipping the classic desktop entirely. For now, the Xbox app serves as the home screen, though Microsoft has hinted that support for additional launchers is on the roadmap.

The interface is tuned for controller-first navigation. You can move through menus quickly, summon a system switcher by holding the Xbox button, and jump back to running apps in a way that feels familiar to Series X/S owners.

One standout improvement is the reduction in background activity. In tests, a gaming laptop with an RTX 5050 used about 5.7 GB of RAM in FSE versus 7.7 GB with a standard Windows startup. That aligns with Microsoft’s claim of roughly a 2 GB cut—tangible savings for machines with limited memory or laptops relying on integrated graphics.

Multitasking behavior has shifted too. FSE isn’t a one-to-one equivalent of Xbox’s Quick Resume, but the experience lands close. ETA Prime was able to flip between a small indie title and the demanding Cyberpunk 2077, with both staying resident in memory, even if the resume mechanics differ from a true console workflow. In effect, FSE replaces the desktop with a gaming‑optimized shell, trimming overhead and speeding the path to play.

As for frame rates, game performance barely moved. In Cyberpunk 2077 at Ultra settings and 1080p, the difference hovered around 1–2 FPS either way—about what you’d expect from a shell-level change rather than a deep OS overhaul.