This free instrument allows Xbox Fullscreen Expertise in your PC gaming handheld

PC avid gamers on Home windows-powered handhelds just like the older Asus ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go have little question been eyeing the brand new Xbox-branded Asus gadgets, as they’re the primary ones to get Home windows 11’s devoted gaming interface. This may come to different gadgets finally… however a brand new user-developed instrument allows you to attempt the Xbox Fullscreen Expertise early.

The Xbox Fullscreen Expertise (or FSE as Microsoft abbreviates it) is a devoted Home windows 11 mode that dispenses with a number of background components, together with the desktop and taskbar. This provides smaller touchscreen gadgets just like the Ally a unified interface that may compete with the Steam Deck as an alternative of relying upon third-party software program. Although the FSE is unique to the ROG Xbox Ally and its beefed-up X variant in the intervening time, it’s out there in Insider preview type to some MSI Claw handhelds—and modders have enabled it on different gadgets.

However tinkering round in Home windows Insider builds isn’t for everybody. Enter the Xbox Full Display Expertise Software, a GitHub venture noticed by ROG Ally Life that streamlines the method of turning this feature on. Utilizing this app, you’ll be able to click on a single button, then reboot the machine and (hopefully) get that shiny new interface up and working. All you want is a comparatively latest model of Home windows 11 (24H2 or later) and an up-to-date model of the Microsoft Retailer, together with the Xbox and Xbox Sport Bar apps.

The instrument is fairly easy as this stuff go, with solely a single settings toggle required to get it going as soon as the reboot is utilized. You possibly can even attempt your hand at working the Xbox Fullscreen Expertise on a non-handheld machine, although that requires a deeper dive (and I wouldn’t advocate it for anybody who really desires to make use of their machine for greater than gaming). However when you don’t just like the adjustments, you’ll be able to revert them with a single button and one other reboot… at the very least, if the instrument works appropriately.

As somebody who’s very thinking about how Microsoft takes extra direct possession of gaming on Home windows (and handheld gaming PCs specifically), I’m excited to do that out… but in addition extraordinarily nervous to take action. These sorts of tweaks may cause a number of complications, typically even with out errors on the developer’s half. A future Home windows replace may additionally ship system-crashing bugs. Earlier than giving it a shot in your handheld, be sure to have your recordsdata and sport saves backed up.