The Xbox Mode in the Windows 11 KB5083631 update is completely different from previous tests.

Microsoft has once again failed to deliver on its promise. The so-called “Xbox Mode” in the KB5083631 update is completely different from the Full-Screen Experience (FSE) I previously tested on my laptop.

Previously, FSE was fully functional:

You could choose any app as the “dashboard” (such as the Xbox app)

You could specify which programs would launch with FSE when logging into Windows

After a reboot, the system would launch the Xbox app in full-screen mode, while optimizing background services, prioritizing gaming performance, and boosting frame rates.

However, the officially released “Xbox Mode” lacks almost all of FSE’s core features—it’s merely an interface that can be controlled with a controller. Even the option to “boot directly into Xbox Mode” has been removed.

For users who were looking forward to Xbox Mode and had previously experienced the FSE beta, this is a complete letdown.