What's new on Xbox One

The latest update is here, and so are some great new additions.

Take a break

The new break reminder in Settings/Preferences lets you set a timer that reminds you to take a break after a certain amount of time on the console. The timer restarts if you sign out or turn off the console. You choose the interval – 30 minutes to two hours.

Play later

With so many great games to choose from in the Xbox Game Pass catalog, it can be hard to keep track of every game you may want to play. Play later lets you make a list of games for you to come back to on your time. Manage your collection from your Xbox console or the Game Pass mobile app and download your games when you’re ready.

Friends list shows where your friends are playing

We’ve added icons in your friends list for other platforms your friends are currently playing on. These icons will only appear for the platforms you’re not currently viewing the friends list on. For example, if you’re signed in to Xbox One, you’ll see icons for friends signed in to their PC or mobile device, and your friends will see an icon in their friends list that you’re on Xbox One.

Message requests

Prioritize messages from your friends and anyone you want to communicate with while separating out messages from people you don’t know into a message requests tab.

As part of this update, all previous group messages will be removed (your one-on-one messages won’t be affected). If you want to back up any previous group messages, copy and paste them in Xbox.com for a limited time.

Better sorting in My games & apps

We’ve made it simpler to find the content you’re looking for. In My games & apps, titles will no longer contain articles such as "a," "an," or "the" when you use the Sort A-Z or Group by letter views. For example, "The Witcher" will now be found under "W" instead of "T."