Over recent months, Microsoft has been working on a new dashboard for the Xbox One. In October, the company started experimenting with different preview designs based on various layout ideas. Now Microsoft has rolled out the new dashboard for all users.
For Xbox One users, there is now an emphasis on making it easier to access Xbox services and features. For example, finding frequently used apps and games is a simpler process. Furthermore, the new Home page comes with more customization options, including the ability to add and remove rows.
Quick access options on the dashboard include Mixer, Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Live, and the Microsoft Store.
Certainly, making frequently used apps and games more of a focal point is helpful. Previous iterations of the dashboard hid this aspect of the experience. It is something Sony's PS4 has managed to do better than Microsoft's console.
Notifications
Notifications on the Xbox are also getting a tweak. Specifically, users can customize how they see notifications on screen. For example, you can choose to stop notifications popping up and blocking in-game content.
It is worth noting Xbox software is based on Windows 10 so it's interesting to see this notification ability because it does not exist on Windows.
These changes follow a general overhaul of the console's UI in 2017. The company revamped the Guide, changed the dashboard, and added Fluent Design elements. As the services and features available on Xbox change, Microsoft has been adjusting its UI to suit them.
Later this year, the Xbox Series X will arrive in stores, so we expect this to be the last major change in the Xbox One UI.
