The Xbox Series X|S is a beast of a gaming console that is absolutely packed with features and functionality. It’s so packed with secrets that even the most seasoned Xbox veterans might not know everything the console has to offer.
The quality of life and accessibility features of Xbox Series X|S seem endless and are more than enough to amaze you. If you’re looking to level up your Xbox game, here are some of the most useful hidden Xbox Series X|S features that you should definitely try.
1. Automatically sync your controller with the last device you used
So you’re probably already familiar with the sync button on top of your Xbox controller that connects it to whatever console you’re currently using. But did you know that if you press the button twice, your controller will automatically sync with the last device it was connected to?
This feature may seem small, but it’s huge for anyone with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. If you’re wondering what Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is, it’s a service that allows you to stream games to a variety of different consoles and devices. That means you can get to the middle of your game on your Xbox and pick it up again on your phone or even PC. Making your controller able to instantly remember and connect to the last device you were using is incredibly useful.
There are already plenty of reasons why you should get Xbox Game Pass. But if you need something more, being able to seamlessly switch your driver between devices might be enough to sweeten the deal.
2. Use HDMI 2.1 to unlock next-gen performance on your Xbox Series X|S
Xbox Series X|S offers the highest graphics and gaming performance of any console currently on the market. That’s already epic enough. But if the next-gen performance of Xbox Series X|S isn’t enough for you, you can take it to the next level using the console’s HDMI 2.1 support.
HDMI 2.1 is the most powerful HDMI available for consoles right now, enabling your system to achieve even faster load times and overall performance. When you go out shopping for your next TV, just make sure you find one that’s capable of keeping up.
3. Individually control player volumes in voice chat on your Xbox Series X|S
Playing with your friends is not the same if you can’t coordinate or just joke with them in the middle of the game. But everyone has that one friend who gets too excited. Fortunately, Xbox Series X|S allows you to individually control the volume of your friends in voice chat.
If your overly excited friend gets too distracted, just push him away. You can even turn up the volume for that guy with the silent mic, so you can hear them for once. This is a very useful feature that makes voice chatting with your friends even more fun.
4. Expand your screen on your Xbox Series X | S
Nothing lasts forever, even the 20/20 vision you used to have in your 20s. It sounds like it would be a big problem, especially when you’re trying to make out miniature details on a screen that might be far away from you. But if you have an Xbox Series X|S, there is no problem.
The Xbox Series X|S has a magnifying glass option in your accessibility settings. This allows you to zoom in on your screen, so you can make out every hard-to-see shadow in Resident Evil Village. This setup is incredibly easy to use and much cheaper than a new pair of glasses.
As unfortunate as it is, sometimes life gets in the way of our precious playtime. However, if you ever find yourself in that situation on your Xbox Series X|S, it’s incredibly easy to join your friends’ party and start playing with them as soon as possible. You don’t even have to coordinate with them to do it.
The Xbox Series X|S has a happening now section located in the Friends Eyelash. This displays a list of all your friends, as well as what they’re playing, so you can jump right into the action. And like the rest of the great features of Xbox Series X|S, it’s extremely easy to use.
We all know the feeling of having an exciting gaming moment that you want to share with your friends right away. And on Xbox Series X|S, that’s entirely possible. Every screenshot you take on your Xbox Series X|S will automatically be available in the Xbox mobile app.
This way, you can share all your favorite gaming moments on the social networks of your choice without having to fiddle with any settings or send anything to your phone manually.
7. Use Copilot to control your Xbox Series X|S
If you’re playing with someone who might need a little extra help while playing, you can provide it using Copilot on your Xbox Series X|S. Copilot is a feature found in accessibility settings that allows you to use two controllers as one.
This is a truly remarkable setup that can help make gaming more accessible to a much wider audience. Xbox’s Copilot feature helps you share your special gaming memories with young children or gamers with health issues who may need extra help.
8. Xbox Series X|S has custom installation options
There’s nothing more frustrating than running out of space on your console and having to play Tetris with your games to make it all fit. There are expensive storage options available to increase your console space, but Xbox Series X|S has another method to improve your console storage.
With your Xbox Series X|S, you can customize which part of the game you want to install on your console. Why download the main campaign of a game if all you do is play online? This also works the other way around. If you never play online or multiplayer, you can choose to only install the main campaign on your system.
Having a physical disc drive is one of the main differences to consider when choosing between Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S. Having more games on discs and fewer installed on your console saves a lot of space. But being able to partially install your titles is a great way to make up for that extra space if you have the digital-only Xbox Series S.
Level up your Xbox game with these underrated features
The Xbox Series X|S is a truly advanced console, and this barely scratches the surface of all the amazing features the system has to offer. Hopefully, this list has given you even more ways to get the most out of your Xbox Series X|S.
Now all you have to do is test these features the next time you play.