Microsoft built Xbox mode as a console-style, controller-first interface for Windows 11. It started as a timed exclusive for the ROG Xbox Ally, then expanded to more devices through 2026. If your PC still doesn’t show the option, you can turn it on manually with a free feature-flag tool called ViVeTool.
Xbox mode is built for gamepad navigation, so have a controller ready before you start. Mouse and keyboard input works, but it feels clunky inside the interface.
Minimum Windows 11 Build Required for Xbox Mode
Xbox mode only shows up on specific Windows 11 builds, so confirm your version before troubleshooting anything else.
Xbox mode requires one of these builds:
| Windows 11 Version | Minimum Build |
|---|---|
| 24H2 | 26100.8328 |
| 25H2 | 26200.8328 |
| 26H1 | 28000.2179 |
Open Settings > System > About and check your OS Build number against the table. If you’re below the threshold, update first before trying anything else.
Update Windows 11 to Get Native Xbox Mode
Most PCs get Xbox mode simply by staying current, since Microsoft is rolling it out gradually through cumulative updates.
Open Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates. Install everything available, including optional updates. Turn on Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available if you see that toggle, since it pulls in staged features faster.
After updating, restart your PC and go to Settings > Gaming. Look for a page called Xbox mode or Full screen experience, depending on your build. If it’s there, select Xbox under Choose home app, then turn on Enter Xbox mode on startup.
Xbox Mode Limitations: VPN and Multi-Monitor Issues
Xbox mode strips out background networking to save resources, and that has one real consequence worth knowing before you spend time enabling it.
VPN protocols like L2TP, PPTP, PPPoE, and SSTP don’t load while Xbox mode is active. If you depend on a VPN tunnel for gaming or general use, switch back to the regular desktop first, since those connections won’t establish inside Xbox mode.
Multi-monitor setups and background apps that load at startup also behave inconsistently in this mode, since it’s designed around a single-display, controller-first session.
Force-Enable Xbox Mode on Any PC With ViVeTool
If the update doesn’t surface the toggle, ViVeTool lets you flip the feature flag Microsoft hasn’t activated for your PC yet.
ViVeTool is an open-source tool built by Rafael Rivera that toggles hidden Windows feature flags. Download the latest release from its official GitHub page and extract the folder somewhere easy to find, like your desktop.
Open an elevated Command Prompt from that extracted folder. Click Start, type cmd, then click Run as administrator on the Command Prompt result. In the window that opens, use cd to move into the extracted ViVeTool folder, for example:
cd C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\ViVeToolRun this command to enable Xbox mode, then press Enter:
vivetool /enable /id:59765208,58989070If the command returns “vivetool” is not recognized, you’re not in the correct folder. Confirm the cd command matches where you extracted the ViVeTool files. If it returns an access denied error, the Command Prompt wasn’t opened as administrator, so close it and repeat the “Run as administrator” step.
Restart your PC after running the command. Windows needs a full reboot to apply the feature flag.
Enable Xbox Mode With the GitHub Xbox FSE Tool
If you’d rather skip the command line entirely, a community-built tool on GitHub does the same job through a simple installer and a single button.
Search for the Xbox Full Screen Experience Tool on GitHub and download the .msi installer from its Releases section. This is a third-party tool, not something Microsoft supports directly, so use it at your own discretion.
Right-click the downloaded .msi file, select Open, and follow the installer prompts to completion. Once installed, open Start, search for Xbox Full Screen Experience Tool, and launch it.
Click Enable Xbox Full Screen Experience, then confirm through the prompts that follow. Restart your PC when asked. This method flips the same underlying feature flags as ViVeTool, so use whichever one works for you, since both produce the same result.
Configure Xbox Mode Settings After Enabling
Once the toggle appears, a few settings determine how the experience actually behaves at startup.
Make sure the Xbox app is installed and updated from the Microsoft Store, and sign in with your Microsoft account. Xbox mode uses this app as its home launcher, so it won’t work correctly without it.
Go to Settings > Gaming > Xbox mode. Select Xbox under Choose home app, then enable Enter Xbox mode on startup. You can also turn on Show accessibility control hints in Task View, which adds a one-button shortcut instead of requiring a controller combo press.
Some Windows 11 installs show a simpler version of this page with only an Enable Xbox mode toggle instead of the “Choose home app” dropdown. If that’s what you see, just turn on the toggle and skip the app selection step.
Sign out and sign back in to load the new interface immediately, or just restart your PC.
What Causes Xbox Mode to Stay Hidden
- Your build number falls below the minimum threshold for your Windows 11 version.
- The staged rollout hasn’t reached your region or device yet, even on a qualifying build.
- The Xbox app is missing, outdated, or not signed in.
- Group Policy or MDM restrictions block feature flag changes on managed or work PCs.
How to Disable Xbox Mode
Open Settings > Gaming > Xbox mode and set Choose home app to None. This disables the startup behavior immediately without removing the feature.
To remove the underlying flag entirely, open an elevated Command Prompt, navigate back to the ViVeTool folder, and run:
vivetool /disable /id:59765208,58989070Restart your PC to complete the rollback.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Xbox mode work with a mouse and keyboard?
Yes, but navigation feels clunky since every menu is designed around controller input. It works best on setups with a controller or on PCs connected to a TV.
Will enabling Xbox mode through ViVeTool break my PC?
No. ViVeTool only toggles feature flags that Microsoft already built into the OS. It doesn’t modify system files, so you can safely disable the flag at any time using the same tool.
Is Xbox mode the same as Full Screen Experience?
Yes. Microsoft renamed the feature from Full Screen Experience to Xbox mode starting with builds 26300.8155 and 26220.8148. If you enable it manually through ViVeTool on an older build, it may still show up under the old name.
Why is Xbox mode missing even after installing the required update?
Microsoft is rolling out Xbox mode in stages by region and device type. Even on a qualifying build, the toggle may not appear immediately, which is when the ViVeTool method becomes necessary.
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