Turn your Windows 11 PC into a controller-friendly Xbox-style dashboard in about 10 minutes.
This is for PC gamers on recent Windows 11 Insider builds who want a cleaner full-screen launcher for Game Pass, Steam, and other games.
Estimated time: 10 to 15 minutes, plus one restart.

Quick Answer

If your PC is on a recent Windows 11 Insider build that includes Xbox mode, you can enable the hidden full-screen experience with ViveTool, restart, then go to Settings > Gaming > Full screen experience and choose Xbox as the home app. After that, open it with Win + F11.

Microsoft began expanding Xbox mode to more Windows 11 PC form factors in the April 17, 2026 Canary release notes for build 29570.1000. The mode gives you a streamlined full-screen gaming interface that is easier to use with a controller and cuts down on desktop clutter while you play.

What you need

Before you start

This trick depends on preview Windows features, so it may not appear on every build right away. Microsoft notes in its official Windows Insider build 29570.1000 announcement that Canary features can roll out gradually. If you are on a stable public build, this may simply not be available yet.

How to enable Xbox full screen mode on any PC

1. Confirm your PC is on a compatible Insider build

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to System > About.
  3. Check your Windows 11 build number.
  4. If needed, open Settings > Windows Update and install the latest Insider update.

Expected check: You are on a recent Windows 11 Insider build where Xbox mode is being tested or rolled out.

Reference: Official Windows Insider release notes.

2. Download and extract ViveTool

  1. Open the ViveTool releases page.
  2. Download the newest ZIP file.
  3. Extract it to an easy path such as C:\ViveTool.

Expected check: You can see ViVeTool.exe inside the extracted folder.

3. Run the Xbox mode feature ID command

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  2. Change to your ViveTool folder. Example:
    cd C:\ViveTool
  3. Run this command:
    vivetool /enable /id:59765208

Expected check: ViveTool reports that the feature configuration was updated successfully.

This feature ID is the one commonly used to surface the Xbox full-screen experience on current preview builds, and it matches recent walkthroughs from Pureinfotech.

4. Restart your PC

  1. Close open apps.
  2. Restart Windows normally.

Expected check: After restart, the new full-screen gaming setting should be available if your build supports it.

5. Set Xbox as the home app for full screen experience

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to Gaming > Full screen experience.
  3. Under Choose home app, select Xbox.
  4. Optionally turn on Enter full screen experience on start-up.

Expected check: The Xbox app now appears as the selected home app for the full-screen gaming interface.

6. Launch Xbox mode

  1. Press Win + F11, or
  2. Open it from the Xbox app, or
  3. Use the option from Game Bar if it appears on your build.

Expected check: Windows switches to a console-like, controller-first full-screen dashboard instead of the normal desktop view.

What this trick is good for

  • Launching games from the couch with a controller.
  • Making laptops and small PCs feel more console-like.
  • Reducing desktop distractions before gaming.
  • Testing the newer Xbox-mode interface before it reaches wider rollout.

Common mistakes

  • Running the command in a normal Command Prompt. Use Administrator mode or the feature flag may not apply.
  • Using the wrong folder path. If Command Prompt cannot find ViveTool, the command will fail immediately.
  • Skipping the restart. The setting often does not appear until after reboot.
  • Trying this on a non-supported public build. Even a correct command cannot force every missing dependency onto a stable build.
  • Forgetting to update the Xbox app. An old app version may not expose the new entry points.

Troubleshooting

I do not see “Full screen experience” in Gaming settings.
First, verify your build number again. Then update Windows, update the Xbox app from the Microsoft Store, re-run the ViveTool command as Administrator, and restart one more time.

Win + F11 does nothing.
Open the Xbox app manually and look for the full-screen or Xbox mode entry there. Some builds surface the mode in slightly different places while the rollout is still in preview.

I want to undo the change.
Open an elevated Command Prompt in the ViveTool folder and run:
vivetool /disable /id:59765208
Then restart the PC.

The interface appears, but it feels incomplete.
That is normal for Canary and other Insider channels. Microsoft specifically warns that preview features can change, move, or disappear before broad release.

Reference links

The bottom line

If you are already using Windows 11 Insider builds, this is a genuinely useful little trick. One ViveTool command, one restart, and your PC can feel a lot more like an Xbox console when you just want to sit down and play.

Next step: After you turn it on, test it with a controller and a few games from different launchers so you can see whether Xbox mode actually improves your setup or just looks nice in screenshots.