Windows 10 Xbox Beta App Gets New Social Features

Just in time for the weekend, Microsoft is rolling out some new social features for users of the Xbox beta app on Windows 10.

For starters, finding friends to play with should now be easier than ever thanks to a new Facebook friend finder. Head to the Suggested Friends area of the Windows 10 Xbox beta app, or the Settings menu, and you'll see a new Facebook icon, which will help you find friends on the social network who you can add on Xbox Live.

"As your friends link their Facebook accounts to their Xbox Live accounts, you'll see increasing numbers of Facebook friend suggestions, so be sure to spread the word!" Xbox Program Management Director Mike Ybarra wrote in a blog post.

Besides that, those in the Windows Insider Program and Xbox beta app participants can now plug in a headset and narrate their Windows 10 game clips with their voice. To turn a microphone recording on or off for a gaming sesh, press Win + Alt + M. You can also enable microphone recordings for all gaming sessions via Game bar > Settings > Audio or Xbox beta app > Settings > Game DVR > Audio.

Meanwhile, "also lighting up in the Xbox beta app today are improvements in the way that gamers can find games and redeem codes," Ybarra wrote. "Our goal with these changes is to enable quicker and more relevant access to content."

For instance, the Store link in the app will now bring you to the Xbox Store, where you can search for both Windows 10 and Xbox One games, browse the most popular titles, and see discounted games. In the Xbox One section, there's a new persistent search box that should save you some clicks between searches.

These features are arriving in the app today. For more on the app, check out the video below.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes.

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app.

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth.

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light.

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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