Xbox Series X & Series S get shorter boot time in latest update

What you need to know

• Microsoft has trimmed the start-up animation for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles in a new update in testing via the Xbox Insider program.
• The shortened boot screen shaves 5 seconds from its existing counterpart, displayed when using the "Energy Saving" mode, or cold booting your Xbox.

Microsoft plans to shorten the time spent waiting for your Xbox console to boot, with testing underway on a new start-up animation, shaving seconds across Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles. The forthcoming update, recently shipped to members of its Xbox Insider testing program, reduces the overall wait time by around 5 seconds, thanks to a revised boot animation.

Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S launched with a new start-up animation in 2020, fading in the new Xbox logo against a soft soundscape. The 9-second clip has been cut to 4 seconds in new pre-release builds, reducing the overall start-up time to 15 seconds (via The Verge). Josh Munsee, director of Xbox integrated marketing, confirmed the change on Twitter. The improvement first shipped to Alpha and Alpha Skip Ahead testers last week, following the arrival of Discord voice chat on consoles.

The streamlined animation only applies to a “cold boot” of the console, meaning those using its “Instant on” feature won’t see any changes. The benefit instead applies to those using the “Energy Saver” mode, where the console turns off upon pressing the power button, or times when the console is unplugged entirely.

The slight change makes Microsoft’s energy-conscious mode a little more compelling, reducing energy usage amid rising costs in many regions, and helping do a small part for the planet. Most modern gaming consoles have eco-friendly modes available, with the potential to save considerable power over time.