Xbox Ally X just got a big Xbox app upgrade with a new display widget and smarter controls

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Xbox continues refining the Ally X experience with a new app update, adding a display widget, improved controls, and small but meaningful quality-of-life improvements across the board.

Xbox Game Bar and Xbox app updates
Display Settings options within Xbox Game Bar (Image credit: Windows Central)

The Xbox Ally X still has a long way to go, at least based on my experience with the device (see our full review of the Xbox Ally X for another take).

That said, Xbox is clearly trying to smooth out the experience, and its latest update tackles a few long-standing issues with some much-needed quality-of-life changes. With that said, let’s take a quick look at what’s being added.

Here’s what the Xbox app update actually changes

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Xbox Game Bar and Xbox app updates
What's new panel in Xbox Game bar(Image credit: Windows Central)

Users who update the Xbox app for Windows can expect a handful of genuinely useful features.

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First, users can now customize where notifications appear, giving more control over how alerts show up on screen. These settings can be found within the Xbox Game Bar.

Next, users can directly adjust graphics settings without leaving their game, which is a much-needed quality-of-life improvement.

The new Display Widget, available through the Xbox Game Bar overlay, allows users to change display resolution, switch projection modes, and access Auto Super Resolution, which is set to release in April 2026.

That is all for now. With Auto Super Resolution right around the corner, I would expect more updates to arrive soon, and if you want early access to these features, Xbox now advertises sign-ups through a “What’s New” panel within the Xbox Game bar.

Having heard about these updates thanks to RogAllyLife, who also covered it, I decided to boot up my Xbox Ally X and install them myself to grab some photos for this article, but when I went to the Microsoft Store, I was hit with a “Something went wrong” error while trying to update my apps, and was also reminded that everything from Notepad to Windows Media Player needed updating, leaving me sat here for half an hour waiting while everything installs, unable to actually access the latest updates.

Regardless of my never-ending list of complaints for the device, I do actually enjoy using it daily, but over to you, have you found these updates useful? Let me know in the comments, and make sure to take part in our poll below:

ROG Xbox Ally
Base handheld 🕹️
Save 10% ($60)
ROG Xbox Ally: was $599.99 now $539.99 at Best Buy

The ROG Xbox Ally features a 7-inch 1080p, 120Hz touchscreen and includes an AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor, 16GB LPDDR5 RAM, 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD, and a 60Wh battery. It's designed for PC gaming across various services.

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ROG Xbox Ally X
Premium handheld 🎮
ROG Xbox Ally X: $999.99 at Best Buy

The premium Xbox Ally X has a more powerful AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD. It's a better choice for people who want to play more graphically demanding PC games.

View Deal

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Adam Hales
Adam Hales
Contributor

Adam is a Psychology Master’s graduate passionate about gaming, community building, and digital engagement. A lifelong Xbox fan since 2001, he started with Halo: Combat Evolved and remains an avid achievement hunter. Over the years, he has engaged with several Discord communities, helping them get established and grow. Gaming has always been more than a hobby for Adam—it’s where he’s met many friends, taken on new challenges, and connected with communities that share his passion.

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