What you need to know
- After weeks of testing in the Xbox preview program, the Xbox One May 2019 update is rolling out to everyone.
- The update brings some key changes to messaging and your friends list.
- You'll now be able to see where your friends are playing games, prioritize messages from friends, and better sort your games and apps.
The Xbox One May 2019 update has been in testing for quite some time, but it's rolling out to everyone starting today. While it isn't a massive update in the grand scheme of things, it does bring some handy changes to your friends list, messaging, and tweaks to how your apps and games are sorted.
On your friends list, you'll now be able to see not only what your friends are playing, but where they're playing them. If you have several friends playing Minecraft for example, your friends list will now show if they're gaming from their Xbox One, Windows 10 PC, or on mobile. Each option will be indicated by an icon next to the game.
Message requests are also "getting smarter," Microsoft says. Going forward, requests will prioritize messages from your friends and "anyone you want to communicate with" while relegating everyone else to a secondary message requests tab.
Finally, apps and games that begin with articles like "a," "an," and "the" will no longer be sorted by those articles. Instead, they'll be sorted alphabetically by the following word in the title. "The Witcher," for example, can now be found in the "W" section, rather than "T."
You should be able to grab the update on your Xbox One console starting today to check out all of the new features.
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Excellent and affordable Xbox accessories
Up your Xbox experience with one (or all) of these budget accessories, all of which are approved by the gamers of Windows Central.
PowerA Play & Charge Kit for Xbox One ($15 at Amazon)
This charging kit keeps your Xbox One wireless controllers juiced up, and it offers batteries for two controllers. At just $15, this is hands-down our favorite budget charging companion.
ElecGear 4 Port USB Xbox One S Hub ($19 at Amazon)
This brilliant little USB splitter hub attaches perfectly to the side of your Xbox One S console. It's ideal for use with chargers, controllers, headsets, and more.
Controller Gear stand ($13 at Amazon)
Proudly display your Xbox gamepads with this stylish and functional stand. The licensed design is minimalist and black, and it has a hidden storage compartment, making the price of $13 a real steal.
