Xbox April Update releases with new "suspend game" feature, Xbox Game Pass collections, and Xbox mobile app updates

Xbox April Update 2021 Image
Xbox April Update 2021 Image (Image credit: Xbox)

What you need to know

  • The Xbox team releases regular updates to Xbox consoles and the Xbox mobile app with improvements and new features.
  • The Xbox April Update is now rolling out for Xbox consoles, alongside some plans from upcoming Xbox app updates.
  • Xbox consoles will get a new "suspend game" feature for speeding up downloads and more collections in Xbox Game Pass.
  • The Xbox app will get Achievement leaderboards and game Achievements through game detail pages.

Today, owners of Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One consoles will be able to install the new Xbox April Update, which includes a handful of new features for players to take advantage of. The Xbox mobile app will also get some big improvements in the next month that players have been asking for since the app's redesign. While perhaps not quite as exciting as last month's Xbox March Update, there are still some great additions to look forward to.

Xbox April Update 2021 Image (Image credit: Xbox)

Xbox April Update 2021 Image (Image credit: Xbox)

Source: Xbox

The highlights of the Xbox April Update include:

  • A new "suspend game" feature. When downloading new games or updates, it's imperative to have the fastest download speeds possible. However, as highlighted in our quintessential Xbox networking guide, having open games can massively slow download speeds. With the Xbox April Update, Xbox Series X|S owners will now have an option to suspend a game on the downloads page and then jump right back in using Quick Resume.
  • New Xbox Game Pass collections. Xbox Game Pass is a powerful service, but access to hundreds of high-quality games can make looking for a new title difficult. Discovery is improving in the Xbox April Update, with new collections in Xbox Game Pass to help you find the game you're looking for. This includes games that your friends are playing, games based on what you've recently played, multiplayer games, and more. Of course, you can also take a look at our list of best Xbox Game Pass games for ideas.
  • Xbox mobile app updates. The Xbox mobile app was recently redesigned in full, with significant improvements in many aspects. However, some features were lost, and the Xbox team is restoring the most sought-after of those features in updates later this month. The Xbox mobile app has already been testing Achievements on the game details screen. Now, some testers already have access to in-app Achievements leaderboards to track Achievements progress against friends. Both of these features should roll out in full in the near future, pending any necessary changes.

Experience the greatest on Xbox by playing some of the best Xbox games around, which continue to get better over time with regular Xbox software updates.

Zachary Boddy
Staff Writer

Zachary Boddy (They / Them) is a Staff Writer for Windows Central, primarily focused on covering the latest news in tech and gaming, the best Xbox and PC games, and the most interesting Windows and Xbox hardware. They have been gaming and writing for most of their life starting with the original Xbox, and started out as a freelancer for Windows Central and its sister sites in 2019. Now a full-fledged Staff Writer, Zachary has expanded from only writing about all things Minecraft to covering practically everything on which Windows Central is an expert, especially when it comes to Microsoft. You can find Zachary on Twitter @BoddyZachary.