Microsoft to Discontinue Xbox Console Companion App

Microsoft has officially announced that it will soon discontinue support for the Xbox Console Companion app.

The newer Xbox app will serve as its direct successor, marking a significant transition for Xbox gamers who have been using the companion app to access various features from their Xbox One consoles on PC.

The End of an Era

The Xbox Console Companion app, which was launched in October 2014, became the primary option for connectivity between Xbox One and Windows PCs after the discontinuation of the Xbox One SmartGlass in 2016.

The app allowed Xbox Live users to browse and purchase Xbox One games, view achievements and game captures, and access Xbox Live community content. In 2019, the app was rebranded to the Xbox Console Companion app as Microsoft began to prepare an all-new Xbox app featuring PC Game Pass integration.

Transition to the New Xbox App

The official Xbox Support page for the Xbox Console Companion app has been updated, revealing that the app will be deprecated on August 28. This means that the Xbox Console Companion app will no longer be available for download, and official support for the app will cease completely. Users who access the Xbox Console Companion app after August 28 will likely be unable to sign in since servers for the app will be shut down.

Microsoft is encouraging fans who enjoyed the companion app’s features to download the new Xbox app to continue engaging with services and communities from Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S through Windows. The Xbox Console Companion website now redirects to the Xbox app website, which allows users to download the newer app for mobile and Windows.

The Xbox app is included with installations of Windows 11, so users who transition from Windows 10 will have immediate access to the app without needing to download it from the Microsoft Store.

Looking Forward

While the Xbox app is currently missing some features from the Xbox Console Companion app, Microsoft is likely to introduce various updates over time to improve the overall user experience.

Some of the Xbox community’s most requested features for the new Xbox app include direct downloads for game captures and the ability to connect multiple Xbox controllers at once.

The current Xbox app allows gamers to access the latest PC Game Pass titles, so Microsoft may want to continue improving the app to entice more new subscribers to join the platform.