Xbox Ending Support for Console Companion App

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Microsoft is officially ending support for the Xbox Console Companion app soon, and the newer Xbox app will be its direct replacement going forward. The Xbox Console Companion app originally launched in October 2014, allowing Xbox gamers to access several features from their Xbox One consoles on PC.

After Xbox One SmartGlass was discounted by Microsoft in 2016, the Xbox app became the primary option for connectivity between Xbox One and Windows PCs. This app would allow 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 later rebranded to the Xbox Console Companion app as Microsoft began to prepare an all-new Xbox app featuring PC Game Pass integration. Xbox Console Companion app prompts users to download the updated Xbox app in order to gain access to additional features, and Microsoft appears to be preparing for the companion app's permanent shutdown.

The official Xbox Support page for the Xbox Console Companion app has been updated, revealing that the app will be depreciated 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 encourages 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. Moreover, 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.

The lack of a public announcement regarding the Xbox Console Companion app's end of service date may be upsetting to fans who have supported Microsoft and the app for nearly eight years. Users only have a month of access left for the Xbox Console Companion app, and frustration regarding the app's shutdown could be avoided if the notice was sent out earlier in the year. Fortunately, the app's shutdown will not affect Xbox Game Pass subscriptions and recent Xbox Series X|S features since the Xbox Console Companion app was focused on connectivity with Xbox One consoles.

Although Xbox app is missing features from the Xbox Console Companion app, Microsoft will likely 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.