Microsoft Is Renaming Xbox Mode to XBOX Mode in Windows 11

Microsoft is preparing to rename “Xbox mode” in Windows 11 to “XBOX mode,” according to a change spotted in the latest Windows Insider build.

The feature only recently arrived in Windows 11 with the May 2026 Security Update, but Microsoft already appears to be adjusting its branding. Instead of “Xbox mode,” the feature now shows up as “XBOX mode,” matching the company’s broader shift toward all-caps XBOX branding.

XBOX Mode Gets a Branding Update

The change was spotted by X user @phantomofearth in Windows 11 Experimental Build 26300.8758.

Microsoft did not mention the rename in the official release notes for the build, so the change appears to be a quiet branding update rather than a major feature change. For now, there is no indication that XBOX mode works differently from Xbox mode.

The most visible difference is the name itself.

Microsoft Pushes All-Caps XBOX Branding

The rename fits with Microsoft’s recent move toward using “XBOX” more consistently across its products and public-facing channels.

Microsoft has already started using the all-caps XBOX name across parts of its website, social media handles, and Microsoft Store branding. Renaming the Windows 11 feature to “XBOX mode” brings the operating system closer to that updated identity.

It also suggests Microsoft wants a more unified gaming brand across Windows, console, cloud, and store experiences.

XBOX News Continues Beyond Windows 11

The rename comes as Microsoft’s gaming business faces a busy news cycle.

In other XBOX-related developments, reports suggest Microsoft may be pausing some third-party game deals while preparing broader internal changes, including possible studio shutdowns. At the same time, more than 50 titles are reportedly joining the platform in June, giving players a large batch of new games to watch.

For now, the Windows 11 change remains small but noticeable. Microsoft appears to be standardizing the XBOX name across more parts of its ecosystem, and Windows 11 is now part of that shift.

Via Windows Central