The Xbox November 2023 update begins rolling out to all users on Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S very soon, and we've got new features coming to the PC version of the Xbox app as well. The highlight of these is arguably a new "Compact Mode" targeting handheld devices like the ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go.
Here's a short overview of the Xbox November 2023 update, with more details available at Xbox Wire:
Xbox Consoles
Japanese language support for keyboards
"You can now select specific keyboard layouts for Japanese keyboards for your console. For example, you can choose between the 106/109 keyboard layout for Japanese or the 101/102 English keyboard layout."
Wishlist notifications for Xbox Free Play Days
"With this update, if a game is on your wish list and is part of Xbox Free Play Days, you’ll get a notification on your console that the game is free to play for a limited time."
New phone authentication for redeeming rewards
"Now you can use phone authentication to redeem your rewards from your console. To redeem Rewards directly from your console, visit your profile and look for the My Rewards tab. Open the guide and go to Profile & system > your profile > My Rewards and click on “Get rewards.” You’ll be able to confirm your rewards after you authenticate with your phone."
Controller firmware update
"Keeping your controller updated with the latest firmware maximizes your controller’s capabilities and compatibility. We’re rolling out a firmware update that includes bug fixes to enable Shift mode for keyboard mapping on Elite Series 2 and Xbox Adaptive Controllers through the Xbox Accessories app. It also includes a fix for some users whose controller fails to take a previous firmware update."
Windows PC
New Compact Mode UI for ASUS Rog Ally and other devices
"Compact mode is a new feature that enhances your gaming experience by providing a more intuitive user interface on smaller screens. With Compact mode, the side bar collapses into icons, providing you with more space to browse content. To use this feature, click on your profile in the top-left corner of the app and turn the toggle for “Compact mode” on."
Notification and banner improvements
"With new games and benefits coming to Game Pass all the time, we’re making it easier to keep up with what’s new by giving you the option to show only unread notifications in the notification dropdown on the Xbox app on PC."
Additional improvements
"We’ve heard that you want a more streamlined experience when diagnosing and troubleshooting, so we’ve added the new Gaming Services Repair Tool, a dedicated tool to fix any issues with Gaming Services or missing content when launching the Xbox app on PC. To use this feature, click on your profile in the top-left corner of the app and select “Support."