Microsoft is giving XBOX Insiders more control over how their consoles look and work. The latest preview introduces automatically rotating Home backgrounds, new library options for games with disc-based digital licenses, and the ability to move the Guide to the right side of the screen.
According to the November 12 XBOX Wire announcement, the features are available first to Alpha Skip-Ahead members. Microsoft plans to expand access to more XBOX Insiders and players over time, but it hasn’t announced a wider release date.
The update builds on earlier XBOX Home customization changes, which gave players more room to show off backgrounds and game art. This time, the focus is on keeping those backgrounds fresh and letting players adjust more of the interface to their preferences.
XBOX Home can finally shuffle your favorite backgrounds
If you like dynamic backgrounds but rarely bother changing them, this is probably the most useful addition.
XBOX Insiders can now save favorite dynamic backgrounds and have their consoles rotate through them automatically. Instead of choosing one background and leaving it there indefinitely, you can build a collection and let Home switch things up for you.
To save a favorite:
- Open Settings.
- Go to General > Personalization > My background.
- Select Dynamic backgrounds, then open the Dynamic backgrounds collection.
- Highlight a background and press X.
- Find saved backgrounds in the new Favorites category.
Microsoft is also adding a Shuffle option at the beginning of each background category. You can shuffle your favorites or use an entire category.
The available rotation settings let you change backgrounds:
- Each time you sign in.
- Hourly.
- Daily.
- Weekly.
There’s also a useful perk for owners of controllers with exclusive backgrounds, including the XBOX Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition. Save that background as a favorite, and Microsoft says you can keep using it even when the controller isn’t connected.
The feature should make better use of the growing background collection. Previous updates have added designs inspired by games such as Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred, Kiln, and Overwatch, as covered in our April XBOX update breakdown.
Disc-based digital licenses get their own library category
Microsoft is also changing how your library displays games associated with digital licenses claimed from discs.
According to the announcement, players have been able to claim digital licenses for their disc-based games since August. The new preview adds display controls for players who have already claimed those licenses—it isn’t an announcement that every physical XBOX game now qualifies.
Eligible Insiders will see those games in a separate category within their full library. If you would rather keep them alongside your other owned games, you can switch back.
You’ll find that setting under:
Settings > General > Personalization > Games & apps
The same page also lets you hide the digital license icon on game tiles.
That gives players two separate choices: where those games appear and whether their tiles display the license badge. If you prefer a cleaner library, you can remove the visual distinction without changing how the games are grouped—or change both.
These are library organization settings. They shouldn’t be read as changes to a game’s license eligibility or ownership conditions.
You can move the XBOX Guide to the right
The Guide has another customization option: you can choose which side of the screen it opens on.
Insiders can keep it on the left or move it to the right by visiting:
Settings > General > Personalization > Guide
It’s a straightforward change, but one that gives players more control over an interface they use regularly to navigate their consoles.
Microsoft has been steadily expanding these kinds of controls. Earlier preview updates introduced additional Home groups, custom console colors, and per-game Quick Resume settings, as detailed in our previous XBOX Insider update coverage.
Who can try these features right now?
Alpha Skip-Ahead members get access first. Microsoft says the features will reach more Insiders and players over time.
Joining the XBOX Insider Program doesn’t automatically give you access to this particular rollout. Microsoft’s XBOX Insider Program FAQ explains that previews have individual eligibility requirements, and only previews you qualify for appear in the XBOX Insider Hub.
If you’re interested in participating, you can install:
Microsoft requires participants to be at least 18 years old. The program lets members test work-in-progress features, complete surveys, and report problems to help shape future updates.
How to report problems or suggest improvements
Microsoft is asking Insiders to try the changes and explain what works—and what still needs attention.
You can share suggestions through XBOX Player Voice, visit the XBOX Insider subreddit for community support, or follow Microsoft’s instructions for reporting a problem as an XBOX Insider.
For subreddit support, Microsoft recommends adding to an existing discussion about the same issue before opening a new thread. That helps keep related feedback together.
None of these additions completely redesigns the dashboard, and that’s part of their appeal. Rotating backgrounds removes a small bit of upkeep, library controls give players a cleaner way to organize their games, and the movable Guide offers a choice where there previously wasn’t one. For now, though, they remain preview features—not settings every XBOX owner will see today.
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