Xbox Series X/S Hidden Features – 10 Ways Microsoft’s Console Replaces Your PC, Streaming Setup, and More
Most people buy an Xbox to play games – and it makes sense. But if you’re only using your Series X or S for gaming, you’re missing out on about 80% of what this machine actually does.
Microsoft packed these consoles with features that nobody talks about – features that can replace half the gadgets in your entertainment center. We dug through the latest updates, tested every hidden function, and found 10 legitimate ways your Xbox can do jobs you never expected.
Developer Mode Turns Your Xbox into a $299 Emulation Powerhouse
Pay Microsoft $19 for Developer Mode access, and your Xbox becomes the best retro gaming device money can buy. Digital Foundry tested this in 2024 – and the Series S runs 79% of original Xbox games perfectly through Xemu. PlayStation 2 games as well – XBSX2 pushes them to 3x resolution at 60 FPS. God of War and Ratchet & Clank run better than they did on original hardware.
The retro gaming boom keeps expanding – and tons of these classic games now exist as casino titles. So, game developers reimagined nostalgic arcade games as slot machines and betting games, and players love it because they recognize the characters and mechanics.
This trend exploded alongside crypto gambling as well, where platforms with bitcoin casino instant withdrawal services process payouts in minutes. The numbers are insane, though – crypto gambling jumped from $50 million in 2019 to $250 million in 2024, and Bitcoin handles 73.3% of all crypto casino transactions.
Upload Studio Beats – Most Professional Editing Software
So, forget buying Adobe Premiere – Upload Studio does everything most content creators need. Record gameplay in 4K, add picture-in-picture commentary, use green screen effects without an actual green screen (Kinect removes backgrounds automatically), and edit multiple clips together.
The app has professional transitions, color correction, and audio mixing, while you can also add voiceovers, custom intros, and export directly to Twitter or YouTube. Since Microsoft added these features, user-created content increased by 350%.
HDMI Passthrough Makes Your Xbox the Ultimate Universal Remote
That HDMI-in port on the back is basically magic – all you have to do is plug in your cable box, Roku, or even a PlayStation, and control everything through your Xbox. Say “Xbox, watch ESPN,” and it switches instantly, while OneGuide learns what you watch and suggests shows across all connected devices.
The best part is that when you turn off your Xbox, it shuts down every connected device automatically. This feature handles 4K passthrough on Series X, though you’ll get some input lag for gaming (fine for streaming, though).
Xbox Design Lab’s Franchise Model Created Real Businesses
In 2019, Microsoft did something crazy. They let players design custom controllers, own the designs, and earn money from sales. Not points or credits – but the actual cash.
Designers averaged $95.24 each, with the top seller making $1,131. Controller sales exploded by 350%. McCann London won the first Cannes Lions Creative eCommerce Grand Prix for this campaign, and Microsoft proved gaming consoles could become real business platforms.
Microsoft Built Professional Learning Tools Right Into Games
Xbox’s “Beyond Xbox: Field Trips” program adds educational audio parts to Game Pass titles. So, play Minecraft while learning architecture and physics, since Microsoft Flight Simulator teaches geography and aviation, and Sea of Thieves becomes a team-building workshop.
But more than 200,000 students across 67 UK schools use these tools, and research shows kids who game score 1.88 times higher in overall school competence, while teachers love it because students actually pay attention.
Your Xbox Runs Like a Specialized Windows PC
The Series X uses the same AMD Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 GPU architecture as high-end PCs. Through Dev Mode, you access development environments for actual coding work.
Indie developers use their Xbox consoles as $500 development kits. Industry insider Jez Corden calls the next-gen Xbox “a PC in essence, but with a TV-friendly shell.” You’re basically buying a pre-built gaming PC that happens to play Xbox games.
Copilot Mode Rebuilds Accessible Gaming
Two controllers, one character – sounds pretty simple, but it changes everything. Parents help kids through tough sections without grabbing the controller. Gamers with disabilities customize controls across two devices for comfortable play. You can even connect eight controllers for local multiplayer – the system keeps perfect sync across all of them.
Since 2017, this feature has helped thousands of players who couldn’t game any other way.
Cloud Gaming Syncs Your Entire Gaming Life
Start playing on your Series X, continue on your phone at lunch, and finish on your laptop. Your saves follow you everywhere instantly – and Xbox gives you 512MB for Xbox 360 saves. Microsoft says cloud gaming engagement jumped 1,800% from 2020 to 2024. So, you literally never lose progress, and every achievement syncs across every device.
Series X Improves Old Games Better Than Remasters
FPS Boost and Auto HDR transform backwards compatible games without patches or updates. Halo 5 jumps to 4K/60FPS with HDR, while the Witcher 3 gets upscaled to 4K automatically. The console’s “audio ray tracing” makes 3D sound using the same processors that handle graphics. DirectStorage makes games load 40% faster than equivalent PC hardware – you’re getting remaster-quality improvements for free.
New Streaming Tools Eliminate Capture Cards
GameDVR constantly records your last 5 minutes of gameplay in 4K – and that insane sniper shot you just hit a second before is already saved. Edit in Upload Studio, add commentary, apply filters, share to social media – all without leaving your couch. Mixer integration lets viewers control your game remotely when you’re stuck.
