In late 2022, Microsoft began working on a new power saving mode for Xbox consoles, allowing for “carbon aware” game downloads and updates. The new power saving mode has been tested in the Xbox Insider program for a while and today, it is rolling out to all users.

This month's Xbox OS update brings a new energy mode, allowing users to enable scheduled game, app and OS updates during a nightly maintenance window. Microsoft uses regional carbon intensity data to schedule these updates, meaning while updating during this window, a higher proportion of electricity will be coming from lower-carbon sources on the electrical grid. In the long run, this should lower the carbon footprint and possibly your electricity bill.

The announcement goes on to say: “You can choose what works best for you and adjust your settings at any time. Shutdown (energy saving) cuts power use by up to 20x when it’s off compared to the Sleep power option. For every two consoles that switch to Shutdown (energy saving) for one year, we will save the equivalent amount of carbon removed by one tree planted and grown for a decade.”

There are a few other additions in this update. For starters, Microsoft there's new Part and Chat features, allowing you to see a list of previous parties and quickly rejoin and reinvite people. The Xbox now works with the Google Home app, allowing you to use your phone as a remote. Finally, you can also now hide game art when selecting tiles on the Home screen.

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KitGuru Says: This seems like a good middle-ground option between the standard sleep mode and a full shutdown.

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