After years of limited gaming support on Windows 11 ARM devices, Microsoft has officially expanded the Xbox app to be fully available on all ARM-based Windows 11 PCs. This means laptops and tablets with ARM chips can now immerse themselves in much of the Xbox PC experience, with native support for hundreds of titles from the Xbox PC app catalog.
The announcement comes as part of Microsoft’s January 2026 Xbox Update, which also includes several other improvements such as: B. a synchronization display for save games and more comprehensive cloud support. But the most important change for ARM users is straightforward: you can now download, play and manage Xbox games directly from the Xbox app on ARM-based Windows 11 devices, just like on traditional x86 PCs.
What this means for ARM Gaming
Microsoft says more than 85% of the Xbox Game Pass catalog is already compatible with these ARM devices, meaning a large portion of games can run locally without any workarounds. Additionally, titles not yet supported for native play can still be accessed via Xbox Cloud Gaming. This offers users another way to enjoy their favorite games as compatibility continues to increase.
A key part of this expansion is Prism, Microsoft’s emulator that allows traditional x86 and x64 games to run on ARM hardware. Recent updates to Prism have added support for modern instruction sets such as AVX and AVX2, which are used by many new games, significantly improving compatibility on ARM devices. Additionally, Microsoft also mentions support for anti-cheat systems such as Epic’s Easy Anti-Cheat. This means that multiplayer titles like Fortnite and Gears of War: Reloaded will be playable on ARM hardware as intended.
For gamers and developers alike, this update removes a key barrier that has previously prevented ARM devices, often prized for their battery life and sleek designs, from seriously competing as gaming devices. Whether you’re using a Snapdragon laptop, an upcoming NVIDIA ARM-based laptop, or a pocket-sized handheld running Windows 11, the introduction of the Xbox app means these platforms can now tap into the same PC Game Pass library that many gamers already enjoy
