Here are the major features coming to Xbox One with today's update

The Windows 10 Creators Update is rolling out to Xbox One owners today. The Creators Update implements a host of changes on the console which focus on speed and adding features. Microsoft hasn’t put out an update on this scale for months so it’s great to see significant new additions.

Speed

The most notable change has to be the behind-the-scenes optimization which makes the interface lightning fast. Speed has to be the biggest complaint Xbox One owners expressed to Microsoft in the past and it’s encouraging that the company finally address it. While they have made strides over the years, the Creators Update feels like a massive leap in the right direction.

Intuitive Layouts

The speed is in part due to the new home screen layout which is faster and showcases valuable content. You have faster access to important pages like Achievements and Groups. The new Guide includes a new home page based on common tasks. This allows gamers to access frequently-visited settings quickly and eliminates hopping around from menu to menu. That’s not all though. The update also includes some accessibility upgrades and Beam streaming.

Beam Streaming

A few months ago Microsoft acquired Beam as a way to compete against Twitch. Game streaming and showcasing content through live shows seems to the way gaming is going. Right now the lag between the stream and the host playing a particular title is significant. Beam almost eliminates that so the host can provide and receive real-time feedback. Beam streaming has been available to Xbox Insiders for weeks but it’s finally available to everyone now.

Accessibility

Beforehand, tracking achievements and initiating other tasks was quite cumbersome on Xbox One. The Creators Update fixes that by providing an overlay for the former and easier ways to complete certain tasks. For example, it’s now also faster to record video clips—up to 10 minutes—because you just have to go to the Guide. Cortana can also set reminders and alarms for gaming sessions. Despite all of these changes, the Copilot feature has to be the most important for disabled gamers. Copilot allows two controllers to act as one. This is helpful for players who can’t use every button themselves. Microsoft have factored in other forms of disability as well and have made changes to Audio Output, Magnifier, Narrator and Rumble.

These are the main features coming to Xbox One with the Creators Update. Additionally, while the Blu-ray player on Xbox One now supports bitstream passthrough, all bitstream formats like Dolby Atmos will be enabled next week. Xbox’s Mike Ybarra discussed these changes in an Xbox Wire post and promised even more in the future. Hopefully Microsoft will continue this trend of meaningful updates and make Xbox One into a polished console which has been rough around the edges for years.