Xbox's latest update lets you choose active hours when your console won't fully shut down

Xbox’s latest update lets you choose active hours when your console won’t fully shut down

Time Stamp: April 12, 2023 5:32 PM

Microsoft’s latest monthly Xbox update is readying to roll out to consoles, this one introducing a refreshed Xbox search “experience” alongside a new adjustable active hours power setting, letting users decide when their machine can fully shut down.

Once the new update is installed, Xbox users can head to their console’s Settings > General > Power options in order to determine what Microsoft calls their “active hours” – essentially, the times they’re most likely to be using their machines.

During active hours (which are “always active” by default, until changed), Xbox can be instructed to power down using the Sleep option, enabling it to quickly reboot when required. Conversely, the console will power down using the more energy efficient Shutdown option outside of active hours, reducing power consumption from 10-15 watts when active to 0.5 watts, based on Microsoft’s figures.

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The second new feature arriving as part of Xbox’s April update comes in the form of the aforementioned search refresh, introducing a “sleek new look” to the console’s search page. This adds the likes of gallery-style results, visible filter categories navigable with RB/LB, plus an option to “search on YouTube” within the Movies & TV tab.

There’s no exact arrival date for Xbox’s April update, but Microsoft says it’ll “start to roll out this week”, meaning it shouldn’t be too far away.

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