Welcome to your new ROG Xbox Ally: Basic tips for getting started - Xbox Wire

Looking to get a new ROG Xbox Ally or ROG Xbox Ally

It's the holiday season and you're probably thinking about gifting (or receiving) a ROG Xbox Ally or a ROG Xbox Ally

Welcome to your new ROG Xbox Companion or ROG Xbox Companion X!Whether you're a veteran console user or just getting started, you've joined a growing and vibrant community of gamers who appreciate the flexibility of Windows and the power and ease of using Xbox in the palm of your hand.Gives a great personal change to the gaming experience.To help you hit the ground running, we've pulled together some tips to get the most out of your new Xbox companion.

If you're new to setting up your device, check out the Xbox Support Information Guide for step-by-step instructions.Note.Don't miss the fingerprint scanner setup option;Unlocking Xbox Ally with one touch is fast and intuitive.Once setup is complete, you'll be instantly booted into the immersive full-screen Xbox experience, a custom-built gaming experience.

Are you ready to go?Here are some helpful tips.

Go to your Xbox Ally

Master the menu: Xbox Ally offers more ways to find what you're looking for – you can select the d-pad, joystick, shoulder and face buttons, or tap directly on the touchscreen.For example, to get to the all-important Game Bar settings menu, you can hold down the Xbox button and tap the right bumper, or swipe from the left edge of the screen to the middle.Switch between apps?Press and hold the Xbox button or swipe up from the bottom to access the task switcher and switch between apps and games seamlessly.

Explore the Command Center: ASUS Command Center is now integrated into the Game Bar, giving you instant access to a number of advanced features to personalize your experience, both in-game and out-of-game.

For an additional set of advanced settings and customization options, you can launch the full Armory Crate SE from this download.

Meet Gaming Copilot (Beta) - Your Personal Companion: You can access Gaming Copilot on Xbox Ally, where it offers tips, advice and insights when you need them.To get started, press and hold the Command Center button to open the Gaming Copilot widget in the Game Bar and complete the onboarding experience.After that, if you want to check your next achievement or get advice for a difficult boss fight without leaving the game, long press the library button and release to start your conversation with the gaming copilot.

Play what you want

Browse your game library: It's time to find some things to play!To find games you already own and titles you can play with Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming, go to Library by pressing the dedicated Library button above the right thumb drive.Note: You can select more than one category at a time;Marking Owned and Installed lets you shop your own shelf for games to play on your partner's Xbox.Looking for something new?A shop can also be found on the left rail.

Access your games from leading PC storefronts: With the unified games library, you can easily add your titles from leading PC storefronts to your library to see all your games in one place.All you need to do is go to the My Apps tab in your library and select the PC storefront you want to install.

If you don't see the launcher you want, open Edge (with My Apps), go to the store website, and download it.

Play anywhere, including offline: The freedom of a laptop means you can definitely play in places without Wi-Fi.While many titles work well online, most single player games work best offline.Before you travel, test your games offline, pre-download any updates or DLC, and make sure you're signed in. For detailed offline setup, see our guide: Play games offline on Windows |Xbox support.And if you're flying, don't forget to switch to airplane mode to save battery and avoid interruptions.

Customize your setting

Play your way with accessibility: With Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, the Xbox and gamepad experience is optimized for handheld use and includes familiar capabilities from Xbox consoles and Windows 11 PCs.Most visual, cognitive, and touch capabilities can be found by selecting the Profile and settings icon at the top left of the screen, selecting Settings, then Accessibility.Accessibility settings, including on-screen keyboards, input devices, and the ability to remap Xbox Ally buttons are available in Armory Crate SE.

Connect external controllers: Connect wireless Xbox controllers to Xbox Ally just like you would a PC.Turn on the controller, hold down the Pair button and look for the connection notification.Do you remember that?Open the game bar, go to Settings > Bluetooth > Manage devices, select Add device > Bluetooth, and follow the instructions.

And don't miss out on the smart details: Under the lid of your Xbox Ally box, you'll find a lightweight, durable cardboard stand — perfect for holding your Xbox Ally while charging or playing with an external controller without blocking the screen.This pair comes with the following features:

Big screen docking: Xbox Ally is your perfect gaming companion when you're on the go, and when you're at home, it provides even more gaming options.It's easy to connect an external monitor or TV for a bigger, more immersive experience.Simply connect your Xbox Ally directly to a monitor or TV or to a docking station via the USB-C port.For optimal performance, it's best to use the "Second Screen Only" option to match your TV's resolution and refresh rate.

Customizing the Joystick Ring Lights: Xbox Ally's colorful lights surrounding the thumbsticks are one of its defining visual flourishes, but sometimes you might want to dim them for red-eye flights or if you're playing in a dark room.To adjust them, open Armory Crate SE and select the lights to change their pulsation, or turn them off completely.

Stay up to date: The starting point is the Xbox Ally you got out of the box.Last month, we shared updates to the ROG Xbox Ally handheld experience, including Default Game Profile (Preview) that automatically balances frame rate (FPS) and power consumption for 40 supported games, Game Save Sync Indicator, which lets you know in real-time that your progress has been uploaded to the cloud, as well as other improvements to deliver a faster experience.For Xbox and ASUS will continue to add new features and functionality to enhance your experience, which we will share over time.To make sure you always get the latest updates, there are two places you'll want to check from time to time

Update Windows OS:

- Open Game bar > Settings widget > More settings > Open Windows settings > Windows Update

- Install all updates and restart your device when prompted.

Armory Crate SE Update:

- Open the Command Center

- Select "Open Armory Crate SE"

- Select Update Center > Check for updates > Update all

We're excited to see where the new Xbox Ally or Xbox Ally X takes you.Whether you're enjoying a handheld game on the couch or getting high scores on the go, these tips will help you get the most out of each session.