Microsoft has begun rolling out a new “My apps” tab to Xbox Insiders in the Windows 11 Xbox app, a feature that lets PC gamers browse, install, and launch third-party applications—including rival game stores like Battle.net and GOG Galaxy, and utilities like Google Chrome—directly from within the Xbox interface. The move is a deliberate push to make the Xbox app the central hub for all PC gaming, with a particular focus on handheld Windows devices where switching to the desktop is a cramped and cumbersome affair.

A Home for All PC Games

Microsoft’s ambition to turn the Xbox app into a universal PC gaming launcher has been gathering momentum. Over the past year, the company introduced an aggregated library that surfaces titles from Steam, Battle.net, Ubisoft Connect, and other storefronts alongside Xbox and Game Pass games. The My apps tab is the next logical step: it aggregates the apps and launchers themselves, reducing the need to ever leave the Xbox full-screen experience.

Devin Dhaliwal, product manager for Xbox experiences, explained the thinking: “My apps is a new tab within the Xbox PC app’s library that allows players to locate, view, and download third-party applications and most commonly used storefronts.” He added that consolidating these apps in one place “makes it more straightforward to find, download, and launch games from multiple locations.”

What Early Testers Are Seeing

The preview, available to Xbox Insiders in the PC Gaming Preview ring, currently shows a limited but telling list of apps: Battle.net, Google Chrome, and GOG Galaxy. If an app is already installed, the Xbox UI simply launches it. For apps not present, the Xbox app attempts to download and install them from within its own interface. Early impressions are mixed: while launching installed apps works smoothly, the installation flow is clearly a work in progress. Tom Warren of The Verge reported that his attempt to install GOG Galaxy through the new tab ended in failure, underscoring the beta nature of the feature. Microsoft acknowledges this is an early test with a “tailored selection of apps” and plans to expand support over time.

Handheld Windows: The Real Target

The My apps tab is explicitly designed for handheld gaming PCs like the Asus ROG Ally (branded the ROG Xbox Ally in Microsoft’s messaging). On a 7-inch screen, switching from controller‑friendly full‑screen Xbox mode to a small desktop to double‑click a store icon or browser is an exercise in frustration. By surfacing these apps within the Xbox UI, Microsoft hopes to eliminate that friction. The company’s broader handheld initiative includes a Handheld Compatibility Program, which assigns “Handheld Optimized” badges and a Windows Performance Fit indicator to games, helping users know what will run well on their device. There’s also work to optimize the Xbox full‑screen experience itself, reducing background activity and deferring non‑essential tasks to improve gaming performance.

A Strategy Built on Policy and Partnerships

The My apps rollout doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s underpinned by significant policy shifts at Microsoft. In 2022, the company updated its Microsoft Store policies to explicitly permit standalone storefronts on PC, and it publicly committed to open app store principles. That regulatory groundwork allows the Xbox app to confidently surface and even install rival stores without immediate legal friction. It also aligns with Microsoft’s developer outreach: the aggregated library already brings cross‑store game visibility, and now My apps takes the next step by making the storefronts themselves discoverable.

The Upside: What Gamers Gain Immediately

For anyone who juggles multiple launchers on a gaming PC—and especially on a handheld—the benefits are tangible:
- Centralized access: Instead of hunting through the Start menu or desktop, all key gaming apps appear in one tab.
- Handheld ergonomics: Controller navigation through a full‑screen Xbox UI beats pecking at a tiny touchscreen or attaching a mouse.
- Faster setup (in theory): The Xbox app can initiate installs without leaving its environment, shortening the path from out‑of‑box to playing.
- Cross‑store visibility: Smaller stores like GOG Galaxy gain exposure in a hub frequented by millions of Xbox users, which could boost discovery for both storefronts and their games.
- Informed handheld purchases: If a game carries the Handheld Optimized badge, buyers on handhelds get a clearer expectation of performance before they click install.

The Elephant in the Room: Unanswered Technical Questions

Despite the clear user‑facing promise, the preview leaves several critical technical details opaque. These gaps could determine whether My apps becomes a trusted utility or a vector for frustration and security concerns.

  • Where do the installers come from? The Xbox app could proxy downloads from publisher servers, redirect to vendor installers, or rely on Microsoft Store packages where available. Each path has different implications for trust, update logic, and whether the installer has passed any Microsoft security vetting. Public documentation is silent on this.
  • Update management: If the Xbox app installs Battle.net, will it also handle future updates, or will Battle.net’s own updater take over? Duplicate update channels could confuse users and lead to version mismatches.
  • Security and elevation: Many installers require admin rights and trigger UAC prompts. How those prompts appear inside the controller‑driven full‑screen Xbox experience—and whether the app validates installer signatures—is not yet explained. A failed or invisible UAC prompt could leave an install hanging indefinitely.
  • Certification criteria: Microsoft’s Store policies allow third‑party storefronts, but the My apps tab introduces a curated list. What standards does an app have to meet to be included? Are content safety checks applied? This matters for both trust and fair competition.
  • Telemetry footprint: Surfacing third‑party apps inevitably generates data about user behavior. Microsoft has not disclosed what information is collected when users view, download, or launch apps from My apps. In an era of heightened privacy awareness, transparency is essential.

Risks, Edge Cases, and Real‑World Wrinkles

Beyond the unknowns, the early test surfaces practical hazards.
- Broken installs leave digital debris. The failed GOG Galaxy install could orphan registry keys or partial files that clog a system—especially problematic on storage‑constrained handhelds.
- Conflicting background services. Desktop launchers often assume persistent background processes, which can clash with a handheld’s power‑saving and performance optimization routines.
- Platform assumptions break. Installers designed for desktop resolution and mouse input may not render correctly inside the Xbox overlay, causing silent failures or unreadable dialog boxes.
- Competitive optics. Which stores make the list and how prominently they appear can sway developer relations and draw regulatory scrutiny, even if Microsoft’s open‑store principles provide a defense.

What Microsoft Must Do to Nail This

To transform My apps from an intriguing experiment into a reliable, trusted feature, Microsoft should:
1. Publish clear code‑signing rules for any installer the Xbox app handles, ensuring binaries are verified.
2. Document download sources—whether from publisher servers, Microsoft Store caches, or a combination—so security‑conscious users and IT admins can assess risk.
3. Make UAC prompts controller‑friendly and impossible to miss in full‑screen mode, with clear explanations of why elevation is needed.
4. Define a compatibility checklist for listed apps, covering background services, install paths, and update behavior to prevent conflicts.
5. Provide a “failed install” recovery tool that removes leftover files and registry entries, much like a modern uninstaller.
6. Release a privacy fact sheet detailing telemetry collection tied to My apps usage.

A Glimpse of the Future: What to Watch For

The My apps test is clearly iterative, and Microsoft’s next moves will signal how committed it is to this hub vision.
- Expansion of supported apps: If the initial trio grows to include Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Connect, Discord, and others, it would confirm broad ambition.
- Stability of install flows: A rapid patch to fix the GOG Galaxy failure would show responsiveness; persistent issues might indicate deeper architectural hurdles.
- Developer onboarding portal: A self‑service system for third‑party stores and utilities to request listing would accelerate ecosystem growth and demonstrate openness.
- Handheld user feedback: Real‑world reports from ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go owners will test whether the full‑screen UI truly eliminates desktop dependence or merely shuffles complexity.
- Transparency reports: If Microsoft publishes detailed documentation on installer sourcing and security, it would build trust and differentiate My apps from less scrutinized third‑party launcher aggregators.

Why This Matters Beyond Handhelds

Even if handhelds are the immediate catalyst, My apps has broader implications. It repositions the Xbox app from a Game Pass portal into a comprehensive PC gaming shell. For users who simply want one place to manage all their gaming software, this shift could replace the chaotic desktop shortcut farm with a single interface. For developers, it offers a new discovery channel, particularly for smaller stores that lack the marketing muscle of Steam or Epic. And for Microsoft, it reinforces a narrative of openness at a time when platform gatekeeping faces regulatory heat worldwide.

Should You Become an Xbox Insider to Try It?

For the curious, joining the Xbox Insider Program and opting into the PC Gaming Preview gives you front‑row access to My apps. But temper expectations: this is beta software. Back up important data, especially game saves and user profiles, before prompting any install through the new tab. Pay close attention to UAC dialogs—do not approve elevation unless you recognize the source. If an install fails, fall back to downloading the official installer directly from the vendor’s website. And crucially, report every crash and glitch through the Xbox Insider feedback hub; that feedback loop is what will harden the feature for prime time.

The Verdict: A Promising Step, With Execution Yet to Prove

Microsoft’s My apps experiment is a pragmatic response to the messy reality of PC gaming: multiple storefronts, countless launchers, and a desktop interface that was never designed for a 7‑inch screen. By weaving third‑party apps into the Xbox fabric, the company edges closer to a console‑like simplicity on Windows, without locking players into a single store. The early test shows the potential—and the pitfalls. The coming weeks will reveal whether Microsoft can fix broken installers, answer the security questions, and deliver an experience that feels more like a streamlined dashboard and less like a new layer of beta‑grade complexity. If it does, My apps could become an indispensable part of the PC gaming toolkit, especially for the growing legion of handheld Windows gamers. If not, it may join the graveyard of half‑baked attempts to unify the fragmented PC ecosystem. For now, the ball is in Microsoft’s court, and the gaming community is watching—controller in hand.