What to do before getting an Xbox Series X / S

The launch of the next generation of Xbox consoles is almost upon us. The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S will both release on November 10 – it’s only a few hours at the time of this writing. If you already own an Xbox One, there are some steps you should take to get ready, provided that you are eager to plug in the new system and boot it up immediately.

Below, we’ve highlighted the key things you should consider doing before you get your hands on the new console. This will make sure you are ready to jump into the next-gen experience and, at the very least, it will help pass the time and shorten the wait for Tuesday a bit. Also be sure to read our article to see what to expect. You can also read our Xbox Series S review if you’re curious about this system, or check out all of our hardware and games coverage in our Xbox Series X / S review.

Move your games to external storage

Perhaps the most obvious and easiest thing to do is to prepare your existing games. Microsoft has put a lot of emphasis on backward compatibility and you can expect faster load times for pretty much everything, along with performance and frame rate improvements and Auto HDR functionality for games. case by case. There are a number of new games coming out during launch week, but you might also want to check out how much better your existing games are or just keep playing something you’ve already enjoyed on Xbox One.

Fortunately, the process for doing this is fairly straightforward if you have a supported external storage device. You can move your Xbox One games from the internal drive to an external drive, then plug it into your Xbox Series X / S to start playing immediately. On the other hand, you can download them again on your new console, but it will probably take a long time and can be difficult if you have a bandwidth limit.

Transferring games to external storage can always be a tedious process, especially if you have a large collection of games. But as we pointed out below, moving them around is pretty easy. In fact, it will only take you a few minutes. If you have larger games, the process may take a little longer. However, it is nowhere near as slow as downloading them again.

How to move Xbox One games to external storage:

1. Press the Guide button, scroll to Profile & System and select Settings
2. Go to System, select Storage
3. Select the internal drive, then choose Move or Copy
4. Check that the top of the screen shows you transferring to the correct external storage
5. Check all the games you want to move, then choose Move Selected

Another thing to do as part of this process is to now download any games that you might want to try out on the new console. This way you can make sure everything is ready to be installed on your external drive in advance.

Manage your screenshots and recorded videos

While screenshots and videos can be uploaded to Xbox Live or social media, it’s possible that you are running out of cloud storage or have otherwise stored your favorite moments on your console. If you plan to sell or even just unplug your Xbox One to make way for the new console (which makes sense, since it can play all of your non-Kinect Xbox One games), keep all the memories you have in mind. could leave behind. .

Take the time to browse the screenshots and videos you want to keep, whether it’s uploading them to OneDrive or sharing them on social media. Unfortunately, you can’t export screenshots to a USB drive, so OneDrive may be enough to store these things – just be prepared for long download times if you’ve taken 4K HDR screenshots.

Download the Xbox app

You may already have the Xbox mobile app, which was recently revamped, but if not, you should grab it before setting up your Xbox Series X / S. With the app, you can immediately pair the new console and manage the setup process seamlessly, allowing you to transfer your Xbox One settings without having to do anything manually. This will allow you to get started in games (or, perhaps more likely, downloads / installs) faster.

Verify your login details and two-factor authentication

Do you know your Microsoft / Xbox account password? I do not know. You’ll want to make sure you have this (and any two-factor authentication you use on the account) in order before launch day, so you don’t get stuck waiting for an email ” forgot my password “. With countless people trying to get in on the same day, it is possible that Microsoft’s services are slowing down, so make sure your account is straightened out and ready to go before starting the console.

Prepare the space

The Xbox Series X might not be as big as the PS5, but it’s still a big console. While you can probably fit the S-Series anywhere you typically store your consoles thanks to its compact size, the X-Series could prove more difficult, especially if you’ve decided to stand it upright. We’ve known for some time what the dimensions of the two consoles are, but now is the time when that will really matter, because you don’t want your console to be stuck in too small a space where it can’t. ventilate properly. Take a tape measure or, if you’re really looking for a way to waste time, build your own cardboard / paper version and see if they’ll fit into your entertainment center. Otherwise, it is not too late to learn carpentry skills.

• Xbox Series X Dimensions: 15.1cm x 15.1cm x 30.1cm
• Xbox Series S Dimensions: 6.5cm x 15.1cm x 27.5cm