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Secret Xbox button can save you money every month – here’s how to find the hidden feature
- Gamers can disable a feature that is set as the default on many Xbox consoles
- Switching to energy saving mode can save on bills during a cost of living crisis
A hidden setting on Xbox can help you save on electricity bills during the cost of living crisis.
“Instant On” is a feature enabled by default on many of Microsoft’s Xbox Series X or Series S consoles.
Instant On puts the console in standby mode, making it faster to wake up the machine when you’re playing, but it can waste precious energy.
The alternate option, known as Energy Saver Mode, doesn’t consume as much power in comparison when the Xbox isn’t in use, although it takes longer to start up.
Pressing the button on the console to open the on-screen guide is the first step to deactivating Instant On.
Both the Xbox Series X (left) and Series S (right) were originally released with Instant On set as the default
Instant On puts the console in standby mode, which wakes up the device faster during gameplay, but can waste precious energy
While the Instant On standby mode lets players play straight away, it could cost up to £5 per month according to households the edge.
Instant On consumes between 11 and 13 watts, while Energy Saver mode only consumes about 0.5 watts.
Microsoft has made the more environmentally friendly Energy Saver mode the default setting on Xbox Series X and Series S consoles shipped since March 2022.
However, the consoles were released way back in November 2020, meaning millions shipped with Instant On as standard – and may still have the power-guzzling setting activated.
The two power modes are also available to choose from on the Xbox One S, Microsoft’s older model from 2016.
You can configure your Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S console to shut down or go to sleep when you turn off your console, depending on your preference. support page.
“Shutdown mode shuts down your console completely to save power.”
To select the cheaper setting, press the Xbox button on your console to open the on-screen guide.
Once it opens, select ‘Profile & System’ followed by ‘Settings’, ‘General’ and then ‘Power Management’.
Then select the Shutdown option.
To select the cheaper setting, press the Xbox button on your console to open the on-screen guide
Gamers may find the Instant On feature particularly useful, as the high processing power of the consoles means they consume a lot of battery.
Microsoft’s flagship Xbox Series X costs £449, while the compact version, the Xbox Series S, costs £249.
Microsoft said the Series X is the most powerful console it’s ever made – with processing power twice that of the Xbox One X before it.
The fourth-generation Xbox consoles have backward compatibility, allowing them to play games from older consoles.
It means gamers have access to thousands of titles across four generations of content – from the original Xbox, released in 2001, to the 2005 Xbox 360 and 2013 Xbox One.
Microsoft has just announced a new version of the Xbox Series S – the £299 Carbon Black, which packs in twice the storage space of the original Series S.
The Carbon Black Xbox Series S launches worldwide on September 1, but gamers can pre-order the system now.