It’s the vacation season, and maybe you’re planning to provide (or obtain!) a ROG Xbox Ally or ROG Xbox Ally X. To assist get you taking part in as rapidly as potential, we’ve up to date our information to one of the simplest ways to get began together with your model new handheld.
Congratulations on selecting up your new ROG Xbox Ally or ROG Xbox Ally X! Whether or not you’re a handheld gaming veteran or simply getting began, you’ve joined a rising and vibrant neighborhood of gamers who respect the pliability of Home windows and the facility and ease of use of Xbox within the palm of your fingers. Whilst you in all probability picked up your Xbox Ally to dive proper into your favourite video games (we share a few of our handheld favorites right here), you’ll rapidly uncover that these handhelds provide super flexibility to personalize your gaming expertise. That can assist you hit the bottom working, we’ve pulled collectively some must-know tricks to take advantage of out of your new Xbox Ally.
For those who’re simply setting your machine up, try the informative information at Xbox Assist for step-by-step directions. Of be aware: Don’t skip the choice to arrange the fingerprint reader; unlocking your Xbox Ally with only a contact is quick and feels slightly bit magical. As soon as setup is full, you’ll boot up straight into the immersive Xbox full display expertise, a purpose-built gaming expertise.
Able to go? Right here’s a couple of useful pointers.
Navigating your Xbox Ally
Grasp the Menus: The Xbox Ally provides you a number of methods to search out what you’re on the lookout for— you should use the d-pad, joysticks, shoulder and face buttons to make alternatives, or just faucet the responsive touchscreen straight. As an example, to succeed in the all-important Sport Bar settings menu, you’ll be able to press the Xbox button and hit the appropriate bumper, or just swipe from the left fringe of the display towards the middle. Swapping between apps? Lengthy press the Xbox button or swipe up from the underside to entry the Process Switcher, making switching between apps and video games seamless.
Get Acquainted with Command Heart: ASUS Command Heart is now built-in into Sport Bar, supplying you with on the spot entry to many superior options to personalize your expertise, each inside and outdoors of video games.
For a extra expansive set of superior settings and customization choices, you too can launch the full-featured Armoury Crate SE proper from this overlay.
Meet Gaming Copilot (Beta) — Your Private Sidekick: You’ll be able to entry Gaming Copilot on the Xbox Ally, the place it presents suggestions, ideas, and insights once you want them. To get began, lengthy press the Command Heart button to open the Gaming Copilot widget in Sport Bar, and full the onboarding expertise. After that, if you wish to test your subsequent achievement or get recommendation for a troublesome boss combat with out leaving your recreation, lengthy press the Library button after which launch to start out your dialog with Gaming Copilot.

Play What You Need
Browse Your Video games Library: Now it’s time to search out some issues to play! Head to the Library by urgent the devoted Library button above the appropriate thumbstick to search out video games you already personal, in addition to these obtainable with Sport Cross, and titles playable by way of the Xbox Cloud Gaming. Observe: you’ll be able to choose multiple class at a time; highlighting Owned and Installable means that you can buy groceries in your personal closet for video games that play natively in your Xbox Ally. In search of one thing new? You’ll discover the Retailer on the left rail as effectively.
Entry Your Video games, From Main PC Storefronts: With the aggregated gaming library, you’ll be able to simply add your titles from main PC storefronts to your library, to see all of your video games in a single place. All it’s a must to do is head to the My Apps tab in your Library, and choose the PC storefront you need to set up.

For those who don’t see your required launcher, open Edge (additionally situated in My apps), navigate to the shop’s web site, and obtain it.
Play Wherever—Together with Offline: Handheld freedom means you’re certain to play in locations with out WiFi. Whereas many titles work greatest on-line, most single-player video games run nice with no connection. Earlier than you journey, check your video games offline, pre-download any updates or DLC, and be sure to’re signed in. For detailed offline setup, see our information: Play video games in offline mode on Home windows | Xbox Assist. And in case you’re flying, don’t overlook to modify to airplane mode to avoid wasting battery and keep away from interruptions.
Personalizing your Setup
Play Your Means Utilizing Accessibility Options: With the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, the Xbox expertise and Sport Bar have been optimized for handheld use, bringing alongside acquainted accessibility options from Xbox consoles and Home windows 11 PCs. Most visible, cognitive, and sensory accessibility options may be discovered by deciding on the Profile & Settings icon within the higher left of the display, deciding on Settings, then Accessibility. Enter accessibility settings, together with on-screen keyboard, enter customizations, and the flexibility to re-map your Xbox Ally’s buttons are present in Armoury Crate SE.
Join Exterior Controllers: Pair Xbox Wi-fi Controllers to your Xbox Ally similar to you’d with a PC. Flip in your controller, maintain the Pair button, and search for the join notification. Missed it? Open the Sport Bar, navigate to Settings > Bluetooth > Handle units, choose Add machine > Bluetooth, and comply with the prompts.
And don’t miss the intelligent element: contained in the underside of your Xbox Ally field lid, you’ll discover a light-weight, sturdy paperboard stand—excellent for holding your Xbox Ally whereas charging or taking part in with an exterior controller with out blocking the display. This pairs effectively with the following characteristic:
Docking for the Massive Display: The Xbox Ally–is your excellent gaming companion once you’re on the go, and once you’re at house it gives much more choices to play. It’s simple to attach an exterior monitor or TV for a bigger, much more immersive expertise . Merely join your Xbox Ally on to a monitor or TV or to a dock by way of the USB-C port,. For optimum efficiency, it’s greatest to make use of “Second Display Solely” to match your TV’s decision and refresh price.
Customise the Joystick Ring Lights: The Xbox Ally’s colourful lights surrounding the thumbsticks are one among its defining visible thrives, however typically it’s possible you’ll need to dim them for a red-eye flight or in case you’re taking part in in darkish room. To regulate them, open Armoury Crate SE and choose Lighting to alter how they pulse, or flip them off completely.
Keep updated: The Xbox Ally you’re taking out of the field is just the start line. Final month, we shared updates to the ROG Xbox Ally handheld expertise, together with Default Sport Profiles (Preview) which robotically steadiness body price (FPS) and energy consumption for 40 supported video games, Sport Save Sync Indicators, which provide you with real-time affirmation that your progress is uploaded to the cloud, in addition to different enhancements to ship a smoother, quicker, and extra dependable expertise. Xbox and ASUS will proceed so as to add new options and performance to reinforce your expertise, which we’ll share over time. To make sure you’ve at all times acquired the newest updates, there are two locations you’ll need to test sometimes.
Home windows OS Replace:
- Open Sport Bar > Settings Widget > Extra Settings > Open Home windows Settings > Home windows Replace
- Set up all updates and restart your machine when prompted
Replace Armoury Crate SE:
- Open the Command Heart
- Choose “Open Armoury Crate SE”
- Choose Replace Heart > Test for Updates > Replace All
We are able to’t wait to see the place your new Xbox Ally or Xbox Ally X takes you. Whether or not you’re having fun with handheld gaming on the sofa or setting excessive scores on the go, the following tips will aid you get essentially the most out of each session.
