What you need to know
- The Share button was a great addition to the Xbox Wireless Controller with the Xbox Series X|S.
- However, many have desired the ability to remap this button or customize it for other purposes.
- On Monday, the Alpha Ring of the Xbox Insider Program released a new update testing this exact feature.
- With the Xbox Accessories app, users can remap the Share button to accomplish any number of tasks, including accessing accessibility features.
One of the larger changes made to the Xbox Wireless Controller with the onset of the Xbox Series X|S console generation was the addition of a dedicated Share button. This move has since been replicated by many third-party controller manufacturers, and makes capturing and sharing your gameplay on Xbox easier than ever. However, many players have requested options to remap this button to do something else basically since the Xbox Series X and S were released. On Monday, the Xbox Insider Program began testing the feature on the Alpha Ring.
The Alpha Ring update is now available to Xbox Insiders enrolled in that branch, and includes two new features for users to test. While many players may appreciate the ability to edit the transparency of the broadcast bar when streaming from their console, the headlining feature is undoubtedly Share button remapping.
Through the Xbox Accessories app, players can now customize the Share button for the New Xbox Wireless Controller (the updated version that released with Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S). The Share button supports single-tap, double-tap, and long-press inputs, each of which can be assigned to a number of tasks.
Aside from the default sharing options, players can launch a specific app, control media playback and volume, open the Party or Friends screen, see Achievements for the current game, send a message, and much more. It seems you can also assign "No action," effectively disabling the button if you choose.
Another new series of useful actions also extends to the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2, Xbox Adaptive Controller, and the ChatPad controller accessory, all of which already featured remappable buttons. With this update, players can now remap the Share button or other remappable buttons to enable a myriad of accessibility options, including the narrator or magnifier, as well as toggling other options like high contrast, night mode, and color filters.
The update is available to download through the Alpha Ring of the Xbox Insider Program. If testing goes well, these features should officially release for everyone within the next few months. With the addition of these features, several of the best Xbox Series X|S controllers just got a lot more useful.
