Xbox's Biggest Problem

Microsoft has made the unfortunate decision to shut down the Xbox Console Companion App, leaving capture enthusiasts without a direct first-party option to import screenshots from consoles to PC. This app was a vital tool for users to access and download clips and screenshots from their Xbox consoles onto their computers, making it especially valuable for content creators and reviewers who often incorporate these captures into their work.

The closure of the Companion App presents a significant inconvenience, compounded by the fact that there is no direct replacement. Windows Central's Jez Corden pointed out that this removal leaves users without any first-party means to access Xbox clips and screenshots on Windows PCs.

Microsoft currently has three Xbox apps on PC: the Xbox Game Bar, the Xbox app, and the Console Companion App. Unfortunately, neither the Game Bar nor the official Windows Xbox app offer the ability to download screenshots from Xbox LIVE.

This move comes after a history of complications with Microsoft's screenshot and capture functionality. On July 28, 2023, Microsoft announced that the Xbox Console Companion app on Windows would be deprecated on August 28, 2023. While users can still engage with Xbox games, services, and communities on their Windows devices using the Xbox app for Windows, the loss of the Companion App's screenshot-importing capabilities remains a significant setback.

In the past, the Xbox One lacked a dedicated screenshot and video capture button on the controller like the PlayStation 4's DualShock 4, which offered native support for screenshot functionality. This made capturing screenshots and videos on the Xbox One a hassle, requiring users to upload them to OneDrive and download them separately.

With the Xbox Series X/S, Microsoft addressed this issue by adding a dedicated screenshot button to the new controller, which was a welcome improvement. However, a new problem arose as the console automatically overrides stored screenshots and captured clips when storage space runs low. This automatic overwriting can lead to the loss of valuable captures without any warning.

Now, with the closure of the Companion App, gamers face yet another challenge in importing their captures. While manual import to a USB stick remains an option, it's essential to avoid the auto-overwrite feature by setting all captures to be saved to a dedicated USB drive instead of relying solely on the console's built-in SSD. This will help preserve valuable captures and screenshots for the long term.