Xbox consoles reduce download speeds while playing a game to reduce interference with network functions or multiplayer performance. While download is currently faster when the Xbox is in rest mode, Microsoft will soon allow players to increase their download speeds while the console is still on with a new “Suspend My Game” option in the Xbox download manager.
According to Xbox tech leader Eden Marie, selecting “Pause My Game” pauses the bandwidth your games are using and instead runs your downloads at full speed.
You can resume your gameplay at any time if you decide you prefer to continue playing and let your downloads disappear in the background. Xbox Series X / S users can even use the console’s Quick Resume to resume at the exact moment the game was paused.
Pause My Game is available in the latest Xbox Insider Program dashboard update for Xbox Series X / S and Xbox One. You can do it Xbox Insider Hub app from the Microsoft Store to join the Insider Program to try out the feature early, but it will be rolling out to all Xbox Series X / S and Xbox One consoles in the coming weeks.
G / O Media can receive a commission
Pause games on Xbox to increase download speeds
To use the new “Pause My Game” download promotion feature once it is available on your Xbox console:
- Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide menu.
- Go to My games & apps> View all> Manage> Queue.
- On the Manage Queue page, select “Interrupt my game.” Your console’s download speeds will automatically increase.
- When the downloads are complete, you can resume playback from where you left off.
Xbox Insiders can try cool things like “Pause My Game” early on, but Microsoft is constantly adding new features to their consoles for all users. The most recent monthly update adds a new one FPS boost mode that increases frame rates for backward compatible games on Xbox Series X / S, fixes some long running bugs when disconnecting the controller, and more. Make sure that your system is regularly updated