Microsoft is beginning to check the power for TV remotes to navigate across the Xbox dashboard. A brand new model of the Xbox dashboard for Xbox Series S / X consoles is being examined with chosen Xbox Insiders, and it allows new HDMI-CEC options that permit bizarre TV distant controls navigate across the Xbox dashboard and management streaming apps like Netflix.

While the Xbox Series S / X consoles have had some HDMI-CEC options to manage TV quantity or activate TVs when an Xbox boots up, these new additions imply you gained’t have to achieve for an Xbox controller if you happen to simply need to watch content material from Netflix, Twitch, YouTube, or many different streaming apps.

The new HDMI-CEC options additionally embody an choice to allow your TV to change enter to your Xbox just by urgent the Xbox button on a controller. You could have already got a TV distant that may management your Xbox utilizing infrared instructions, however the addition of HDMI-CEC management ought to make enter switching extra dependable.

The new choices will be discovered within the HDMI-CEC settings a part of the Xbox dashboard, and are presently accessible to testers within the Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha Xbox Insider rings. We’d count on these new options to rollout to all Xbox Series S / X consoles within the coming months.

Microsoft can also be presently testing a brand new model of the Edge browser, an Xbox night time mode function, a better decision dashboard, and improved firmware and options for older Xbox One controllers.