Almost five years after the Xbox Series X and S were released, Microsoft raised the price of Xbox consoles in 2025. Despite this, there were reportedly over two million new sales of Xbox consoles for the year. This puts the lifetime sales of Microsoft’s current-generation consoles above 34 million. That’s because Xbox consoles aren’t just about gaming.
Ever since the Xbox Store merged with the Microsoft Store in 2018, users have been able to enjoy a more unified experience across the broader Windows ecosystem. The store’s current layout includes a dedicated console apps section that makes it easy to find some of the best apps you should download on your Xbox. Installing new functionality and connecting to popular entertainment platforms can breathe new life into an aging console.
The Xbox Series X and S still have a growing install base and more than enough power to satisfy your entertainment needs. These are some must-have apps that will continue to elevate your Xbox into a genuine multimedia hub in 2026.
Spotify
Playing music from your Xbox can be the best way to fill the room with your favorite sounds, especially if you replace your TV audio with a high-quality soundbar. The Spotify app on Xbox is perfect for this. You can log in to access all of your playlists and the entire library of music and podcasts available on the platform. Best of all, Spotify on Xbox supports background listening, meaning the app will continue to run and play audio even while you’re playing any game on the console.
There are several other music apps on Xbox that also support background music while gaming. Apple Music, Pandora, and Amazon Music can all stream audio while you’re in the midst of a heated online deathmatch or an hour-long level grinding session. That said, Spotify remains one of the top-featured apps on Xbox, largely because of its sheer amount of audio content.
TrueAchievements
TrueAchievements is an essential companion app for hardcore Xbox gamers. As you accomplish various feats in Xbox games, you will earn achievements for your account, which boost your achievement score and show your mastery over those games. TrueAchievements is a third-party service that helps you keep track of your achievement hunting and corresponding statistics. It’s also a place where you can find tips and compare accomplishments with other Xbox players.
Although the TrueAchievements app is available for free directly from the Xbox Store, its ad-supported model might be a letdown for some gamers. Additionally, users can even upload guides or video walkthroughs that show how to unlock specific achievements. The option to get the advice you need without picking up your phone or opening a browser window is something that can make your gameplay more immersive. If you’re a power gamer who likes watching numbers go up, you can use TrueAchievements to make them go up faster.
Fubo
Fubo is one of the best live TV streaming platforms. It’s available on Xbox alongside other live TV services like Hulu. What sets Fubo apart, though, is its affordability and emphasis on sports content, including NFL, NBA, MLB, NASCAR, and more. Plans start as low as $5.99/month and range up to $29.99/month, depending on which sports channels you want to access. More generalized live TV plans are also available, starting at $48.99/month for 214 channels.
By comparison, a Hulu + Live TV plan starts at $89.99/month, and goes up to $99.99/month for the premium package. Mainstream platforms often charge more and boast more content than you could ever hope to watch. Some of the lesser-known services, like Fubo, can provide greater value by requiring a much more reasonable subscription fee and offering focused content that suits your exact tastes. Fubo also offers dedicated Latino TV plans and a FOX Nation entertainment plan.
YouTube
In 2025, a blog post from YouTube’s CEO confirmed that TV had surpassed mobile as the primary device for watching YouTube in the U.S. based on total watch time. This means that people are mostly relying on smart TVs and console apps to access the platform. The YouTube app on Xbox Series X and S makes use of the console’s 4K capabilities and built-in compatibility with digital assistants to render a high-resolution and highly convenient experience on the big screen.
On the one hand, it’s hard to deny that YouTube is making the TV experience worse with unskippable ads. On the other hand, YouTube also has a history of improving its smart TV and console apps on a regular basis. The YouTube app implemented a welcome change last year when it divided Shorts and long-form videos into different sections. It may sound like a small thing to praise, but it’s the type of thing that makes YouTube a more desirable Xbox app compared to other platforms that are more than willing to neglect or discontinue console support.
VLC Media Player
The VLC Media Player, previously known as the VideoLAN Client, is an open-source cross-platform media player that boasts the ability to play “virtually all video and audio formats.” Additionally, it can even be used as a streaming media server among the app’s many other features. VLC came to the Xbox Store in 2016 as a free service, making it a universal way to display any type of media file you might possess via your Xbox.
Many people enjoy the hobby of using dedicated hard drives to store digital libraries of movies, music, and other personally curated media. An Xbox is one of the devices you can plug an external hard drive into, and the VLC app makes it easy to enjoy content from a huge variety of file types. However, the Xbox-version of this app does not support DVD or Blu-ray formats. Even so, it’s one of the absolute best apps you should download on your Xbox if you have an eclectic collection of media that you want to enjoy from your gaming console.
