Microsoft announced today that the new Game Bar is available to users with the Windows 10 May 2019 update. The new Game Bar includes Xbox social features as well as many enhanced features.

Accessible with Windows Key + G, Windows 10 Game Bar includes many new features, including Spotify integration, audio sharing for chat applications like Discord, performance monitoring. The new Game Bar is much faster than the current one and the Windows 10 Xbox app itself. At the same time, the new Game Bar in Windows 10 can be accessed from anywhere, not just within apps.

Here are some of the features that Windows 10 Game Bar has:

• Stream and capture tools for games that also work inside any app

• Performance monitoring for CPU, GPU and RAM

• audio mixer tool

• Spotify controls for music

• A chat panel for Xbox Live messages and voice party chats

• Xbox Live friends list

• Xbox Live notifications

• Mixer live stream

• Fixed panel modular interface that can appear above other windows and games

• Access to local game clips and screenshots to share

• Looking For Group tool to find players

• Optionally show/hide properties

In addition to all this, Microsoft announced that GIF support is coming to Windows 10 Game Bar messages in the near future, as well as Android and iOS applications. He also stated that the current Windows 10 Xbox app will not feature the new messaging systems.

The Windows 10 Game Bar is also available for beta users of the Windows 10 Gaming Test Flight Ring, a mini-test pool to get feedback on the new system. Users not ready for the May 2019 update can access the new Game Bar via beta.