Xbox One: How to get new features and play new games early

The Insider Program rewards users for providing valuable feedback

It's split into four levels – or rings – of access (FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)

Microsoft has opened up the Xbox One Insider Program to everyone, meaning you can now test new features and new games before they come out.

It’s free to join, and you can gain earlier and earlier access to upcoming features by providing regular feedback.

The Insider Program is split into four levels – or rings – of access: Alpha, Beta, Delta and Omega.

Anyone can join the Omega ring, and Microsoft says you’ll receive up to eight updates per month.

The Delta ring is open to Insiders who have been part of the programme for at least a month. If you’re part of this group, Microsoft says you’ll receive roughly three updates per week. However, you also need to have reached Xbox Insider Level 2 or higher, which you can do by providing feedback.

Above this is the Beta ring, which is open to users who have been part of the programme for at least three months and have reached Level 4 or higher. It will provide up to 15 updates per month.

At the top is the Alpha ring, which is invite-only, with only the “best” Beta and Delta users, who provide the most customer feedback, able to join. If you manage to get in, you’ll have access to up to 20 updates per month.

You’ll also be able to try upcoming games early.

“The Xbox Insider Team is working closely with multiple 1st party and 3rd party game studios to bring you playtests of unreleased games,” said Todd Headrick, the principal PM manager of the Xbox listening, flight and readiness team.

“Recently we partnered with our friends at Rare and already thousands of gamers are sailing the Sea of Thieves across both Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs. This spring, Paladins was initially available to Xbox Insiders with an XP level of 10 or higher, then Xbox Insiders with XP > level 5, before being released to all Xbox Insiders a few weeks before the game was generally available.”

To join the Xbox One Insider Program, you need to download the Xbox Insider Hub.

You can find it by heading to My Games & Apps on the Xbox One dashboard and hitting the Apps tab.

To leave the Xbox One Insider Program, open the Xbox Insider Hub, go to Settings, Manage Devices, select the consoles you want to un-enroll, and uninstall the Xbox Insider Hub.