Xbox has announced the details of its May update for Series X and Series S, with Quick Resume receiving big improvements and audio passthrough finally debuting for media streaming apps.

Quick Resume, which allows users to suspend, resume and jump between multiple games on the next-gen consoles, has offered some inconsistent performance since launch. With the latest update, though, Xbox indicates that both the speed and reliability of the feature has been improved.

A new option to group these suspended titles is now also available, which should act as a time-saver for those who routinely swap between the same group of games. Previously, it could prove a little difficult to pin down the title you wanted to resume quickly - particularly if you liked to flick between many things. 

It also works the same way as other groups and pinned items on the dashboard, meaning you can add it to Home, customise the order and decide which tiles are in it.

However, the upgrades to Quick Resume aren't the only exciting bit of news to come out of the May update, with a new audio passthrough option now rolling into the settings menu. 

Xbox May update brings speed and reliability improvements to Quick Resume photo 2

For media streaming apps like Disney+, Sky Go, Plex or the Apple TV app, this allows users to finally bypass the console and let their own external sound system decode the audio. To turn this feature on, users need only head to the audio settings screen and make sure 'Allow Passthrough' is ticked. An indicator in the guide will then also be visible when using a compatible media app with passthrough enabled. 

A couple of neat visual upgrades have also rolled out in the update. Trailers now automatically play in the Xbox Game Pass library when you stay focused on them - which should save selecting a title, scrolling through descriptions and manually forcing a trailer to load - and a couple of new dynamic backgrounds, including a nod to the original Xbox home screen on its 20th anniversary.

Aside from these noticeable changes, Xbox also found time to tweak parental controls for multiplayer games and refine its iOS and Android app.

The update should be rolling out to all Series X/S consoles presently, but users also have the option to try and trigger it manually from the settings section.