Microsoft is working on a feature for Xbox consoles that will see audio from speakers automatically muted when headphones are in use.

Detailed in the Xbox Insiders Alpha Skip-Ahead blog, the fix would patch up one of the Series X and Series S console's most tiresome issues - even if it is still a relatively minor one.

Currently, even when an Xbox headset is connected, the volume on the display's speakers stays at the same level. This, then, requires a separate action to ensure the sound doesn't run concurrently.

With the feature hitting the Xbox Insiders program for testing, though, it'll likely be a thing of the past before long. And if or when it does, Microsoft suggests it will appear as an option in the audio settings menus.

For PS5 users, of course, this is something that has been available since launch. 

Still, Microsoft isn't stopping there with the potential changes to the platform.

The company is also working on a new feature for colourblind gamers - one that replicates what we've seen from major titles and adds a filter over the top of menus, movies, apps and games. 

"[The feature] supports multiple forms of colour blindness, and the filters can be adjusted to your preference without impacting performance, screenshots, or game clips," the blog post reads.

As someone with fairly strong protanopia, this is a welcome change on a personal level - and one that's fairly overdue. Just how well it's implemented across the Xbox OS and games remains to be seen - literally - but it's a step in the right direction for those with accessibility challenges.