The Forza Horizon 5 Festival Playlist is constantly breathing new life into an already fantastic game.

Forza Horizon 5 launched as one of the greatest racing games available to play, but Playground Games refuses to rest on its laurels and consider its masterpiece as "finished." The Forza Horizon 5 Festival Playlist brings new challenges, events, and rewards to the game every single week, with larger Series updates introducing even greater changes and additions over time. With the Festival Playlist, FH5 promises years of constant post-launch support and new content for players to explore.

Here's what you need to know about the Festival Playlist in Forza Horizon 5, and the current challenges and rewards this season.

The unchallenged champion

Forza Horizon 5

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The best open-world racer

Playground Games has delivered their latest masterpiece with Forza Horizon 5, which features the series' most diverse map and largest car list yet. Forza Horizon 5 somehow fulfills its ambitious promises to be the best open-world racer right now, and one of the best racing games in general.

Forza Horizon 5 Festival Playlist: Winter, Series 7 (May 12-18, 2022)

The Forza Horizon 5 Festival Playlist updates every week as the in-game season changes, with larger updates slated for every month as a new Series begins. It can be difficult to keep track of everything there is to do in Forza Horizon 5's Festival Playlist and decide whether it's worth it to tackle the challenges. Fortunately, that's what we're here for.

We'll also cover how to complete specific Forza Horizon 5 Festival Playlist challenges if any particularly difficult missions pop up throughout the Festival Playlist.

Series 7 "Cinco de Mayo" (April 28-May 25, 2022)

Forza Horizon 5 Series 7 is, as the name suggests, an in-game celebration of the "Cinco de Mayo" holiday, which in turn celebrates everything about Mexican culture. FH5 is celebrating with in-game decorations and events, as well as five new cars for players to earn through the Festival Playlist, all from Ferrari.

• Series 7 rewards. Series 7 of Forza Horizon 5's Festival Playlist has a total of 213 Playlist Points across all Seasons. The Series rewards include:
  • 2020 Ferrari SF90 Stradale for 80 Playlist Points. This is a Legendary rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 2011 Ferrari 599 GTO for 160 Playlist Points. This is an Epic rarity car and is hard to find
• Monthly Events. There is one monthly event.
  • Playa Azul Circuit: Post a clean lap to complete this Rivals Event. Rewards 4 Playlist Points

Winter "Dry Season" (May 12-18, 2022)

This is the Winter Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 7 Festival Playlist, which is available from May 12 until May 18, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Winter Season of Series 7 has a total of 53 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 1992 Ferrari 512 Testa Rossa for 20 Playlist Points. This is an Epic rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 2015 MG MG3 for 40 Playlist Points. This is a Rare rarity car and is hard to find
• Weekly Challenge. "Mexican Supercar"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Echieverria Production: Own and drive the 2017 VUHL 05RR
  • Road and Racing: Win any Road Racing Event with the 2017 VUHL 05RR
  • Light n' Fast: Maintain a speed over 170mph for 15 consecutive seconds with the 2017 VUHL 05RR
  • Like a Feather: Earn 3 Stars at any Danger Sign PR Stunt with the 2017 VUHL 05RR
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Clean Fun: Earn 3 or more Clean Racing Skills in any Road Racing Event
  • The DK: Earn 3 Stars from any Drift Zone PR Stunt
  • Florist: Smash 15 flower stalls
  • On Board: Earn a Skillboard Skill by smashing any billboard
  • Dry Run: Reach 140mph or more in any Dirt Racing Event
  • In Reverse: Complete a Drift Theme Horizon Arcade Event in any Drift Car
  • Aged Well: Earn 3 Stars from any Speed Trap PR Stunt in a Class Racer car
• Season Events. There are eight Season Events.
  • Carrera de Resistencia: Win The Trial Event in an S1-Class Retro Supercar. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the Mexican Racesuit Vanity Item
  • EventLab: Complete the EventLab Event in any Unlimited Offroad car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 1998 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLK GTR Forza Edition
  • EventLab: Complete the EventLab Event in any car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Falling Car Horn
  • Heights of Mulegé: Complete the Danger Sign PR Stunt Challenge in a C-Class Hot Hatch car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Atlantes de Tula: Complete the Speed Zone PR Stunt Challenge in an S2-Class Mercedes-Benz car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Offroad Tour: Win the Seasonal Championship in a B-Class Unlimited Buggy car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2015 Alumi Craft Class 10
  • Weather Perfect: Win the Seasonal Championship in a B-Class Pickups & 4x4s car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2019 Hennessey VelociRaptor 6x6
  • Co-op Championships: Complete a Horizon Tour Event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
• Challenges. There are three Challenges.
  • On Top of the World: Complete the Treasure Hunt Challenge (Clue: Anything can break the Stone Door with a 3 Star rating). Hint: Earn 3 Stars at the Puerta Pétrea Trailblazer PR Stunt in any car. You can read more in our Forza Horizon 5 challenges guide. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and 100 Forzathon Points
  • #ReachingStars: Photograph any Hypercar at the Gran Telescopio. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "To the moon" Forza LINK message
  • Only Fordward: Complete any Horizon Open Racing Event in a Ford car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the 1978 Hoonigan Ford Escort RS1800
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 2013 Lamborghini Veneno for 700 Forzathon Points
  • 2017 VUHL 05RR for 100 Forzathon Points
  • Air Guitar Emote for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Natural Suit Vanity Item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 60 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 150 Forzathon Points

Spring "Hot Season" (May 19-25, 2022)

This is the Spring Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 7 Festival Playlist, which is available from May 19 until May 25, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Spring Season of Series 7 has a total of 54 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo for 20 Playlist Points. This is a Legendary rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupé for 40 Playlist Points. This is a Legendary rarity car and is valuable
• Weekly Challenge. "Old Red"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Predecessor of All Buggies: Own and drive the 1971 Meyers Manx
  • Origin Story: Win the Baja California Trail Event with the 1971 Meyers Manx
  • Jumping Buggy: Earn 3 Kangaroo Skills in the Dunas Blancas region with the 1971 Meyers Manx
  • Buggy Beats Bike in Baja: Earn 2 Stars at the Dustbowl Speed Trap PR Stunt with the 1971 Meyers Manx
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Flock of Trucks: Earn 12 Stars in total from any PR Stunts in any Truck car
  • Playing by the Rules: Earn 3 Clean Racing Skills in a Cross Country Racing Event
  • Shocking: Smash 20 or more solar panels in 30 seconds or less
  • Zoomies: Drive above 250mph for 5 consecutive seconds in any car
  • Assemble: Earn 800 team score in a single Horizon Tour Race Event
  • Ultimate Talent: Earn and bank an Ultimate Skill Chain Skill
  • Short Story: Reach 140mph in any Horizon Story Chapter
• Season Events. There are eight Season Events.
  • Fiesta. Siesta. Repeat.: Win The Trial Event. Rewards the 1930 Bentley 8 Litre
  • EventLab: Complete the EventLab Event. Rewards the 2013 Donkervoort D8 GTO
  • Airs and Graces: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games. Rewards the Fireworks Car Horn
  • La Marisma: Complete the Trailblazer PR Stunt Challenge. Rewards a Super Wheelspin
  • Panorámica: Complete the Drift Zone PR Stunt Challenge. Rewards a Super Wheelspin
  • Inspiration from Japan: Win the Seasonal Championship. Rewards the 1969 Toyota 2000GT
  • Baja Mil: Win the Seasonal Championship. Rewards the Festival Sombrero Vanity Item
  • First Come, First Served: Win the Seasonal Championship. Rewards the La Cucaracha Car Horn
• Challenges. There are three Challenges.
  • #SleepingGiants: Photograph any Truck car at Atlantes de Tula. Rewards the Sleepy Emote
  • Small and Agile: Complete the Horizon Open Challenge. Rewards the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle #34 Andretti Rallycross
  • Battle Royale: Complete The Eliminator Challenge. Rewards the "I've got a bad feeling about this" Forza LINK message
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • Unknown

What is the Festival Playlist in Forza Horizon 5?

The Forza Horizon 5 Festival Playlist is an ever-changing list of challenges and missions that players can complete as they play the game. Players can complete races, events, PR Stunts, and online activities as Festival Playlist challenges, sometimes with specific requirements, to earn rewards such as cars, Wheelspins, cosmetic items, and Forzathon Points, which can be redeemed at the Forzathon Shop.

The Festival Playlist has Series, with each Series lasting four weeks, and each week lasting about one week. Each week has its own unique challenges and rewards, giving players incentive to return week after week to complete the Festival Playlist and collect new cars and prizes. The Festival Playlist consistently adds new content to Forza Horizon 5, and is how Playground Games will seamlessly inject new ways to play into FH5 over time, including brand-new cars.

New cars, events, and much more can be added to Forza Horizon 5 through the Festival Playlist, and Series updates can even be themed and evolve Forza Horizon 5's world. Series 1, for example, welcomes players to Horizon Mexico, while Series 2 will apparently be Holidays themed and add new seasonal decorations to the FH5 world. EventLab creations from the community that gain popularity can also be surfaced through the Festival Playlist, adding even more variety to this constantly moving in-game feature.

Forza Horizon 5's Festival Playlist should provide years of support and content to the game, even after DLC expansions have been released and finished. Thanks to new creation features like EventLab, the Festival Playlist has practically endless content to pull from.

What is Forza Horizon 5?

Forza Horizon 5 is an open-world simul-arcade racing game from Playground Games and Xbox Game Studios. It's the latest in a long line of increasingly ambitious and successful Forza Horizon games, and it accumulates everything the studio has learned into one incredible package. FH5 is one of the best Xbox racing games of all time, and was even one of the best Xbox games of 2021.

Forza Horizon 5 accomplishes this feat with its largest and most diverse map yet, set in Mexico, that is freely explored behind the wheel of hundreds of cars and vehicles. Fan favorites like Barn Finds have returned, but every aspect of FH5 proves that it's not just another racing game.

Our Forza Horizon 5 review concluded that Playground has delivered the unchallenged champion of open-world racers, which is now available for Xbox, PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Xbox Game Pass. If you want to learn more about what makes this expansive game so special, be sure to check out our ultimate guide to Forza Horizon 5.

What are the past Festival Playlists for Forza Horizon 5?

Playground Games may occasionally resurface older Series updates and challenges to give players another shot at earning those rewards. It can also be helpful to know what previous Festival Playlists included as rewards, in case you're missing any of those cars in your own collection. Whenever a Festival Playlist is retired, you can find it here.

Series 0 "Welcome Week" (Nov. 5-10, 2021)

The introductory Festival Playlist for Forza Horizon 5, Series 0 includes a handful of challenges and rewards for early adopters jumping into FH5. There aren't any exclusive additions or rewards included in this Series.

• Series 0 rewards. Series 0 of Forza Horizon 5's Festival Playlist is a shorter affair that only spans one Season, and is there to offer activities for players who join Forza Horizon 5 during the early access period or right at launch. Because of this, there are no overarching rewards for Series 0. Check back in for Series 1's rewards starting Nov. 11, 2021.
• Monthly Events. There is one Monthly Event.
  • Horizon Baja Scramble: Beat the Rivals challenge at Horizon Baja Scramble. Rewards 4 Playlist Points

Spring "Hot Season" (Nov. 5-10, 2021)

This is the Spring season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 0 Festival Playlist, which was available from Nov. 5 until Nov. 10, 2021.

• Season rewards. The Spring season of Series 0 has a total of 38 Playlist Points across all challenges. The main season rewards include:
  • 2017 Alpine A110 for 16 Playlist Points: This is an Epic rarity car that is hard to find in Forza Horizon 5
  • 2005 Honda NSX-R GT for 26 Playlist Points: This is an Epic rarity car that is hard to find in Forza Horizon 5
• Weekly Challenge. "Wouldn't It be Loverly?"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 81 Forzathon Points.
  • Chapter 1: Own and drive the 2003 Nissan Fairlady Z
  • Chapter 2: Earn 9 Stars from Drift Zones with the 2003 Nissan Fairlady Z
  • Chapter 3: Earn 5 Ultimate Drift or E-Drift Skills with the 2003 Nissan Fairlady Z
  • Chapter 4: Bank a total of 500,000 Skill Score with the 2003 Nissan Fairlady Z
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points each.
  • Challenge 1: Earn three Clean Racing Skills in a single road race
  • Challenge 2: Complete a Horizon Open event
  • Challenge 3: Earn five Stars from PR Stunts in a Lamborghini
  • Challenge 4: Win a Drag Race in a Modern Sports Car
  • Challenge 5: Smash five phonebooths
  • Challenge 6: Send a Gift Drop to another player
  • Challenge 7: Earn 12 Stars from PR Stunts in a Truck
• Season Events. There are seven Season Events.
  • Horizon Arcade: Complete any Horizon Arcade event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Off the Grid: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games Championship in a B-Class in an Offroad vehicle. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 2018 Porsche Macan LP Racing T1 Rally Raid
  • Coast View: Complete the Coast View Speed Trap challenge in an S2-Class Track Toys vehicle. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • First Course: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an A-Class Super Saloon vehicle. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2018 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S
  • Event Horizon: Complete the Event Horizon Danger Sign challenge in an S1-Class Ford vehicle. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Ranchito: Complete the Ranchito Speed Zone challenge in an S2-Class Audi vehicle. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Co-op Championships: Complete a Horizon Tour Championship. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
• Challenges. There are three Challenges.
  • #MuralCompass: Photograph any Modern Sports Car at Star 27's mural in Mulegé. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Beautiful!" Forza LINK phrase
  • Clean Sweep: Earn five Clean Racing Skills in Horizon Open. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and 25,000 Credits
  • Battle Royale: Finish 30th or better in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Mwahahaha" Forza LINK phrase
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop is not open for Spring of Series 0.

Series 1 "Welcome to Mexico" (Nov. 11-Dec. 8, 2021)

Series 1 of Forza Horizon 5's Festival Playlist welcomes players to Mexico with a wide range of challenges and events, and some exclusive rewards and cars for players to collect. There still aren't any major changes or additions included in this Series.

• Series 1 rewards. Series 1 of Forza Horizon 5's Festival Playlist has a total of 247 points across all Seasons. The Series rewards include:
  • 2021 Mercedes-AMG One for 120 Playlist Points: This is a Legendary Rarity car, and the cover car for Forza Horizon 5
  • 1993 McLaren F1 for 180 Playlist Points: This is a Legendary Rarity car, and is quite hard to find in Forza Horizon 5
• Monthly Events. There is one Monthly Event.
  • Horizon Mexico Circuit: Beat the Rivals challenge at Horizon Mexico Circuit. Rewards four Playlist Points.

Summer "Wet Season" (Nov. 11-17, 2021)

This is the Summer Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 1 Festival Playlist, which was available from Nov. 11 until Nov. 17, 2021.

• Season rewards. The Summer Season of Series 1 has a total of 64 Playlist Points across all challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 1982 DMC DeLorean "DMC-12" for 26 Playlist Points: This is a Legendary Rarity car, and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera for 46 Playlist Points: This is an Epic Rarity car, and is valuable in Forza Horizon 5
• Weekly Challenge. "A True Super GT"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 81 Forzathon Points.
  • Chapter 1: Own and drive the 2017 Nissan GT-R
  • Chapter 2: Drive the 2017 Nissan GT-R for a combined 13.5 miles
  • Chapter 3: Earn a total of six Stars from any Danger Sign PR Stunts in the 2017 Nissan GT-R
  • Chapter 4: Earn two Awesome Drifting Skills during any Road Racing Event in the 2017 Nissan GT-R
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points each.
  • Challenge 1: Drive above 250mph for five uninterrupted seconds in any car
  • Challenge 2: Jump a distance of 1,500 feet in any car
  • Challenge 3: Complete any Showcase Event
  • Challenge 4: Complete a game of The Eliminator
  • Challenge 5: Post a clean lap on any Rivals Event
  • Challenge 6: Earn a total of nine Stars from any Trailblazer PR Stunts
  • Challenge 7: Smash 25 items in 30 seconds or less
• Season Events. There are 10 Season Events.
  • Horizon Arcade: Complete any Horizon Arcade event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Making a Splash: Complete The Trial challenge in a B-Class Pickup & 4x4 vehicle. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 2013 Mini X-Raid All4 Racing Countryman
  • No Rain, No Gain: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games challenge in a B-Class Modern Rally vehicle. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the "Quick Draw" emote
  • Cordillera: Complete the Cordillera Speed Zone challenge in an A-Class BMW vehicle. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Letting Off Steam: Complete the Seasonal Championship challenge in an A-Class Modern Sports Car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the "Steam Boat" car horn
  • It's Rainin' Sideways: Complete the Seasonal Championship challenge in a B-Class Classic Muscle vehicle. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 1965 Hoonigan Ford Mustang Gymkhana 10 "Hoonicorn"
  • Runway: Complete the Runway Danger Sign challenge in an S1-Class Retro Sports Car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Hillside: Complete the Hillside Drift Zone challenge in an S1-Class Drift Car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • New Kid on the Block: Complete the Seasonal Championship challenge in an A-Class Super Hot Hatch. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2019 Hyundai Veloster N
  • Co-op Championships: Complete any Horizon Tour Event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
• Challenges. There are five Challenges.
  • New Heights: Locate the Treasure Chest hidden outside of Mulegé. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and 50,000 Credits
  • #NewDigs!: Photograph any vehicle outside the Casa Bella Player House. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Welcome to Mexico!" Forza LINK message
  • Gotta Go Fast: Reach 140mph in any Horizon Open Racing Event. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and 25,000 Credits
  • Welcome to Mexico!: Smash 100 cacti. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the "Gotta smash 'em all!" Forza LINK message
  • Battle Royale: Finish 30th or higher in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "This isn't even my final form" Forza LINK message
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop is not open for Summer of Series 1

Autumn "Storm Season" (Nov. 18-24, 2021)

This is the Autumn Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 1 Festival Playlist, which was available from Nov. 18 until Nov. 24, 2021.

• Season rewards. The Autumn Season of Series 1 has a total of 61 Playlist Points across all challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 1984 Honda Civic CRX Mugen for 22 Playlist Points: This is an Epic Rarity car, and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 2015 Radical RXC Turbo for 42 Playlist Points: This is an Epic Rarity car, and is hard to find in Forza Horizon 5
• Weekly Challenge. "Baja Bug"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Chapter 1: Own and drive the 1969 Volkswagen Class 5/1600 Baja Bug
  • Chapter 2: Earn 500,000 Skill Score with the 1969 Volkswagen Class 5/1600 Baja Bug
  • Chapter 3: Win any three Cross Country Events with the 1969 Volkswagen Class 5/1600 Baja Bug
  • Chapter 4: Earn a total of 12 Stars from any Trailblazer PR Stunts with the 1969 Volkswagen Class 5/1600 Baja Bug
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Challenge 1: Buy any car from the Auction House
  • Challenge 2: Earn three Stars at any Speed Trap PR Stunt in a Classic Racer vehicle
  • Challenge 3: Earn 12 Clean Racing Skills from Road Race Events
  • Challenge 4: Jump a distance of 1,000 feet in any car
  • Challenge 5: Win any Street Race Event in a Vans & Utility vehicle
  • Challenge 6: Complete any Expedition
  • Challenge 7: Complete any Horizon Story chapter
• Season Events. There are 11 Season Events.
  • Horizon Arcade: Complete any Horizon Arcade event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Going Down a Storm: Complete The Trial challenge. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 2010 Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SV
  • RabidMrNoodle Presents: Complete the EventLab "The Gauntlet of Fun" challenge. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the "Windows Tada" car horn
  • The Thunderdome: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games challenge with an up to B-Class Rod and Custom vehicle. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Drag Strip: Complete the Drag Strip Speed Trap challenge with an S2-Class Ferrari. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • When It Rains, It Pours: Complete the Seasonal Championship challenge with an A-Class Modern Sports Car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 50,000 Credits
  • Pick Up the Pace: Complete the Seasonal Championship challenge with a B-Class Pickup & 4x4 vehicle. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2019 Ford Ranger Raptor
  • Mountain Top: Complete the Mountain Top Danger Sign challenge with an A-Class Classic Muscle vehicle. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Río Fuerte: Complete the Río Fuerte Speed Zone challenge with an S1-Class Modern Supercar vehicle. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Four on the Floor: Complete the Seasonal Championship challenge with an up to S1-Class Sports Utility Hero vehicle. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2015 BMW X6 M
  • Co-op Championships: Complete any Horizon Tour Event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
• Challenges. There are three Challenges.
  • #SleepingGiant: Photograph any Modern Rally vehicle at La Gran Caldera volcano. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Sleepy" emote
  • Rightful Heir: Steal a crown in Horizon Open Playground Games. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and 25,000 Credits
  • Battle Royale: FInish 30th or better in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Mexican Hat Dance" car horn
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 2017 Koenigsegg Agera RS 2017 for 600 Forzathon Points
  • Sea of Thieves Theme Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Spaik Short Sleeved Shirt Jacket for 75 Forzathon Points
  • 2016 Honda Civic Coupe for 400 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 300 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 80 Forzathon Points

Winter "Dry Season" (Nov. 25-Dec. 1, 2021)

This is the Winter Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 1 Festival Playlist, which was available from Nov. 25 until Dec. 1, 2021.

• Season rewards. The Winter Season of Series 1 has a total of 61 Playlist Points across all challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2018 Italdesign Zerouno for 22 Playlist Points: This is a Legendary Rarity car, and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STI for 42 Playlist Points: This is a Legendary Rarity car, and is hard to find in Forza Horizon 5
• Weekly Challenge. The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Chapter 1: Own and drive the 2019 Porsche 911 Carrera S
  • Chapter 2: Earn nine Stars in total from any Speed Trap PR Stunts with the 2019 Porsche 911 Carrera S
  • Chapter 3: Take a picture of the 2019 Porsche 911 Carrera S
  • Chapter 4: Drive for a total of 15 miles with the 2019 Porsche 911 Carrera S
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Rewards1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points each.
  • Challenge 1: Earn three Clean Racing Skills in a Dirt Race Event
  • Challenge 2: Earn a total of six Stars from any Trailblazer PR Stunts
  • Challenge 3: Smash 20 Solar Panels in 30 seconds or less
  • Challenge 4: Win any Street Race event in a Modern Supercar
  • Challenge 5: Complete any Horizon Tour event
  • Challenge 6: Win any Drag Race event in a Retro Muscle vehicle
  • Challenge 7: Buy any three cars
• Season Events. There are 11 Season Events.
  • Horizon Arcade: Complete any Horizon Arcade Event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • A Fine Tradition: Complete The Trial challenge in any Collector's Series car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 1969 Ferrari Dino 246 GT
  • Pickerchu Presents: Complete the Eventlab "Domination Mode" challenge in an A-Class USA car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the "Referee Whistle" car horn
  • Black Friday Bonanza: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games challenge in an A-Class Unlimited Offroad car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the "Thumbs Up" emote
  • Pyramid of the Moon: Complete the Pyramid of the Moon Speed Zone challenge in an S2-Class Porsche. Rewards two Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • No Expense Spared: Complete the Seasonal Championship challenge in an S1-Class High Roller car. Rewards five Playlist Points and the 2005 Ford GT
  • The Real Deal: Complete the Seasonal Championship challenge in a C-Class Reasonably Priced car. Rewards five Playlist Points and the 2016 Pagani Huayra BC
  • Calle Principal: Complete the Calle Principal Speed Trap challenge in an S1-Class Retro Muscle car. Rewards two Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Canyon Run: Complete the Canyon Run Trailblazer challenge in an A-Class Unlimited Offroad car. Rewards two Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Midnight Battle: Complete the Seasonal Championship challenge in an A-Class Super Hot Hatch. Rewards five Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Co-op Championships: Complete any Horizon Tour Event. Rewards three Playlist Points
• Challenges. There are three Challenges.
  • #TwilightSaga: Photograph any vehicle at night. Rewards the "Clock Tower" car horn
  • Prepare for Elimination: Eliminate two or more opponents in a single game of The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and 25,000 Credits
  • Battle Royale: Finish 30th or higher in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Welcome to The Eliminator" Forza LINK message
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 2012 Hennessey Venom GT for 600 Forzathon Points
  • DOOM E1M1 High Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • 1970 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 for 400 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 80 Forzathon Points
  • Light Blue Hight Tops for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 300 Forzathon Points

Spring "Hot Season" (Dec. 2-8, 2021)

This is the Spring Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 1 Festival Playlist, which was available from Dec. 2 until Dec. 8, 2021.

• Season rewards. The Spring Season of Series 1 has a total of 61 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2019 Raesr Tachyon Speed for 24 Playlist Points: This is an Epic Rarity car, and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 1985 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex for 44 Playlist Points: This is an Epic Rarity car, and is hard to find in Forza Horizon 5
• Weekly Challenge. "New Benchmark"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Chapter 1: Own and drive the 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista
  • Chapter 2: Earn five Ultimate Speed Skills with the 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista
  • Chapter 3: Win any three Road Racing Events with the 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista
  • Chapter 4: Earn three Daredevil Skills with the 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Challenge 1: Purchase any three Car Mastery Perks
  • Challenge 2: Earn three Clean Racing Skills in any Cross Country Event
  • Challenge 3: Earn three Stars from any Speed Trap PR Stunt
  • Challenge 4: Drive a total of 10 miles in Road Racing Events
  • Challenge 5: Beat Round Three of any Horizon Arcade Event
  • Challenge 6: Drive above 150mph in any car for 15 seconds uninterrupted
  • Challenge 7: Earn three Stars from any Drift Zone PR Stunt
• Season Events. There are 10 Season Events.
  • Horizon Arcade: Complete any Horizon Arcade Event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Rite of Passage: Complete The Trial challenge in a D-Class to A-Class Classic Sports Car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 1967 Ferrari Spa 330 P4 #24
  • Party Time: Complete the Season Playground Games challenge in a D-Class to B-Class Retro Hot Hatch car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 1981 Ford Fiesta XR2
  • Avenida: Complete the Avenida Speed Trap challenge in an S1-Class Nissan car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Drop It Like It's Hot: Complete the Seasonal Championship challenge in an S1-Class Retro Supercar. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • High Noon: Complete the Seasonal Championship challenge in a D-Class to B-Class Retro Saloon car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2016 Jaguar F-TYPE Project 7
  • Los Jardines: Complete the Los Jardines Danger Sign challenge in an S1-Class GT Car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Orilla Del Río: Complete the Orilla Del Río Speed Zone challenge in an A-Class Modern Rally car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Holidays are Comin': Complete the Seasonal Championship challenge in a D-Class to A-Class Truck. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the "Jingle Bells" car horn
  • Co-op Championships: Complete any Horizon Tour Event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
• Challenges. There are four Challenges.
  • Hold Your Horses: Find the Treasure Chest (Clue: Earn 10 Stars from any PR Stunts in any Mustang car). Rewards 3 Playlist Points and 50,000 Credits
  • #ShoppingSpree: Photograph any Vans & Utility vehicle in Guanajuato. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Special Delivery!" Forza LINK message
  • Getting Sideways: Perform 5 Ultimate Drift Skills in Horizon Open Drifting Race Events. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and 25,000 Credits
  • Battle Royale: Finish 30th or better in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "La Cucaracha" car horn
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 1998 Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion for 600 Forzathon Points
  • "Beautiful Morning" Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • 2013 Audi R8 Coupé V10 plus 5.2 FSI Quattro for 400 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 80 Forzathon Points
  • "The Robot" Emote for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 300 Forzathon Points

Series 2 "Holiday Special" (Dec. 9, 2021-Jan. 5, 2022)

Series 2 of the Festival Playlist introduces a community-wide gifting event, in which all Gift Drops and Forzathon Shop gifts (available just for the duration of this series) contribute towards exclusive rewards, including a new car. The world also enjoys some unique holiday decorations and a new ice rink during this Series.

• Series 2 rewards. Series 2 of Forza Horizon 5's Festival Playlist has a total of 266 Playlist Points across all Seasons. The Series rewards include:
  • Gingerbread Outfit cosmetic item for 120 Playlist Points: This is a Legendary Outfit, and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 2019 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ for 200 Playlist Points: This is a Legendary car, and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
• Monthly Events.
  • Cathedral Circuit: Post a clean lap and complete the Horizon Rivals event. Rewards 4 Playlist Points
  • Horizon Secret Santa: Gift Forzathon Shop items or Gift Drops to other players with the community to reach the cumulative goal. Rewards the Santa Outfit cosmetic item and an exclusive, Legendary mystery car at two separate milestones

Summer "Wet Season" (Dec. 9-15, 2021)

This is the Summer Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 2 Festival Playlist, which was available from Dec. 9 until Dec. 15.

• Season rewards. The Summer Season of Series 2 has a total of 68 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2018 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S for 25 Playlist Points: This is an Epic rarity car, and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 1939 Maserati 8CTF for 45 Playlist Points: This is a Legendary rarity car, and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
• Weekly Challenge. "Future Classic"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Chuki: Own and drive the 1993 Nissan 240SX SE
  • Hayasa: Upgrade the 1993 Nissan 240SX SE and reach a top speed of at least 175mph
  • Dori: Earn 10 Ultimate Drift Skills with the 1993 Nissan 240SX SE
  • Hashiriya: Win 4 Street Race Events with the 1993 Nissan 240SX SE
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Break the Bank: Bank 250,000 Skill Points in any car
  • Triple Drop: Drive three different cars in a single game of The Eliminator
  • No Signal: Smash five Phonebooths in any car
  • Designed to Win: Win a Cross-Country Race Event in an Offroad car
  • Go Wild: Take a picture at the Horizon Wilds Outpost
  • Mixology: Complete three different Event Blueprints
  • In Three Minds: Buy any three cars
• Season Events. There are 11 Season Events.
  • Mini Games: Complete any Horizon Arcade theme. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Elf on the Shelf: Complete The Trial challenge in a B-Class Offroad car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the Elf Outfit cosmetic item
  • Bowling in the Deep: Complete the EventLab challenge by knocking down pins while racing to the finish in an A-Class Rally Monster car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Elf Hat cosmetic item
  • Ready, Set, Glow: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games in any A-Class car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air
  • Estadio: Complete the Speed Trap challenge in a B-Class Classic Muscle car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Toys Under the Tree: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an S1-Class Track Toy car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the Red Nose cosmetic item
  • Yule the Boss: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an S1-Class Ford Mustang car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302
  • Desert Dunes: Complete the Danger Sign challenge in an S1-Class Rally Monster car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Riviera Maya: Complete the Speed Zone challenge in an A-Class Rods and Customs car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Good Tidings We Bring: Complete the Seasonal Championship in a B-Class Modern Rally car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2017 Ford Fiesta #14 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing GRC
  • Co-Op Championships: Complete a Horizon Tour Championship. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
• Challenges. There are four Challenges.
  • Blazing Thunder: Find the Treasure Chest (Clue: Come as you are for a blazing trilogy across any trails). Rewards 3 Playlist Points and 50,000 Credits
  • #MerryLilLambo: Take a photo of the 1997 Lamborghini Diablo SV at the Mulegé Holiday Market. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Smile, you're on camera!" Forza Link message
  • Road Racer: Complete any Horizon Open Race Event. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and 25,000 Credits
  • Battle Royale: Finish 30th or better in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Last man standing!" Forza Link message
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 2015 Mercedes-Benz #24 Tankpool24 Racing Truck Forza Edition for 600 Forzathon Points
  • 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 for 200 Forzathon Points
  • 1992 Bugatti EB110 Super Sport for 400 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 80 Forzathon Points
  • 2020 Ford Performance Bronco R #2069 for 300 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 300 Forzathon Points

Autumn "Storm Season" (Dec. 16-22, 2021)

This is the Autumn Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 2 Festival Playlist, which was available from Dec. 16 until Dec. 22, 2021.

• Season rewards. The Autumn Season of Series 2 has a total of 65 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2015 Koenigsegg One:1 for 25 Playlist Points. This is a Legendary rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 2018 Exomotive Exocet Off-Road Forza Edition for 45 Playlist Points. This is a Forza Edition car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
• Weekly Challenge. "I Wanna Be a Rockstar"— The Weekly Challenge has 4 Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Super Star: Own and drive the 2016 RJ Anderson #37 Polaris RZR-Rockstar Energy Pro 2 Truck
  • Rugged Racer: Win two Cross-Country Circuit Race Events with the 2016 RJ Anderson #37 Polaris RZR-Rockstar Energy Pro 2 Truck
  • Like a Pro: Earn a total of 15 Stars from Danger Signs with the 2016 RJ Anderson #37 Polaris RZR-Rockstar Energy Pro 2 Truck
  • Trophy Truck: Win two Cross-Country Circuit Race Events with the 2016 RJ Anderson #37 Polaris RZR-Rockstar Energy Pro 2 Truck
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Points and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • That's an A Game: Beat three Rivals in A-Class Rivals Events
  • Flagman: Score a Flag in a Flag Rush Playground Game
  • Clean Fun: Earn three Clean Racing Skills in any Road Race Event
  • Lucky: Drive a Level 7 car in The Eliminator
  • All Hands on Deck: Win a Horizon Tour Championship
  • High Roller: Complete a Horizon Arcade Event driving any car worth more than 1 million Credits
  • Collateral Damage: Earn five Wreckage Skills within 20 seconds
• Season Events. There are 10 Season Events.
  • Mini Games: Complete a Horizon Arcade Event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Make It Rein: Complete The Trial challenge in an A-Class Super Saloon car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the Snowman Outfit cosmetic item
  • Snowball Fight: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games in a B-Class Unlimited Buggy car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 2011 Penhall "The Cholla"
  • Pyramid of the Sun: Complete the Speed Trap challenge in an S1-Class 2003 Audi RS 6. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Carol of the Bel Airs: Complete the Seasonal Championship in a B-Class 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the Holiday Sweater cosmetic item
  • Drivin' Home for Xmas: Complete the Seasonal Championship in any B-Class car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the "Merry Christmas!" Forza Link message
  • Cascadas: Complete the Danger Sign challenge in an A-Class Ford car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Costa Rocosa: Complete the Speed Zone challenge in an A-Class Unlimited Buggy car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Getting Hyped: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an S1-Class Hypercar. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2012 Lamborghini Aventador J
  • Co-op Championships: Complete a Horizon Tour Championship. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
• Challenges. There are five Challenges.
  • #HolidaySpirit: Take a photo of the 2002 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type-A at the Giant Holiday Tree in Guanajuato. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Sleigh Bells Car Horn
  • Dream Team: Deny five Flags in any Team Flag Rush Events. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and 25,000 Credits
  • Battle Royale: Finish 30th or better in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and 50,000 Credits
  • Frosty Friends: Smash 15 Snowmen. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Snowman Outfit cosmetic item
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 1987 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am GTA Forza Edition for 600 Forzathon Points
  • 2017 Porsche Panamera Turbo for 200 Forzathon Points
  • 2019 Hennessey VelociRaptor 6x6 for 400 Forzathon Points
  • 2015 Ferrari F12tdf for 300 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 80 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 300 Forzathon Points

Winter "Dry Season" (Dec. 23-29, 2021)

This is the Winter Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 2 Festival Playlist, which was available from Dec. 23 until Dec. 29, 2021.

• Season rewards. The Winter Season of Series 2 has a total of 65 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2011 Ferrari 599 GTO for 25 Playlist Points: This is an Epic rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 1971 Meyers Manx for 45 Playlist Points: This is a Forza Edition car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
• Weekly Challenge. "Game Changing"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Pininfarina Style: Own and drive the 2009 Ferrari 458 Italia
  • Limit Breaker: Maintain a speed over 200mph for at least 10 seconds with the 2009 Ferrari 458 Italia
  • True Grip: Earn 6 Stars from any Speed Zones in five minutes or less with the 2009 Ferrari 458 Italia
  • Go Go Go: Win two Road Circuit Race Events with the 2009 Ferrari 458 Italia
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Family Sport: Win any Road Race Event in a Super Saloon car
  • The Eliminator: Complete a game of The Eliminator
  • Air Force Three: Earn three Stars from any Danger Sign
  • Control Master: Drive above 100mph for at least 20 seconds in any car
  • Parking Ticket: Smash 25 Bikes in Guanajuato
  • Camper Convoy: Complete a Horizon Tour in the 1963 Volkswagen Type 2 De Luxe
  • Challenging: Complete any Challenge Card
• Season Events. There are 10 Season Events.
  • Mini Games: Complete a Horizon Arcade Event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Santamental Feelings: Complete The Trial challenge in a B-Class Retro Sports Car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 1995 Nissan NISMO GT-R LM
  • Jungle Bells: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games in a B-Class Classic Rally Car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle #34 Andretti Rallycross
  • Bulevar: Complete the Speed Trap challenge in an S1-Class 1997 Mazda RX-7. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Feliz Navidad: Complete the Seasonal Championship in a C-Class 1970's car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 1978 Hoonigan Ford Escort RS1800
  • Oh, Deer: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an A-Class Land Rover Range Rover car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the Reindeer Antlers cosmetic item
  • Basejump: Complete the Danger Sign challenge in a B-Class Retro Sports Car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Barranco: Complete the Trail Blazer challenge in an A-Class UTV car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • '20 Supra GR Championship: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an A-Class 2020 Toyota Supra GR. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the Toyota Race Suit cosmetic item
  • Co-op Championships: Complete a Horizon Tour Championship. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
• Challenges. There are five Challenges.
  • #SnowGiant: Take a photo of any car at the top of La Gran Caldera. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Ho Ho Ho!" Forza Link message
  • People Person: Eliminate five players in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and 25,000 Credits
  • Battle Royale: Finish 30th or better in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Happy Holidays!" Forza Link message
  • It's Raining Gifts!: Smash 25 present piles at Horizon Outposts. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the "Merry Christmas" Car Horn
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 2003 Nissan Fairlady Z Forza Edition for 600 Forzathon Points
  • "Ho Ho Ho" Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • "Deck the Halls" Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR for 300 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 80 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 300 Forzathon Points

Spring "Hot Season" (Dec. 30, 2021-Jan. 5, 2022)

This is the Spring Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 2 Festival Playlist, which was available from Dec. 30, 2021, until Jan. 5, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Spring Season of Series 2 has a total of 68 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder Performante LP570-4 for 25 Playlist Points. This is an Epic rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 1965 Peel Trident for 45 Playlist Points: This is a Rare rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
• Weekly Challenge. "The Cossie"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • 90's Icon: Own and drive the 1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth
  • RS is for Rallye Sport: Win three Dirt Trail Race Events with the 1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth
  • Hoon Again: Earn a total of 100,000 Skill Points with the 1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth
  • Wing Commander: Earn nine Stars in total from Danger Signs with the 1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Street Gentleman: Earn 12 Clean Racing Skills from any Street Race Events
  • Grand Touring: Complete a Horizon Tour in any GT car
  • Rubbish: Smash five Bins in 60 seconds or less
  • Ideal Make: Win a Street Race Event in a Rods and Customs car
  • Route One: Earn three Stars from any Trailblazer
  • Bunny Hopping: Earn 10 Air Skills within 30 seconds
  • Spotless Drive: Earn 12 Clean Racing Skills from any Dirt Race Events
• Season Events. There are 11 Season Events.
  • Mini Games: Complete a Horizon Arcade Event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Tis the Season to be Hooning: Complete The Trial challenge in an S1-Class Hoonigan car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 1994 Hoonigan Ford Escort RS Cosworth WRC "Cossie V2"
  • Upgrade 2 Exit: Collect chests and upgrade your 2017 Ford Focus RS. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the "Knock knock" Forza Link message
  • No Small Wonder: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games in a B-Class Volkswagen car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the "Dial Up Modem" Car Horn
  • Los Árboles: Complete the Speed Trap challenge in an A-Class 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Auld Lang Syne: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an A-Class 2010's car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2019 Aston Martin Vantage
  • Down for the Countdown: Complete the Seasonal Championship in a C-Class Pickups & 4x4's car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2014 Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG 6x6
  • Boardwalk: Complete the Danger Sign challenge in an A-Class Super Saloon car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Punto de Vista: Complete the Speed Zone challenge in a C-Class Pickups & 4x4's car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • New Beginnings: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an A-Class GT Car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2002 Ferrari 575M Maranello
  • Co-op Championships: Complete a Horizon Tour Championship. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
• Challenges. There are four Challenges.
  • Too Cool to Air: Find and smash the Treasure Chest (Clue: I hear 25 bells ringing in the air like it's 1957). Rewards 3 Playlist Points and 50,000 Credits
  • #UnPeelievable: Take a photo of the 1965 Peel Trident at Teotihuacán. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Air Guitar Emote
  • Driftacular: Complete any Horizon Open Drift Racing Event. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and 25,000 Credits
  • Battle Royale: Finish 30th or better in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Happy New Year!" Forza Link message
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 2011 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Forza Edition for 600 Forzathon Points
  • Santa Hat cosmetic item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • 1977 Ford Escort RS1800 MKII #5 for 300 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 80 Forzathon Points
  • Happy Snowman Head cosmetic item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 300 Forzathon Points

Series 3 "Happy New Year" (Jan. 6-Feb. 2, 2022)

Series 3 builds off of Series 2's holidays theme by celebrating the New Years, again with unique decorations and changes to the world. There are more exclusive cars added in this Festival Playlist as well, with unique challenges and Accolades attributed to them.

• Series TK rewards. Series 3 of Forza Horizon 5's Festival Playlist has a total of 266 Playlist Points across all Seasons. The Series rewards include:
  • 2016 Zenvo TS1 for 120 Playlist Points: This is a Legendary rarity car, and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 for 200 Playlist Points: This is an Epic rarity car, and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
• Monthly Events. There is one monthly event.
  • Plaza Circuit: Post a clean lap at the Rivals challenge. Rewards 4 Playlist Points

Summer "Wet Season" (Jan. 6-12, 2022)

This is the Summer Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 3 Festival Playlist, which was available from Jan. 6 until Jan. 12, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Summer Season of Series 3 has a total of 68 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2015 Ferrari 488 GTB for 25 Playlist Points: This is an Epic rarity car and is valuable
  • 2003 Toyota Celica SS-I for 45 Playlist Points: This is a Rare rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
• Weekly Challenge. "No Expense Spared"— The Weekly Challenge has 4 Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • One of 500: Own and drive the 2010 Lexus LFA
  • Best Speedometer Ever: Reach 200mph in the 2010 Lexus LFA
  • Apex is in the Name: Win two Road Circuit Race Events in the 2010 Lexus LFA
  • Ring Wraith: Drive 20 miles in the 2010 Lexus LFA
• Daily Challenges. There are 7 Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Check This Out!: Create and publish an Event Blueprint with EventLab
  • Short Story: Reach 140mph in any Horizon Story chapter
  • Seeing Double: Beat any ghost in Rivals
  • Audi Here: Complete Round 3 of any Horizon Arcade event in an Audi car
  • Next Level: Unlock a Car Mastery
  • Off to the Races: Win a Dirt Scramble Race Event in any S1-Class car
  • Open Road: Smash five traffic cones
• Season Events. There are 11 Season Events.
  • Mini Games: Complete any Horizon Arcade event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Winner Winner: Complete The Trial challenge in a B-Class Rare Classics car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 1961 Jaguar E-Type
  • Stunters' Paradise: Complete the Event Blueprint challenge in a B-Class Unlimited Offroad car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Soaked: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games event in an A-Class UTV car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the "I'm the best at games" Forza LINK phrase
  • Ringroad: Complete the Speed Zone challenge in a B-Class 1998 Toyota Supra RZ. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Come Rain or Shine: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an A-Class Unlimited Offroad car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2017 Ford Bronco #25 Ultra4 Racing "Brocky"
  • A Mini Adventure: Complete the Seasonal Championship in a B-Class Mini car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2018 Mini X-Raid John Cooper Works Buggy
  • Colina: Complete the Danger Sign challenge in a C-Class Rods and Customs car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Desert Descent: Complete the Trail Blazer challenge in an A-Class 2017 Ford Bronco #25 Ultra4 Racing "Brocky." Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Grand Gesture: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an S1-Class GT Car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2010 Maserati Gran Turismo S
  • Co-op Championships: Complete a Horizon Tour. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
• Challenges. There are 5 Challenges.
  • #HeardingCats: Photograph any Jaguar car at Farid Rueda's mural in Playa Azul. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Cat Meow" Forza LINK phrase
  • I'm Gonna Get Ya!: Infect another player in Infected or Survival Playground Games. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Mexican Traffic Light Car Horn
  • Battle Royale: Finish 30th or better in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points
  • Lights Out: Smash 25 solar panels. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and 25,000 Credits
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 2019 McLaren Speedtail for 700 Forzathon Points
  • Star27 Face Mask cosmetic item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • 2015 Alumi Craft Class 10 for 400 Forzathon Points
  • Jump On It Emote for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 80 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 300 Forzathon Points

Autumn "Storm Season" (Jan. 13-19, 2022)

This is the Autumn Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 3 Festival Playlist, which was available from Jan. 13 until Jan. 19.

• Season rewards. The Autumn Season of Series 3 has a total of 65 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2013 Donkervoort D8 GTO for 25 Playlist Points. This is an Epic rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser Arctic Trucks AT37 for 45 Playlist Points. This is a Rare rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
• Weekly Challenge. "Blower Bentley"— The Weekly Challenge has 4 Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Boys Own: Own and drive the 1930 Bentley 1-1/2 Litre Supercharged
  • Break the Record: Earn a total of 9 Stars at Speed Zones in the 1930 Bentley 1-1/2 Litre Supercharged
  • Sweet Taste: Win three Road Racing Events in the 1930 Bentley 1-1/2 Litre Supercharged
  • Secret Agent: Drive 100 miles in the 1930 Bentley 1-1/2 Litre Supercharged
• Daily Challenges. There are 7 Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Getting Started: Drive 10 miles in Horizon Tour events
  • Playception: Complete any Festival Playlist activity
  • Rawrsome: Win two Road Racing Events in any Jaguar car
  • Ultimate Talent: Earn and bank an Ultimate Skill Chain
  • Waterways: Take a picture at Sierra Water Dam
  • Taking Stock: Spend 50,000 Credits on car upgrades
  • Lightning Speeds: Reach 100mph in any Expedition
• Season Events. There are 10 Season Events.
  • Mini Games: Complete any Horizon Arcade event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Baja California: Complete The Trial challenge in an A-Class Unlimited Offroad car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Temple Runner: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games event in a B-Class Retro Rally car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 1999 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI GSR
  • Swamplands: Complete the Speed Trap challenge in an A-Class 1987 Ferrari F40. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Welcome to the Jungle: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an A-Class 2016 Jeep Trailcat. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the Tiger Roar Car Horn
  • Underground, Overground: Complete the Seasonal Championship in a B-Class Hot Hatch car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2011 Volkswagen Scirocco R
  • Eagle's Perch: Complete the Danger Sign challenge in a B-Class Mitsubishi car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Watersplash: Complete the Speed Zone challenge in a B-Class Classic Rally car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Calm Before the Storm: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an S2-Class Extreme Track Toys car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2013 Ariel Atom 500 V8
  • Co-op Championships: Complete a Horizon Tour event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
• Challenges. There are 4 Challenges.
  • Lucky Skills: Complete the Treasure Hunt (Clue: Cause a wreck in the 2017 Nissan GT-R, with the number of tries matching the generation). Rewards 3 Playlist Points and 50,000 Credits
  • #Purfect: Take a photograph of the 1999 Ford Racing Puma in La Selva. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "I'm in the zone!" Forza LINK phrase
  • Clean Up Nicely: Earn three Clean Racing Skills in Horizon Open Racing Events. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the White Skinny Jeans Vanity Item
  • Battle Royale: Finish 30th or better in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Gong Car Horn
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 2008 Koenigsegg CCGT for 600 Forzathon Points
  • Red Round Shades Vanity Item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • 1994 Ford Supervan 3 for 400 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 80 Forzathon Points
  • Wah Wah Wah Wahhh Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 300 Forzathon Points

Winter "Dry Season" (Jan. 20-26, 2022)

This is the Winter Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 3 Festival Playlist, which was available from Jan. 20 until Jan. 26, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Winter Season of Series 3 has a total of 65 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2003 Porsche Carrera GT for 25 Playlist Points: This is an Epic rarity car and is valuable
  • 2014 Toyota Hilux Arctic Trucks AT38: This is a Rare rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
• Weekly Challenge. "Ultimate Offroader"— The Weekly Challenge has 4 Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Safari Concept: Own and drive the 2016 Jeep Trailcat
  • Hellcat Power: Win three Dirt Trail Race Events in the 2016 Jeep Trailcat
  • Natural Instincts: Earn 15 Air Skills in the 2016 Jeep Trailcat
  • Treacherous Terrain: Win three Cross-Country Race Events in the 2016 Jeep Trailcat
• Daily Challenges. There are 7 Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Dry Run: Reach 140mph in any Dirt Racing Event
  • Plot Twist: Earn five Drift Skills in any Horizon Story chapter
  • Taco This: Smash a taco cart
  • In Reverse: Complete a Drift Theme Horizon Arcade event in any Drift car
  • Hyper Equipment: Win a Road Race Event in a Hypercar
  • Play by the Rules: Play an Event Blueprint created by another player
  • A Little Something: Send a Gift Drop to another player
• Season Events. There are 10 Season Events.
  • Mini Games: Complete any Horizon Arcade event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Grand Finale: Complete The Trial challenge in an S1-Class Classic Racers car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Cat and Mouse: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games event in an A-Class car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 1983 GMC Vandura G-1500
  • Bypass: Complete the Speed Trap challenge in any S2-Class car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Cross-Country Skiing: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an A-Class Unlimited Buggies car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2016 Ariel Nomad
  • Athletes: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an S2-Class car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the Classic Running Man Emote
  • La Cruz: Complete the Danger Sign challenge in an A-Class 2016 Bentley Bentayga. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Over the Dune: Complete the Trail Blazer challenge in an A-Class 2017 Ford Bronco #25 Ultra4 Racing "Brocky." Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Speed Skating: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an S1-Class Super Saloon car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2012 BMW M5
  • Co-op Championships: Complete a Horizon Tour event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
• Challenges. There are 4 Challenges.
  • #BigCityLights: Photograph Guanajuato at night. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Action!!!" Forza LINK phrase
  • Third Time Lucky: Score three Car Drops in one game of The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Kinda sus" Forza LINK phrase
  • Battle Royale: Finish 30th or better in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "I have the high ground" Forza LINK phrase
  • Light the Beacons!: Smash 50 floating Chinese lanterns in the Dunas Blancas. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the "Eat my dust!" Forza LINK phrase
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 2018 Bugatti Chiron for 700 Forzathon Points
  • Pink Blazer Vanity Item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon for 400 Forzathon Points
  • Pop 'n' Lock Emote for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 80 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 300 Forzathon Points

Spring "Hot Season" (Jan. 27-Feb. 2, 2022)

This is the Spring Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 3 Festival Playlist, which was available from Jan. 27 until Feb. 2, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Spring Season of Series 3 has a total of 68 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2015 Jaguar XKR-S for 25 Playlist Points. This is an Epic rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 1989 Lotus Carlton for 45 Playlist Points. This is a Rare rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
• Weekly Challenge. "Mid-Engine Madness"— The Weekly Challenge has 4 Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Garden Gate: Own and drive the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray Coupé
  • Racing Heritage: Win two Road Racing Events in the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray Coupé
  • Jet Fighter Inspo: Earn 10 Ultimate Air Skills in the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray Coupé
  • Sting in the Tail: Reach 194mph in the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray Coupé
• Daily Challenges. There are 7 Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • On Board: Earn a Skillboard Skill by smashing any billboard
  • Made for This: Win any Cross-Country Race Event in a Rally Monster car
  • Challenge Accepted: Complete a Challenge Card in free roam
  • Rock Out: Take a picture at Valle De Las Ranas
  • Sandwich: Smash three picnic tables
  • Fresh Air: Earn three Air Skills during Cross-Country Race Events
  • Organized Chaos: Complete a Chaos Theme Horizon Arcade event
• Season Events. There are 11 Season Events.
  • Mini Games: Complete any Horizon Arcade event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Eye of the Tiger: Complete The Trial challenge in any S1-Class car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and Horizon Exclusive Pencil Dress Vanity Item
  • Airfield UTV Cup: Complete the Event Blueprint challenge in a UTV car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Halo Shield Recharge Car Horn
  • Spring Festival Gala: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games event in an A-Class Unlimited Offroad car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 2004 Nissan Pickup #23 Rally Raid
  • Escarpment: Complete the Speed Trap challenge in a B-Class 2014 Volkswagen Golf R. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Hear Me Roar: Complete the Seasonal Championship in a B-Class Retro Muscle car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 1987 Buick Regal GNX
  • Battle of the Big Cats: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an A-Class Jaguar car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2015 Jaguar XE-S
  • Hotel: Complete the Danger Sign challenge in an A-Class Unlimited Offroad car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • La Subida: Complete the Speed Zone challenge in a D-Class Buggies car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Earn Your Stripes: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an S1-Class Modern Sports Car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the Purple Stripe Knee High Socks cosmetic item
  • Co-op Championships: Complete a Horizon Tour event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
• Challenges. There are 4 Challenges.
  • High Five: Complete the Treasure Hunt (Clue: You'll need to get "defenderously" high to prove you're five-star rated). Rewards 3 Playlist Points and 50,000 Credits
  • #PartyTillDawn: Photograph any car at Horizon Mexico. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Fireworks Car Horn
  • Spoilt for Choice: Win any Horizon Open Event. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Battle Royale: Finish 30th or better in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Raúl Urias Cap cosmetic item
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 2019 Aston Martin Valhalla Concept Car for 600 Forzathon Points
  • 2018 McLaren 600LT Coupé for 400 Forzathon Points
  • Gold Leather Boots Vanity Item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Duck Quack Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 80 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 300 Forzathon Points

Series 4 "Horizon World Cup" (Feb. 3-March 2, 2022)

Forza Horizon 5 Series 4 is all about the Horizon World Cup, a community-wide event that pits fans of different country's cars against each other. Pick your favorite cars from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, and then participate in The Trials, Playground Games, and Seasonal Championships throughout the Festival Playlist to add points to your country of choice. The winning country will reward all FH5 players. Series 4 is all about racing.

• Series 4 rewards. Series 4 of Forza Horizon 5's Festival Playlist has a total of 219 Playlist Points across all Seasons. The Series rewards include:
  • 2004 Saleen S7 for 100 Playlist Points. This an Epic Rarity car that is hard to find
  • 2020 Koenigsegg Jesko for 160 Playlist Points. This is a Legendary Rarity car that is hard to find
• Monthly Events. There is one monthly event.
  • Estadio Circuit: Beat the Rivals challenge at Estadio Circuit. Rewards 4 Playlist Points

Summer "Wet Season" (Feb. 3-9, 2022)

This is the Summer Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 4 Festival Playlist, which was available from Feb. 3 until Feb. 9, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Summer Season of Series 4 has a total of 54 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2016 NIO EP9 for 25 Playlist Points. This is a Legendary Rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 1965 Hoonigan Ford Mustang Gymkhana 10 "Hoonicorn" for 40 Playlist Points. This is an Epic Rarity car and is hard to find
• Weekly Challenge. "Triathlon of Racing"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Take Your Pick: Own and drive any car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States
  • Stage 1 Road Racing: With your chosen car, win a Road Circuit Race Event
  • Stage 2 Dirt Racing: With your chosen car, win a Dirt Scramble Race Event
  • Stage 3 Cross Country: With your chosen car, win any Cross Country Race Event
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Put On a Show: Win a Showcase Event. Hint: Win the Showcase Remix Event featured in the Festival Playlist
  • That was Intensa: Reach 200mph or more in the 2018 Apollo Intensa Emozione
  • Elite Athlete: Drive a Level 4 car in The Eliminator
  • Pass, Shoot, Score: Score three flags in Flag Rush or Team Flag Rush Playground Games
  • Push-State: Win 2 Road Circuit Race Events in any Volkswagen car
  • Crafted for Greatness: Earn a total of 5 Stars from Trailblazer PR Stunts in any Alumi Craft car
  • Doesn't Ring a Bell: Smash a football. Hint: Head to El Estadio
• Season Events. There are seven Season Events.
  • Just Warming Up: Complete The Trial challenge in a C-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400
  • Temple of Doom 2 Circuit: Complete the EventLab Event in a B-Class Modern Rally car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 1995 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1
  • Opening Ceremony: Win the Showcase Remix Event. Rewards the Announcer Countdown Car Horn
  • Ahead of the Game: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games Event in a C-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 2018 Land Rover Range Rover Velar First Edition
  • Off Track: Win the Seasonal Championship Event in a C-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2008 Renault Mégane R26.R
  • Sky's the Limit: Win the Seasonal Championship Event in a C-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 1993 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec
  • Turbo Charged: Win the Seasonal Championship Event in a C-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2019 Porsche Macan Turbo
• Challenges. There is one Challenge.
  • #CountrySports: Photograph the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Super Sport Coupé at the Tierra Prospera fields
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 2019 Zenvo TSR-S for 600 Forzathon Points
  • 2002 Koenigsegg CC8S for 400 Forzathon Points
  • Macarena Emote for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Countdown Timer Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 80 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 300 Forzathon Points

Autumn "Storm Season" (Feb. 10-16, 2022)

This is the Autumn Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 4 Festival Playlist, which was available from Feb. 10 until Feb. 16, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Autumn Season of Series 4 has a total of 54 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2013 Wuling Sunshine S for 25 Playlist Points. This is a Rare Rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 2019 Rimac Concept Two for 40 Playlist Points. This is a Legendary Rarity car and is valuable
• Weekly Challenge. "Country Rivals: USA vs. Germany"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • We Don't Need Roads: Own and drive any car from Germany or the United States made before 2010
  • Face the Competition: With your chosen car, win a Cross Country Circuit Race Event
  • Go, Go, Go!: With your chosen car, earn 3 Stars at any Trailblazer PR Stunt
  • Crash and Dash: With your chosen car, earn five Crash Landing Skill Combos
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Catch!: Infect another player in Infected or Survival Playground Games
  • Teamwork: Complete two Horizon Tour drives
  • Speed Run: Earn 10 Speed Skills in the 2018 DeBerti Design Ford F-150 Prerunner
  • C You Later: Win a Cross Country Race Event in a C-Class car
  • Rise to the Challenge: Complete any Challenge Card
  • The Very Best: Beat an S2-Class Rival
  • To Infinity!: Earn 3 Stars at a Danger Sign PR Stunt in any Infiniti car
• Season Events. There are six Season Events.
  • Mini Games: Complete any Horizon Arcade Event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Full Speed Ahead: Complete The Trial Event in a B-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 2013 Caterham Superlight R500
  • Contact Sport: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games Event in a B-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 2016 BMW M2 Coupé
  • Super Sonic: Complete the Seasonal Championship Event in a B-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2007 Peugeot 207 Super 2000
  • Home Street Home: Complete the Seasonal Championship Event in a B-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2018 Honda Civic Type R
  • The Big Leagues: Complete the Seasonal Championship Event in a B-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2019 Lamborghini Urus
• Challenges. There are three Challenges.
  • #FastTrack: Photograph the 2017 Ferrari 812 Superfast racing on the Horizon Mexico Road Circuit. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Applause Car Horn
  • Good Sport: Earn 5 Clean Start Skills in Horizon Open Racing Events. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "World's Fastest!" Forza LINK message
  • Two-Wheel Challenger: Smash 10 bicycles. Hint: Go to Guanajuato. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 1987 Porsche 959 for 600 Forzathon Points
  • 2016 RJ Anderson #37 Polaris RZR-Rockstar Energy Pro 2 Truck for 400 Forzathon Points
  • Spaik Crew Socks Vanity Item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Goalll Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 80 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 300 Forzathon Points

Winter "Dry Season" (Feb. 17-23, 2022)

This is the Winter Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 4 Festival Playlist, which was available from Feb. 17 until Feb. 23, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Winter Season of Series 4 has a total of 54 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2012 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 for 25 Playlist Points. This is an Epic Rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 1993 Jaguar XJ220 for 40 Playlist Points. This is a Legendary Rarity car and is hard to find
• Weekly Challenge. "Country Rivals: Italy vs. France"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • We Do Need Roads: Own and drive any car from Italy or France
  • Straight to the Point: In your chosen car, win a Road Sprint Race Event
  • Silenzio Bruno!: In your chosen car, earn a total of 5 Stars from Danger Sign PR Stunts
  • Unstoppable: In your chosen car, earn 5 Ultimate Speed Skills
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Participation Cup: Drive 5 miles in Horizon Open Events
  • Take a Brake: Paint your car's brake calipers
  • Winter as in Ice: Earn 5 Drift Skills at the top of La Gran Caldera
  • Heated Tournament: Win a Dirt Race Event in any Super Hot Hatch car
  • Front Runner: Earn a total of 8 Stars from Speed Zone PR Stunts in the 1971 Lotus Elan Sprint
  • Horizon Mascot: Smash five piñatas during a Horizon Arcade Wreckage Theme Event
  • Winning Streak: Eliminate three opponents in The Eliminator
• Season Events. There are six Season Events.
  • Full Throttle: Win The Trial Event in an A-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 1992 Bugatti EB110 Super Sport
  • Mulegé Hillclimb: Complete the EventLab Event in an S1-Class Rally Monster car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 2015 McLaren 570S Coupé
  • Play It Cool: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games Event in an A-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 2014 Lamborghini Huracán LP610-4
  • All Star Style: Win the Seasonal Championship Event in an A-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards the 2017 Ford GT
  • Going for Gold: Win the Seasonal Championship Event in an A-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 1998 Nissan R390 (GT1)
  • Running Cool: Win the Seasonal Championship Event in an A-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
• Challenges. There are three Challenges.
  • On Target: Find the Treasure Chest (Clue: Look! Rallying beasts chasing five bulls!). Hint: Participate in Horizon Arcade Air Theme Events while driving any Rally Monster car and hit the Bullseyes, or use an EventLab that features Bullseyes. You can read more in our Forza Horizon 5 challenges guide. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and 50,000 Credits
  • #AheadoftheGame: Photograph the 2018 Land Rover Range Rover Velar First Edition at the Baja Circuit. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Banjo-Kazooie Spiral Mountain Part Two Car Horn
  • Battle Royale: Finish 30th or better in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Are you not entertained?" Forza LINK message
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 2012 Ferrari 599XX Evolution for 600 Forzathon Points
  • 2011 Bugatti Veyron Super Sport for 400 Forzathon Points
  • Blue Stripe Casual Shirt Vanity Item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Halo Theme Part 2 Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 80 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 300 Forzathon Points

Spring "Hot Season" (Feb. 24-March 2, 2022)

This is the Spring Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 4 Festival Playlist, which was available from Feb. 24 until March 2, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Spring Season of Series 4 has a total of 57 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2015 MG MG3 for 25 Playlist Points. This is a Rare Rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 2010 Pagani Zonda R for 40 Playlist Points. This is a Legendary Rarity car and is valuable
• Weekly Challenge. "Country Rivals: UK vs. Japan"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Start Your Engines: Own and drive any car from Japan or the United Kingdom made after 1999
  • Down to Dirt: In your chosen car, win a Dirt Race Event
  • Raise a Dust: In your chosen car, earn a total of 4 Stars from Drift Zone PR Stunts
  • People's Choice Award: In your chosen car, bank a total of 100,000 Skill Score
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Car Package: Send a Gift Drop to another player
  • Assemble: Earn 1,000 team score in Horizon Tour
  • Utility Player: Complete Round 1 of any Horizon Arcade Event in a Sport Utility Hero car
  • Hyperspeed: Earn a total of 9 Stars from Speed Trap PR Stunts in any Hypercar
  • Trial of Two Runs: Win two Dirt Trail Race Events
  • I See Pride! I See Power!: Earn 5 Showoff Skills in a Modern Muscle car
  • Hot Snacks: Smash 10 market stall carts. Hint: Go to Guanajuato. You can read more in our Forza Horizon 5 challenges guide
• Season Events. There are seven Season Events.
  • Mini Games: Complete any Horizon Arcade Event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Sprint to the Finish: Win The Trial Event in an S1-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder
  • Closing Ceremony: Complete the Showcase Remix Event. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2017 VUHL 05RR
  • Getting Hot in Here: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games challenge in an A-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Tape Rewind Car Horn
  • Thrillseekers: Win the Seasonal Championship Event in an S1-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2017 Ferrari 812 Superfast
  • Natural Selection: Win the Seasonal Championship Event in an S1-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 1985 Ford RS200 Evolution
  • Home and Away: Win the Seasonal Championship Event in an S1-Class car from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 1998 TVR Cerbera Speed 12
• Challenges. There are two Challenges.
  • Blind Sided: Find the Treasure Chest (Clue: There are two star-shaped Duanas and a Desert Flyer sibling). Hint: Earn 2 Stars at the Las Dunas Drift Zone PR Stunt in the 1989 Porsche 911 #65 Rothsport Racing "Desert Flyer." You can read more in our Forza Horizon 5 challenges guide. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and 50,000 Credits
  • #HighJump: Photograph any Buggy car at the Dunas Blancas. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Preparing for take-off" Forza LINK message
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 1985 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex for 600 Forzathon Points
  • 2013 Mini X-Raid All4 Racing Countryman for 400 Forzathon Points
  • Raúl Urias Pencil Dress Vanity Item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Windows Tada Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 80 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 300 Forzathon Points

Series 5 "Horizon Rush Takeover" (March 3-30, 2022)

Forza Horizon 5 Festival Playlist Series 5 falls under the "Horizon Rush Takeover" moniker, and is a game-wide celebration of PR Stunts and everything they entail. During this Festival Playlist, the Horizon Rush Festival Site dominates the map with new PR Stunts and challenges, a full stunt park installed in the stadium, new cars, and more.

• Series 5 rewards. Series 5 of Forza Horizon 5's Festival Playlist has a total of 208 Playlist Points across all Seasons. The Series rewards include:
  • 1965 Mini Cooper S Forza Edition for 80 Playlist Points. This is a Forza Edition car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 1970 Porsche 917 LH #3 for 160 Playlist Points. This is a "Legendary" rarity car and is valuable
• Monthly Events. There is one monthly event.
  • Lookout Circuit: Beat the Rivals challenge at Lookout Circuit. Rewards 4 Playlist Points

Summer "Wet Season" (March 3-9, 2022)

This is the Summer Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 5 Festival Playlist, which was available from March 3 until March 9, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Summer Season of Series 5 has a total of 53 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2018 KTM X-Bow GTR for 20 Playlist Points. This is an "Epic" rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 2009 Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster for 40 Playlist Points. This is a "Legendary" rarity car and is valuable
• Weekly Challenge. "Field Trip"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Water Can't Stop Me: Own and drive the 2013 Formula Drift Chevrolet Corvette #777. Hint: This challenge is currently bugged for many players. Read our Forza Horizon 5 challenges guide for potential workarounds and tips
  • A Way of Life: Earn a total of 6 Stars at Drift Zone PR Stunts with the 2013 Formula Drift Chevrolet Corvette #777
  • Drifting Season: Earn 10 Ultimate Drift or E-Drift Skills with the 2013 Formula Drift Chevrolet Corvette #777
  • 2 for 1: Earn 100,000 points or more at Drift Zone PR Stunts within two minutes with the 2013 Formula Drift Chevrolet Corvette #777
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Welcome!: Visit the Horizon Rush Festival Site
  • High Drive: Earn 6 Stars at any Danger Sign PR Stunts in an Aston Martin car
  • You Shore Can: Take a picture at the Salto de Río Danger Sign PR Stunt
  • I'm a Snake!: Earn scores totaling 300mph or more at Speed Zone PR Stunts in the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR
  • Speechless: Visit the Stadium Stunt Park at El Estadio
  • Take a Bow: Earn 3 Stars at Speed Trap PR Stunts in the 2018 KTM X-Bow GTR
  • Tippy Taps: Earn 5 Air Skills at the Stadium Stunt Park in any Buggy car
• Season Events. There are nine Season Events.
  • Mini Games: Complete any Horizon Arcade Theme. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Ready, Set Focus: Complete The Trial Event in a B-Class Ford Focus car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 2016 Hoonigan Ford Focus RS Gymkhana 10 RX
  • Metal Bird: Complete the Danger Sign PR Stunt challenge in an S1-Class Hypercar. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4
  • Desierto Viviente: Complete the Speed Zone PR Stunt challenge in a B-Class Classic Rally car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the 1991 Hoonigan Ford Escort Cosworth Gymkhana 10 Group A
  • River Rapids: Complete the Trailblazer PR Stunt challenge in an A-Class Unlimited Buggy car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • East Resort: Complete the Speed Trap PR Stunt challenge in the 2018 KTM X-Bow GTR. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the 2013 Formula Drift Chevrolet Corvette #777
  • Giro Encorvado: Complete the Drift Zone PR Stunt challenge in the 2019 DeBerti Design Toyota Tacoma TRD "The Performance Truck." Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Party Animal: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an S1-Class Jaguar. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2019 McLaren 720S Spider
  • Horizon Parade: Complete the Seasonal Special in the Horizon Rush Parade Float. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the Green Piñata Outfit Vanity Item
• Challenges. There are two Challenges.
  • #PrtaaayTime: Photograph any Track Toys car at the Horizon Rush Festival Site mainstage area. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Horizon Rush Tee Vanity Item
  • Battle Royale: Finish 30th or better in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Quick Draw Emote
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 1997 Lotus Elise GT1 for 650 Forzathon Points
  • 2019 DeBerti Design Toyota Tacoma TRD "The Performance Truck" for 400 Forzathon Points
  • Blue Polka Dot Summer Skirt Vanity Item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Parade Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 60 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 150 Forzathon Points

Autumn "Storm Season" (March 10-16, 2022)

This is the Autumn Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 5 Festival Playlist, which was available from March 10 until March 16, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Autumn Season of Series 5 has a total of 52 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2019 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro for 20 Playlist Points. This is a "Rare" rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 2014 Ferrari FXX K for 40 Playlist Points. This is a "Legendary" rarity car and is valuable
• Weekly Challenge. "Bubble Trouble"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Bubble Bath: Own and drive the 1957 BMW Isetta 300 Export
  • Micro Machine!: Reach 55mph at any Speed Trap PR Stunt with the 1957 BMW Isetta 300 Export
  • Multi-tasking: Earn 4 Stars at any type of PR Stunt with the 1957 BMW Isetta 300 Export
  • Small Wonder: Earn 2 Stars at Danger Sign PR Stunts with the 1957 BMW Isetta 300 Export
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • What a Treet: Take a photograph at the start gates of the Jungle Traversal Trailblazer PR Stunt
  • Drift Off: Earn 8 Drift Skills at the Stadium Stunt Park in any Formula Drift car
  • Perfection: Earn scores totaling 300mph or greater at Speed Trap PR Stunts in any Cult Classic car
  • Turkey: Earn 3 Strike Skills at the Stadium Stunt Park
  • Running Machine: Jump a total of 4,000 feet at Danger Sign PR Stunts in the 2019 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro
  • Air Time: Earn an Ultimate Air Skill at the Stadium Stunt Park
  • Animal Crossing: Earn 2 Stars from Trailblazer PR Stunts in any Mustang car
• Season Events. There are eight Season Events.
  • All Wheel Adventure: Complete The Trial Event in an A-Class Audi. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 2016 Audi R8 V10 plus
  • Escape: Complete the EventLab Event in an A-Class Super Utility Hero car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Green Piñata Head Vanity Item
  • Jeep Thrills: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games in an A-Class Jeep car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 1973 AMC Gremlin X
  • Pantano Pass: Complete the Speed Trap PR Stunt challenge in a C-Class Chevrolet car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Black Speed Trap Tee Vanity Item
  • Arbolada: Complete the Drift Zone PR Stunt challenge in an S1-Class Drift Car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the 2018 Ford Mustang RTR #88
  • San Juan Jump: Complete the Danger Sign PR Stunt challenge in an A-Class UTV car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Black Danger Sign Tee Vanity Item
  • Camino Del Cielo: Complete the Speed Zone PR Stunt challenge in an A-Class Rods and Customs car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Jungle Traversal: Complete the Trailblazer PR Stunt challenge in a B-Class Offroad car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
• Challenges. There are four Challenges.
  • Incey Wincey Spyder: Complete the Treasure Hunt challenge (Clue: See the stars by taking your spyder for a high jump, but beware of the river, we don't want to wash the spyder out!). Hint: Drive the 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder and jump the Salto de Río Danger Sign PR Stunt. You can read more in our Forza Horizon 5 challenges guide. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and 50,000 Credits
  • #WingIt: Photograph the 2019 Zenvo TSR-S at the Metal Bird Danger Sign PR Stunt. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "This is fine" Forza LINK message
  • Drift King: Earn 50 Drift Skills in Horizon Open Racing Events. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Driftacular!" Forza LINK message
  • Tank you!: Smash 10 Tank piñatas in Horizon Arcade Wreckage Theme or EventLab Events. Hint: Use the EventLab to complete this challenge quickly. You can read more in our Forza Horizon 5 challenges guide. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the "Tanks for the memories" Forza LINK message
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 2011 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento for 700 Forzathon Points
  • 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STI for 450 Forzathon Points
  • Silver Leather Boots Vanity Item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Confetti Cannon Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 60 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 150 Forzathon Points

Winter "Dry Season" (March 17-23, 2022)

This is the Winter Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 5 Festival Playlist, which was available from March 17 until March 23.

• Season rewards. The Winter Season of Series 5 has a total of 51 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2010 Noble M600 for 20 Playlist Points. This is an "Epic" rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupé for 40 Playlist Points. This is a "Legendary" rarity car and is valuable
• Weekly Challenge. "Offroad Revolution"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Living the Dream: Own and drive the 1986 Hoonigan Ford RS200 Evolution
  • The B's Knees: Earn 3 Stars at the La Subida Speed Zone PR Stunt with the 1986 Hoonigan Ford RS200 Evolution
  • History of Evolution: Bank 100,000 Skill Points with the 1986 Hoonigan Ford RS200 Evolution
  • I Can Fly!: Earn 6 Stars at Danger Sign PR Stunts with the 1986 Hoonigan Ford RS200 Evolution
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Numbers Game: Earn scores totaling one minute remaining at Trailblazer PR Stunts
  • Stunt Master: Bank 100,000 Skill Points at the Stadium Stunt Park
  • Running in the '90s: Earn a total of 200,000 points at Drift Zone PR Stunts in any car from the 1990s
  • Time Flies: Earn 6 Stars from PR Stunts in one minute
  • No Fear: Earn 4 Speed Skills at the Stadium Stunt Park
  • Coast is Clear: Take a photograph at the Tulum Speed Trap PR Stunt
  • A Noble Feat: Earn a score totaling 600mph at Speed Trap PR Stunts in the 2010 Noble M600
• Season Events. There are eight Season Events.
  • Blast from the Past!: Complete The Trial Event in a B-Class Retro Rally car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 1984 Opel Manta 400
  • Krazy Karts!: Complete the EventLab Event in an S1-Class Track Toy car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Orange Piñata Head Vanity Item
  • Ramas Saltarinas: Complete the Danger Sign PR Stunt challenge in an A-Class 1953 Morris Minor 1000. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the 1971 Meyers Manx
  • Airfield Speed Zone: Complete the Speed Zone PR Stunt challenge in an S1-Class 2010 Noble M600. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Black Speed Zone Tee Vanity Item
  • Festival Descend: Complete the Trailblazer PR Stunt challenge in a C-Class Pickups and 4x4s car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the 1986 Lamborghini LM 002
  • Horizon Baja Speed Trap: Complete the Speed Trap PR Stunt challenge in a B-Class Baja Truck car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Precipice: Complete the Drift Zone PR Stunt challenge in an S1-Class 2007 Formula Drift Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano #117. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • After Party: Complete the Seasonal Championship in an S2-Class car worth 2,000,000 Credits or more. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 1994 Ferrari F335 Berlinetta
• Challenges. There are three Challenges.
  • #StuntParadise: Photograph any Hoonigan at the Stadium Stunt Park. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Time to Hoon?" Forza LINK message
  • Battle Royale: Finish 30th or better in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Never tell me the odds!" Forza LINK message
  • Collectasaurus: Smash 15 Dinosaur Piñatas. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Orange Piñata Outfit Vanity Item. Hint: Use EventLab. You can read more in our Forza Horizon 5 challenges guide
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 1964 Jaguar Lightweight E-Type for 750 Forzathon Points
  • 2007 Formula Drift Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano #117 for 400 Forzathon Points
  • Tan Winter Boots Vanity Item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Minecraft Theme Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 60 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 150 Forzathon Points

Spring "Hot Season" (March 24-30, 2022)

This is the Spring Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 5 Festival Playlist, which was available from March 24 until March 30.

• Season rewards. The Spring Season of Series 5 has a total of 52 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2020 Nissan GT-R Nismo (R35) for 20 Playlist Points. This is an "Epic" rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 1984 Honda Civic CRX Mugen for 40 Playlist Points. This is an "Epic" rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
• Weekly Challenge. "Light as a Feather"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Fit for Purpose: Own and drive the 2010 Mosler MT900S
  • Mosler Tingle: Earn 10 Stars from Speed Trap PR Stunts with the 2010 Mosler MT900S
  • All-Rounder: Earn a score totaling 300mph from Speed Zone PR Stunts with the 2010 Mosler MT900S
  • Supercharged: Complete a Speed Trap and a Speed Zone PR Stunt within two minutes in the 2010 Mosler MT900S
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Muscle Power: Earn 6 Stars at Speed Trap PR Stunts in any Modern Muscle car
  • Stay on Target: Hit 10 bowling pins within 10 seconds at the Stadium Stunt Park with the 2020 Nissan GT-R Nismo (R35)
  • No Wings Required: Jump a total of 6,000 feet at Danger Sign PR Stunts
  • Hot Shot: Earn a score totaling 150mph at Speed Zone PR Stunts in any Hot Hatch car
  • Scenic Route: Take a photograph at the River Rapids Trailblazer PR Stunt start gates
  • Speedy Speed Boy: Earn 5 Stars at Speed Trap PR Stunts in any S2-Class car
  • Shining Star: Earn 10 Stars from PR Stunts within three minutes
• Season Events. There are nine Season Events.
  • Mini Games: Complete any Horizon Arcade Theme Event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Blooming Lovely: Complete The Trial Event in an A-Class Lotus car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 2016 Lotus 3-Eleven
  • Horizon Rush Touge-Style Circuit: Complete the EventLab Event in a B-Class car from Japan. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Black Drift Zone Tee Vanity Item
  • Jungle Boogie: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games in a B-Class Super Hot Hatch car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
  • Tulum: Complete the Speed Trap PR Stunt challenge in the S1-Class 2020 Nissan GT-R Nismo (R35). Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the 2016 Pagani Huayra BC Forza Edition
  • Punto Norte: Complete the Drift Zone PR Stunt challenge in an S1-Class Hoonigan car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Salto de Rio: Complete the Danger Sign PR Stunt challenge in an S1-Class Rally Monster car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Wheelspin
  • Trébol: Complete the Speed Zone PR Stunt challenge in an S1-Class open-top car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the 1926 Bugatti Type 35 C
  • Cruze de Granja: Complete the Trailblazer PR Stunt challenge in a B-Class Mini car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the White Trailblazer Finish Tee Vanity Item
• Challenges. There are three Challenges.
  • Acura Me Treasure!: Complete the Treasure Hunt challenge (Clue: Acura a clue by traveling fast to see new stars on the Horizon, a quick flash and you'll see). Hint: Earn 2 or more Stars at the Horizon Baja Speed Trap in an Acura car. You can read more in our Forza Horizon 5 challenges guide. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and 50,000 Credits
  • #ItsaTrap: Photograph the 1988 Mitsubishi Starion ESI-R at the Pantano Pass Speed Trap PR Stunt. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "It is the way!" Forza LINK message
  • You Shall Not Pass: Deny 3 or more flags in Team Flag Rush. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "I'm a games master" Forza LINK message
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 2013 McLaren P1 for 600 Forzathon Points
  • 2018 Porsche Macan LP Racing T1 Rally Raid for 450 Forzathon Points
  • Festival Sombrero Vanity Item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Welcome Spring for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 60 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 150 Forzathon Points

Series 6 "Horizon Customs" (March 31-April 27, 2022)

Series 6 of Forza Horizon 5 focused on community creations, with new highlights for EventLab Events, community photos used for Seasonal Championships, and a ton of Vanity Items celebrating the various ways in which the FH5 community can contribute to the game. This Festival Playlist also introduced the first brand-new post-launch Horizon Story to Forza Horizon 5.

• Series 6 rewards. Series 6 of Forza Horizon 5's Festival Playlist has a total of 230 Playlist Points across all Seasons. The Series rewards include:
  • 2005 Honda NSX-R GT for 80 Playlist Points. This is an Epic rarity car and is hard to find
  • 1966 Ford GT40 MK II #2 Le Mans for 160 Playlist Points. This is a Legendary rarity car and is valuable
• Monthly Events. There are two monthly events.
  • Drift Club Mexico: Complete all six chapters of the Drift Club Mexico Horizon Story. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E 1400
  • Emerald Circuit: Post a clean lab in the monthly Rivals Event. Rewards 4 Playlist Points

Summer "Wet Season" (March 31-April 6, 2022)

This is the Summer Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 6 Festival Playlist, which was available from March 31 until April 6, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Summer Season of Series 6 has a total of 58 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2012 Ascari KZ1R for 20 Playlist Points. This is an Epic rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 2010 Jaguar C-X75 for 40 Playlist Points. This is a Legendary rarity car and is valuable
• Weekly Challenge. "Rise to the Challenge"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Flex Those Muscles: Own and drive the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
  • In the Groove: Win an A-Class Drag Race Event with the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
  • Power Up: Win an S1-Class Drag Race Event with an upgraded 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
  • Limited Edition: Take a photo of the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Play by the Rules: Play an EventLab Blueprint created by another player
  • Full Potential: Earn 9 Stars at Danger Sign PR Stunts in a Vans & Utility car upgraded to S1-Class
  • My Precious: Take a photo of any vehicle
  • Lick of Paint: Paint any car's body
  • A French Revolution: Spend 25,000 Credits or more upgrading any French vehicle
  • Go One Better: Win any Road Race Event in a car upgraded to X-Class
  • Throwing Shade: Change the color of any car's window tint
• Season Events. There are eight Season Events.
  • Fine Art: Complete The Trial Event in an S1-Class Classic Racer car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 1959 Porsche 356 A 1600 Super
  • Airfield Rally X Circuit: Complete the EventLab Event in an S1-Class Rally Monster car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 2014 Toyota Hilux Arctic Trucks AT38
  • Stunt Race Circuit: Complete the EventLab Event in any S1-Class car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Builder's Gloves Vanity Item
  • Retro Wave: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games Event in a C-Class Retro Hot Hatch car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 1992 Honda NSX-R
  • Northern Passage: Complete the Speed Trap PR Stunt challenge in an S1-Class Super GT Car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Hand Crafted: Complete the Seasonal Championship in a B-Class Alumi Craft car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2014 Morgan 3 Wheeler
  • Eagle's Perch: Complete the Danger Sign PR Stunt challenge in a D-Class 1972 Reliant Supervan III. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Orilla del Río: Complete the Speed Zone PR Stunt challenge in a B-Class 1973 Alpine A110 1600s. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
• Challenges. There are four Challenges.
  • #CircleofLife: Photograph the 2016 Porsche Cayman GT4 at the Farid Rueda mural in Playa Azul. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Farid Rueda's Lion Relaxed Fit Tee Vanity Item
  • Just Getting Started: Earn 2 Levels in Horizon Open. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and 50,000 Credits
  • Choices, Choices!: Complete a Custom Race in Horizon Open. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the 2016 Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Coupé
  • Color Festival: Smash 25 paint barrel collectibles. Hint: Search around Festival Sites. You can read our Forza Horizon 5 challenges guide for more information. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Doodle Pattern Face Mask Vanity Item
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 1993 McLaren F1 for 700 Forzathon Points
  • 2019 Hyundai Veloster N for 500 Forzathon Points
  • Builder's Outfit Vanity Item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Pinball Machine Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 60 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 150 Forzathon Points

Autumn "Storm Season" (April 7-13, 2022)

This is the Autumn Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 6 Festival Playlist, which is available from April 7 until April 13, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Autumn Season of Series 6 has a total of 57 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2021 McLaren 765LT for 20 Playlist Points. This is an Epic rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 2002 Ferrari Enzo Ferrari for 40 Playlist Points. This is a Legendary rarity car and is valuable
• Weekly Challenge. "Sports Car Supreme"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • One Car, Three Names: Own and drive the 1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  • MX-5 Cup: Win 3 A-Class Road Race Events with an upgraded 1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  • Freshen Up: Paint the body of a 1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  • Suited and Booted: Take a photo of a 1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Challenge Accepted: Complete a Challenge Card in Freeroam
  • Watering Hole: Take a photo of the Cascadas de Agua Azul in the Jungle
  • Classically Trained: Play an EventLab Event in a Classic Sports Car
  • New Ground: Win a Dirt Race Event in any Retro Rally car upgraded to X-Class
  • Italian Powerhouse: Spend 15,000 Credits or more upgrading any Italian car
  • Take a Brake: Paint any car's brake calipers
  • You Rock!: Take a photo of the Copper Canyon
• Season Events. There are seven Season Events.
  • Artistic Expression: Win The Trial Event in any C-Class car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 2005 Ford GT
  • Bounce House V2: Complete the EventLab Event in a B-Class Super Hot Hatch car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Builder's Helmet Vanity Item
  • Piñata Power! V1: Complete the EventLab Event in any B-Class car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 1981 Ford Fiesta XR2
  • Punta Allen: Complete the Speed Zone PR Stunt challenge in an S1-Class Retro Supercar. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Granjas: Complete the Trailblazer PR Stunt challenge in a B-Class Hot Hatch car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • East Coast: Complete the Drift Zone PR Stunt challenge in an A-Class Modern Muscle car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Creative Spark: Win the Seasonal Championship in a D-Class Cult Car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 1999 Lotus Elise Series 1 Sport 190
• Challenges. There are five challenges.
  • Double Up: Complete the Treasure Hunt challenge (Clue: Special offer! Buy a new upgrade and get 200 miniature painter hats for your Gremlins!). Hint: Upgrade the 1973 AMC Gremlin X and reach at least 200mph with it. You can read more in our Forza Horizon 5 challenges guide. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Painter Hoodie Vanity Item
  • #FlytheCoupe: Photograph the 2016 BMW M2 Coupé at the Raúl Urias mural in Colinas Áridas. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Raúl Urias Relaxed Fit Tee Vanity Item
  • Level Up!: Earn 3 Levels in Horizon Open. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Police Siren Car Horn
  • Battle Royale: Finish 30th or better in The Eliminator. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Dust Off: Complete a Dirt Race Event in Horizon Open Custom Racing. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the 2015 Subaru WRX STI
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 2015 Radical RXC Turbo for 700 Forzathon Points
  • 1995 Porsche 911 GT2 for 300 Forzathon Points
  • Green Suit Vanity Item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Mechanical Waltz Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 60 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 150 Forzathon Points

Winter "Dry Season" (April 14-20, 2022)

This is the Winter Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 6 Festival Playlist, which was available from April 14 until April 20, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Winter Season of Series 6 has a total of 57 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2018 ATS GT for 20 Playlist Points. This is an Epic rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 1998 Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion for 40 Playlist Points. This is a Legendary rarity car and is valuable
• Weekly Challenge. "Peelin It"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Teeny Tiny Peely: Own and drive the 1962 Peel P50
  • Smash Hit: Smash 10 Piñatas with the 1962 Peel P50
  • Get Creative: Reach a speed of at least 110mph in an upgraded A-Class 1962 Peel P50
  • The Peel Deal: Take a photo of the 1962 Peel P50
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Mega Evolution: Win a Cross Country Race Event in an Unlimited Offroad car upgraded to S2-Class
  • A Little Something: Send a Gift Drop to another player
  • Take Off: Take a photo of the plan at the Horizon Mexico Festival Site
  • Splash of Color: Paint any car's hood
  • Bring Your A Game: Complete an EventLab Event in an A-Class car
  • First Love: Win a Street Race Event in any Hot Hatch car upgraded to S1-Class
  • Holden on Tight: Take a photo of any Holden car
• Season Events. There are seven Season Events.
  • Mini Games: Complete any Horizon Arcade Event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Cross Roads: Win The Trial Event in an A-Class Super Utility Hero car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 2015 BMW X6 M
  • Jungle Vortex: Complete the EventLab Event in an A-Class Rally Monster car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 1963 Volkswagen Type 2 De Luxe
  • Photo Studio V3: Complete the EventLab Event in any car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Photo Hoodie Vanity Item
  • Forward Thinking: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games Event in a C-Class front-wheel drive (FWD) car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 2016 Honda Civic Type R
  • A Whole New World: Win the Seasonal Championship Event in an S1-Class Super GT car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2017 Bentley Continental Supersports
  • Cloverleaf: Complete the Speed Trap PR Stunt challenge in a B-Class Vintage Racer car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
• Challenges. There are four Challenges.
  • #BearNecessities: Photograph the 2009 Ford Focus RS at the Farid Rueda mural in Playa Azul. Hint: Locate the mural near the beach. You can read our Forza Horizon 5 challenges guide for more information. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Farid Rueda's Bear Relaxed Fit Tee Vanity Item
  • Made to Order: Earn 10 Pass Skills in Horizon Open Custom Racing. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Dial Up Modem Car Horn
  • T-Rex on the Run: Find and smash 15 T-Rex Collectibles. Hint: Find a hidden t-rex and smash it repeatedly. You can read our Forza Horizon 5 challenges guide for more information. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Creative Tee Vanity Item
  • Street Smart: Complete a Street Racing Horizon Open Custom Racing Event. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 1962 Peel P50 for 500 Forzathon Points
  • 1981 BMW M1 for 300 Forzathon Points
  • Gray Suit Vanity Item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin Win Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 60 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 150 Forzathon Points

Spring "Hot Season" (April 21-27, 2022)

This is the Spring Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 6 Festival Playlist, which was available from April 21 until April 27, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Spring Season of Series 6 has a total of 58 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2014 McLaren 650S Spider for 20 Playlist Points. This is an Epic rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 2019 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ for 40 Playlist Points. This is a Legendary rarity car and is hard to find
• Weekly Challenge. "Camp Out"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Hip, Hip, Hooray!: Own and drive the 1963 Volkswagen Type 2 De Luxe
  • Through the Looking Glass: Take a photo of the 1963 Volkswagen Type 2 De Luxe
  • Wheels on the Bus: Complete an EventLab Event with the 1963 Volkswagen Type 2 De Luxe
  • Go Round and Round: Win a Cross Country Race Event with an upgraded A-Class 1963 Volkswagen Type 2 De Luxe
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Trading Stock: Spend 50,000 Credits on upgrades
  • American Eagle: Paint the wing on any American car
  • Seven Wonders: Complete a Super7 Event
  • Speed of Light: Earn 9 Stars at Speed Trap PR Stunts in any car upgraded to X-Class
  • Dodgeball: Complete an EventLab Event in any Dodge car
  • Car Meet: Take a photo of the Horizon Tour mural at the Horizon Mexico Festival Site
  • Wheely Nice: Paint any car's rims
• Season Events. There are eight Season Events.
  • Red vs Blue: Win The Trial Event in a B-Class in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution or Subaru Impreza car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the Tuning Hoodie Vanity Item
  • Trial of the Grasses: Complete the EventLab Event in a B-Class Retro Saloon car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 2013 Audi R8 Coupé V10 plus 5.2 FSI Quattro
  • Festival of Forzakart: Complete the EventLab Event in an A-Class all-wheel-drive (AWD) car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Piñata Pop Car Horn
  • Stadium Jump: Complete the Danger Sign PR Stunt challenge in an S2-Class Extreme Track Toy car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Puerta Pétrea: Complete the Trailblazer PR Stunt challenge in a B-Class Buggy car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Co-Op Championships: Complete a Horizon Tour Event. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Dustbowl: Complete the Speed Trap PR Stunt challenge in an A-Class 2016 Ariel Nomad. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Street Art: Win the Seasonal Championship Event in an A-Class Modern Muscle car. Rewards the 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T
• Challenges. There are four Challenges.
  • Fine Tuned: Complete the Treasure Hunt (Clue: Don't try to sprint before you found your tunes, it's hard to win). Hint: Win a Road Racing Sprint Event in a custom-tuned car. You can read our Forza Horizon 5 challenges guide for more information. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and 100 Forzathon Points
  • #RacingSpots: Photograph the 2013 Toyota 86 at the Senkoe mural in Playa Azul. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and Senkoe's Relaxed Fit Tee Vanity Item
  • Spring Clean: Earn 10 or more Clean Racing Skills in a Horizon Open Custom Racing Event. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Country Charm: Complete a Cross Country Horizon Open Custom Racing Event. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the 2011 BMW X5 M
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 2013 Ferrari 458 Speciale for 700 Forzathon Points
  • 2019 Ford Ranger Raptor for 500 Forzathon Points
  • Orange Suit Vanity Item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Paint Spray Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 60 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 150 Forzathon Points

Series 7 "Cinco de Mayo" (April 28-May 25, 2022)

Forza Horizon 5 Series 7 is, as the name suggests, an in-game celebration of the "Cinco de Mayo" holiday, which in turn celebrates everything about Mexican culture. FH5 is celebrating with in-game decorations and events, as well as five new cars for players to earn through the Festival Playlist, all from Ferrari.

• Series 7 rewards. Series 7 of Forza Horizon 5's Festival Playlist has a total of 213 Playlist Points across all Seasons. The Series rewards include:
  • 2020 Ferrari SF90 Stradale for 80 Playlist Points. This is a Legendary rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 2011 Ferrari 599 GTO for 160 Playlist Points. This is an Epic rarity car and is hard to find
• Monthly Events. There is one monthly event.
  • Playa Azul Circuit: Post a clean lap to complete this Rivals Event. Rewards 4 Playlist Points

Summer "Wet Season" (April 28-May 4, 2022)

This is the Summer Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 7 Festival Playlist, which was available from April 28 until May 4, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Summer Season of Series 7 has a total of 54 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 1962 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso for 20 Playlist Points. This is a Legendary rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 for 40 Playlist Points. This is an Epic rarity car and is hard to find
• Weekly Challenge. "Original Hot Hatch"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • VW Caribe: Own and drive the 1983 Volkswagen Golf GTI
  • Puebla Legacy: Win a Street Race Event with the 1983 Volkswagen Golf GTI
  • Project Sport Golf: Earn a total of 5 Stars from Speed Zone PR Stunts with the 1983 Volkswagen Golf GTI
  • Best Selling Model: Earn an Ultimate Skill Chain with the 1983 Volkswagen Golf GTI
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Plot Twist: Earn 5 Drift Skills in any Horizon Story Chapter
  • Care Package: Send a Gift Drop to another player
  • Blasting Through: Earn 9 Stars in total from Trailblazer PR Stunts
  • Hold Fast: Drive above 150mph in any car for 15 consecutive seconds or more
  • Sparkling Clean: Post a clean lap on any Rivals Event
  • Sandwich: Smash 3 picnic tables
  • Fast Lane: Win a Drag Race Event in a Modern Sports Car
• Season Events. There are eight Season Events.
  • Aid of the Party: Win The Trial Event in an A-Class Truck car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the Puebla Mexican Suit Vanity Item
  • Horizon Jungle Course: Complete the EventLab Event in a B-Class Pickups & 4x4s car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 1986 Lamborghini LM 002
  • La Mesa: Complete the Danger Sign PR Stunt Challenge in an A-Class 2008 BMW M3. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Camino de Montaña: Complete the Drift Zone PR Stunt Challenge in an S1-Class Drift Car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • San de las Minas: Complete the Speed Trap PR Stunt Challenge in a B-Class Subaru car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • VW Caribe Legends: Win the Seasonal Championship in a B-Class Volkswagen Golf car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the Mexican Traffic Light Car Horn
  • Chihuahua Express: Win the Seasonal Championship in any S1-Class car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2008 BMW M3
  • La Fiesta: Win the Seasonal Championship in an A-Class Ford car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 2017 Ford Fiesta #14 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing GRC
• Challenges. There are three Challenges.
  • Fireflies: Complete the Treasure Hunt Challenge (Clue: Fly the Fire like a bird to collect 5 Stars). Hint: Earn 5 Stars or more at Danger Sign PR Stunts with the 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. You can read more in our Forza Horizon 5 challenges guide. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and 100 Forzathon Points
  • #FestiveColors: Photograph any car in Guanajuato while the city is decorated for Cinco de Mayo. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the Raúl Urias Cap Vanity Item
  • Skilled in Speed: Maintain a speed of 100mph or more for 10 consecutive seconds in any Horizon Open Custom Racing Event. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and 50,000 Credits
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STI for 700 Forzathon Points
  • 2018 DeBerti Design Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Drift Truck for 200 Forzathon Points
  • Macarena Emote for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Bass Drop Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 60 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 150 Forzathon Points

Autumn "Storm Season" (May 5-11, 2022)

This is the Autumn Season of Forza Horizon 5's Series 7 Festival Playlist, which was available from May 5 until May 11, 2022.

• Season rewards. The Autumn Season of Series 7 has a total of 52 Playlist Points across all Challenges. The main rewards include:
  • 2014 Ferrari California T for 20 Playlist Points. This is an Epic rarity car and is exclusive to the Festival Playlist
  • 2015 Jaguar XKR-S for 40 Playlist Points. This is an Epic rarity car and is hard to find
• Weekly Challenge. "Lobo"— The Weekly Challenge has four Chapters. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and 80 Forzathon Points.
  • Lobo Raptor: Own and drive the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
  • Unstoppable: Win any Cross Country Race Event with the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
  • Express Delivery: Earn 9 Stars or more from Trailblazer PR Stunts with the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
  • Through Rain and Shine: Earn 500,000 or more Skill Score with the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
• Daily Challenges. There are seven Daily Challenges. Each rewards 1 Playlist Point and 10 Forzathon Points.
  • Racing Miles: Drive a total of 10 miles in Road Racing Events
  • Bulk Smash: Smash 25 or more items in 30 seconds or less
  • Air Force Three: Earn 3 Stars from any Danger Sign PR Stunt
  • Next Level: Unlock a Car Mastery Perk
  • Next Day Delivery: Win a Street Race Event in a Vans & Utility car
  • Fresh Air: Earn 3 or more Air Skills in any Cross Country Race Event
  • Bargain Hunt: Buy a car from the Auction House
• Season Events. There are nine Season Events.
  • Mini Games: Complete the Horizon Arcade challenge. Rewards 3 Playlist Points
  • Rallying Around Mexico: Win The Trial Event in a B-Class Modern Rally car. Rewards 10 Playlist Points and the 1986 Hoonigan Ford RS200 Evolution
  • Baja California Stage: Complete the EventLab Event in any car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the 2013 Mini X-Raid All4 Racing Countryman
  • Black Jaguar: Complete the Seasonal Playground Games in an A-Class Jaguar car. Rewards 3 Playlist Points and the Farid Rueda Lion Racesuit Vanity Item
  • El Gancho: Complete the Speed Zone PR Stunt Challenge in an A-Class Porsche. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Caballo Blanco: Complete the Speed Trap PR Stunt Challenge in a B-Class Mitsubishi car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • City Escape: Complete the Trailblazer PR Stunt Challenge in a B-Class Volkswagen car. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and a Super Wheelspin
  • Cross Countryside: Win the Seasonal Championship in a B-Class Offroad car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the Mexican Hat Dance Car Horn
  • Second Home: Win the Seasonal Championship in an S1-Class Nissan car. Rewards 5 Playlist Points and the 1973 Nissan Skyline H/T 2000GT-R
• Challenges. There are two Challenges.
  • #CulturalHeritage: Photograph any car at Teotihuacán. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the White Modern Puebla Dress Vanity Item
  • Spread the Joy: Complete the Horizon Open Challenge. Rewards 2 Playlist Points and the "Brrraaiiinnnnsssss" Forza Link message
• Forzathon Shop. The Forzathon Shop offers the following items this Season:
  • 1985 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex for 700 Forzathon Points
  • 2017 Porsche Panamera Turbo for 100 Forzathon Points
  • Farid Rueda Lion Face Mask Vanity Item for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Tiger Roar Car Horn for 75 Forzathon Points
  • Wheelspin for 60 Forzathon Points
  • Super Wheelspin for 150 Forzathon Points

The unchallenged champion

Forza Horizon 5

$60 at Xbox (Xbox & PC)$51 at Amazon (Xbox physical)$51 at GameStop (Xbox physical)$60 at Steam (PC)

The best open-world racer

Playground Games has delivered their latest masterpiece with Forza Horizon 5, which features the series' most diverse map and largest car list yet. Forza Horizon 5 somehow fulfills its ambitious promises to be the best open-world racer right now, and one of the best racing games in general.

Vroom vroom

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

From $1/month at Xbox$40 at Amazon (3-month subscription)$15 at Amazon (1-month subscription)

All your gaming needs, in one subscription

Is the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate the best value in all of gaming? It's possible. Ultimate bundles your Xbox Live Gold subscription, Xbox Game Pass for Xbox consoles, PC Game Pass for Windows PCs, and Xbox Cloud Gaming for on-the-go gaming all into one package. Forza Horizon 5 is available through Xbox Game Pass from day one, including on consoles, PC, and the cloud.

The best allies you can take into battle.

In the many encounters and boss fights that you'll inevitably find yourself in while exploring Elden Ring's open world, you'll have the ability to conjure Spirit Ash Summons. These spirits will fight by your side and are extremely helpful in most situations, as they can distract enemies and make it easier for you to hit them, tank some hits, and even dish out solid damage — especially if you upgrade them using the Grave or Ghost Glovewort materials you'll often find while exploring.

Due to the sheer number of Spirit Ash Summons in the game, though, it can be difficult to know which ones are the best and which ones you should probably avoid using. In this guide, we'll go over a complete tier list that ranks each Spirit Ash Summon in the game, as well as an overview of all of the best summons, what they do, and where you can find them in the Lands Between.

Jump to:

• Spirit Summon tier list
• Mimic Tear Ashes
• Latenna the Albinauric Ashes
• Lhutel the Headless Ashes
• Banished Knight Oleg Ashes
• Black Knife Tiche
• Bloodhound Knight Floh Ashes
• Omenkiller Rollo Ashes
• Nightmaiden and Swordstress Puppets Ashes
• Kaiden Sellsword Ashes
• Mad Pumpkin Head Ashes
• Ancestral Follower Ashes
• Lone Wolf Ashes

Elden Ring: Spirit Ashes tier list

While the vast majority of Elden Ring's Spirit Ash Summons are very helpful, some of them are more effective than others. With that in mind, we've created a definitive tier list that should give you an idea of which ones are the best and which ones aren't worth upgrading or building your character around.

Note that just because a Spirit Ash Summon is in a low tier, it does not mean that they are useless. It simply means that they're generally less useful than the summons we put higher on the list.

Elden Ring: Mimic Tear Ashes location

• FP requirement: None (uses 50% of the player's HP)

In our view, the Mimic Tear Spirit Summon is the best one available in Elden Ring, even after the recent nerf it got in Patch 1.03. This unique Spirit Summon creates an exact copy of your character when you use it, including your stats, armor, weapons, spells, and equipped consumables. It will then fight alongside you, effectively acting like an NPC ally. When upgraded, the Mimic Tear is incredibly tanky and can dish out plenty of damage, making it an invaluable summon that we highly recommend using in Elden Ring's challenging boss fights. Note that using the Mimic Tear uses 50% of your HP instead of your mana, so make sure you drink a healing potion after summoning it.

You can find the Mimic Tear Ashes in the southwestern portion of the Night's Sacred Ground area in Nokron, Eternal City, located in a chest behind a fog wall you need a Stonesword Key to access. There's an enemy inside the room, but you should be able to get a free backstab on them as long as you don't sprint up to them.

Elden Ring: Latenna the Albinauric Ashes location

• FP requirement: 74

In situations where you're fighting bosses that have a large arena, the Latenna the Albinauric Spirit Summon will often be your best option. She stays exactly where you summon her and pelts enemies with a constant barrage of heavy-hitting magic arrows, and while she doesn't have much health, she does have a crazy long range. This means that you can summon her far away from the boss and then engage it with melee yourself, drawing its aggro while Latenna wears it down from afar.

Getting the Latenna the Albinauric Ashes is a little complicated. First, you have to locate and talk to Latenna at the Slumbering Wolf's Shack in Liurnia of the Lakes, located just after the exit of the Lakeside Crystal Cave. Then you have to travel to the Village of the Albinaurics found west of her position and get the left half of the Secret Haligtree Medallion there. She'll then give you her Spirit Ash Summon once you show the medallion to her. For more details on how to do this, refer to our guide on how to find the Malenia, Blade of Miquella secret boss.

Elden Ring: Lhutel the Headless Ashes location

• FP requirement: 104

Lhutel the Headless is Elden Ring's best tank Spirit Summon, as she's equipped with heavy armor and a greatshield. She can also throw her spear for solid ranged damage and will constantly teleport around enemies, making it difficult for them to hit her. There are better options if you want big damage from your summons, but Lhutel is the best when it comes to soaking up damage and distracting your opponents.

To get Lhutel, you'll need to complete the Tombsward Catacombs in the center of the Weeping Peninsula region. The dungeon isn't very challenging and only requires you to beat a fairly easy miniboss, so you shouldn't have any trouble.

Elden Ring: Banished Knight Oleg Ashes location

• FP requirement: 100

Banished Knight Oleg is one of the earliest Spirit Summons you can get in the game, and he also happens to be one of the best. With his thick, heavy armor and extremely high poise, he's an excellent brawler that commands the attention of enemies. His wind attacks do great damage, and while they usually don't stagger bosses, they'll often break the stance of regular enemies quite easily.

Banished Knight Oleg is awarded to you after you kill the final boss of the Fringefolk Hero's Grave dungeon located next to the Stranded Graveyard Site of Grace at the start of the game. Note that you'll need two Stonesword Keys to enter this dungeon.

Elden Ring: Black Knife Tiche Ashes location

• FP requirement: 132

Black Knife Tiche is a very powerful Spirit Summon that not only dishes out strong damage, but is also very good at avoiding incoming damage as well. This is because she dodges very frequently, making it difficult for enemies and bosses to hit her with any of their attacks. Several of her attacks also reduce enemy HP and deal damage over time since her knife is imbued with the power of the Rune of Death, similar to Maliketh, the Black Blade's greatsword.

To get Black Knife Tiche, you'll need to defeat the boss at the Ringleader's Evergaol on the northwestern tip of the Moonlight Altar area in Liurnia of the Lakes. Once the boss is dead, Black Knife Tiche's Ashes will be awarded to you.

Elden Ring: Bloodhound Knight Floh Ashes location

• FP requirement: 95

If you like Black Knife Tiche but want a summon that's more aggressive, Bloodhound Knight Floh will be your best bet. Like Tiche, Floh has the mobility to keep up with any enemy, though Floh will commit to more attacks in situations where Tiche would dodge. As a result, Floh generally dies faster than Tiche does, though he deals more damage overall.

To unlock the Bloodhound Knight Floh Ashes, you'll need to complete the Gelmir's Hero Grave on the eastern border of the Mt. Gelmir region. It can be found in a chest that players can open once the Red Wolf of the Champion boss at the end of the dungeon is defeated.

Elden Ring: Omenkiller Rollo Ashes location

• FP requirement: 113

If you're struggling to deal with enemies or a boss that blocks with shields a lot, look no further than the Omenkiller Rollo Spirit Summon. This summon is identical to the boss you fight at the Village of the Albinaurics, and uses two massive machetes that can easily break the guard of any enemy in the game. These weapons also do an amazing job of stance breaking bosses, giving you an opportunity to crit them with a riposte. Omenkiller Rollo will also occasionally breathe fire if he encounters several enemies at once, crowd controlling them.

You can obtain the Omenkiller Rollo Ashes by defeating the Fell Twin bosses that ambush you on the bridge leading up to the Divine Tower of East Altus. This location is directly next to the elevator that takes you to the Forbidden Lands region.

Elden Ring: Nightmaiden and Swordstress Puppets Ashes location

• FP requirement: 97

The Nightmaiden and Swordstress Puppets Ashes are an excellent choice if you need versatile summons capable of a variety of different types of offense, though they don't have much health and won't last long if you don't fight closely alongside them. Still, if you keep enemy and boss aggro off of them, they'll do a huge amount of damage over time together with their wide variety of melee and ranged attacks. Their attacks also do plenty of stance damage, ensuring that whatever you're fighting will get staggered.

You can obtain the Nightmaiden and Swordstress Puppets in the southern portion of Nokstella, Eternal City, in a chest located behind a barrier that requires a Swordstone Key to open. Note that there are two Nightmaiden enemies guarding the chest, so be ready for a fight.

Elden Ring: Kaiden Sellsword Ashes location

• FP requirement: 88

The Kaiden Sellsword is a powerful Spirit Summon that uses several heavy attacks that can stagger enemies and bosses similar to the way Omenkiller Rollo can. The Kaiden Sellsword attacks more frequently and dodges incoming attacks more than Omenkiller Rollo does, but is also less tanky and has less health overall.

You can get the Kaiden Sellsword Ashes by defeating the final boss of the Cliffbottom Catacombs dungeon, which is located in southeastern Liurnia of the Lakes.

Elden Ring: Mad Pumpkin Head Ashes location

• FP requirement: 110

The Mad Pumpkin Head is an excellent summon that can Bleed enemies with his massive flail, and he also has excellent damage protection thanks to the large metal helmet he wears that significantly reduces damage taken from anything that hits it. He's not as tanky as some other summons, but his ability to Bleed can contribute quite a large chunk of damage during boss fights.

You can get the Mad Pumpkin Head Ashes by defeating the final boss of the Minor Erdtree Catacombs dungeon found on the northwestern tip of the Caelid region. There's an Erdtree Guardian right next to the dungeon entrance, so be careful when you enter it.

Elden Ring: Ancestral Follower Ashes location

• FP requirement: 86

The Ancestral Followers of the Siofra River region are incredibly flexible in combat since they have plenty of health and fight with both bows and with axes. When summoned using the Ancestral Follower Ashes, this spirit will serve as an excellent "jack of all trades, master of none" ally. They're not as tanky or powerful as other more specialized spirits, but their well-rounded stats and ability to fight at any range makes them incredibly useful.

You can get the Ancestral Follower Ashes by defeating the Ancestor Spirit boss in the Siofra River region. To access this boss, you'll need to light eight fires in the area and then awaken the spirit in the Hallowhorn Grounds.

Elden Ring: Lone Wolf Ashes location

• FP requirement: 55

Believe it or not, the first Summon Spirits you get in Elden Ring are also some of the best ones in the entire game once you upgrade them. While the Lone Wolf summon starts off relatively weak due to the pitiful damage and low HP of the three wolves, they become surprisingly tanky when upgraded fully. This, coupled with their high agility and ability to stagger enemies and bosses by breaking their stance with rapid attacks, makes them an incredibly effective Spirit Summon in many instances.

All you have to do to get the Lone Wolf Ashes is go to the Church of Elleh in Limgrave after you get your mount, Torrent. Note that the Church of Elleh is located just north of The First Step Site of Grace.

Elden Ring is finally here, and it's available for $60 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC. It's one of the best Xbox games you can play right now if you're a fan of challenging RPGs, and we strongly recommend it.

The successor to Dark Souls

Elden Ring

$60 at Amazon (Xbox & PlayStation)$60 at Best Buy (Xbox, PlayStation, & PC)$60 at Walmart (Xbox)

Elden Ring ... oh, Elden Ring!

Elden Ring is FromSoftware's latest fantasy epic, featuring a focus on open-ended design in a universe created by both FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki and A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin.

If the mouse wheel scrolling doesn't feel right, Windows 11 lets you set it to your preferences.

On Windows 11, the default mouse scrolling behavior is typically suited for most users. However, if you feel it needs tuning, you can set the number of lines to roll at a time or specify to roll one screen with a single roll.

In addition, you can even control whether you can scroll inactive windows as you hover over them while working on another application.

In this Windows 11 guide, we will walk you through the steps to customize the scrolling settings on your laptop or desktop computer.

How to change mouse scrolling settings on Windows 11

On Windows 11, you can decide how the mouse wheel should scroll and whether you should be able to scroll inactive windows when hovering over.

Change scroll wheel behavior

To change the scroll wheel behavior on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Bluetooth & devices.

3. Click the Mouse page on the right side.

4. Under the "Scrolling" section, use the "Roll the mouse wheel to scroll" setting and select one of the options.

   • Multiple lines at a time.
   • One screen at a time.

5. (Optional) Use the slider to select the number of lines to scroll at a time.

Once you complete the steps, the next time you roll the mouse wheel, the scrolling should occur based on your configuration.

Configure inactive windows scrolling

To scroll on windows that are not active, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Bluetooth & devices.

3. Click the Mouse page on the right side.

4. Under the "Scrolling" section, turn on the Scroll inactive windows when hovering over them toggle switch.

After you complete the steps, you will now be able to scroll windows even when they are not focused and you are hovering over them.

More Windows resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 11 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

The beauty of the best VPN services is that they have an intuitive Windows 10 app that makes setting up a connection as easy as clicking a big green button that says "connect." However, if you're running Windows 10 in S mode and can't install apps from outside the Store, or you're using a VPN without a client, you can still configure a VPN manually. Here's everything you need to know.

How to manually add and connect to a VPN on Windows 10

Note: If you've upgraded to Windows 11, our guide on how to manually configure a VPN on Windows 11 will help you through the process.

Once you subscribe to a VPN service — keep in mind there are plenty of great VPN options out there — you should have access to a list of servers that you can connect to. It will differ depending on the VPN service you're using, but you should have access to a webpage or desktop app section that lists the server's location, the address needed to create a manual connection, and the current load of the server.

Your VPN provider should also provide manual sign-in information that can be used as credentials. This might be some sort of username and password or certificate depending on the service, and it will vary from provider to provider.

Once you have the required information to make a connection, you can jump into settings and get everything running.

1. Right-click the Start button.

2. Click Settings.

3. Click Network & Internet.

4. Click VPN.

5. Click Add a VPN connection.

6. Click the dropdown menu below VPN provider.

7. Click Windows (built-in).

8. Click the Connection name field.

9. Type a name for the VPN connection. (In this case, I'll use the name of my provider and the server location.)

10. Click the Server name or address field.

11. Type the server's address. (You can likely find this in your VPN account.)

12. Click the dropdown menu below VPN type.

13. Choose a connection protocol.

14. Click the dropdown menu below Type of sign-in info.

15. Click a sign-in method. (This will no doubt change depending on your VPN provider.)

16. Click Save.

17. Click the VPN you just set up. (It will now appear in the VPN list.)

18. Click Connect. (Depending on the sign-in method used by your provider, you might have to enter your username and password.)

How to disconnect and remove a VPN on Windows 10

If you don't want to use a VPN anymore, or if you just want to remove a server from the list, you can disconnect or altogether remove it. There is a VPN button for quick on and off located in the Windows 10 action center (the small speech bubble in the bottom-right corner of your display), but we'll go through the entire process, which includes completely removing a VPN from your system.

1. Right-click the Start button.

2. Click Settings.

3. Click Network & Internet.

4. Click VPN.

5. Click a VPN connection you want to disconnect or remove.

6. Click Disconnect.

7. Click Remove.

8. Click Remove again to confirm.

That's it! The VPN you configured should now be removed. You can always add a server again using the first set of instructions.

Note that even if you manually configure a VPN on Windows 10 you will still be able to use a separate client without issue. You can always remove the manual connection, but it's not entirely necessary.

Our top VPN and software picks

To complete the steps laid out above, you'll need to invest in a quality VPN and you'll need Windows 10. We are partial to ExpressVPN thanks to a great price, tons of features, and proven security, but there are more options listed below.

More great VPN services

Are you not buying what ExpressVPN is selling? Check out these other excellent VPN services we recommend. You can also have a look at our roundup of the current best VPN deals if you're looking to save some money.

System Restore can undo system changes to fix Windows 10 problems, and in this guide, we show you how to use the feature.

On Windows 10, System Restore is a feature designed to create a snapshot of the current working state and save it as a "restore point" when important changes are detected on your computer. If a critical problem occurs after installing an update, driver, or app, or after modifying the system settings incorrectly in the Registry, you can use a restore point to revert your laptop or desktop computer to an earlier point to resolve the issue without losing your files.

Although this is an excellent recovery feature, it's disabled by default, meaning that you have to enable it before you can create points of restoration manually or the system automatically.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to set up System Restore and the steps to recover from problems that may be affecting the normal operation of your device.

• How to enable System Restore on Windows 10
• How to create a System Restore point on Windows 10
• How to recover using System Restore on Windows 10

How to enable System Restore on Windows 10

Since Windows 10 no longer includes the System Restore feature enabled by default, you must enable it manually.

To enable System Restore on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Create a restore point and click the top result to open the System Properties page.
3. Under the "Protection Settings" section, select the primary "System" drive.

4. Click the Configure button.

5. Select the Turn on system protection option.

   Quick tip: Windows 10 can automatically manage the space. However, under the "Disk Space Usage" section, you can use the slider to specify the storage for recovery. You will also find a Delete button, which you can use to remove all restore points, which can come in handy to free up space or want to start over with the recovery feature.

6. Click the Apply button.
7. Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, the system will automatically create restore points when applying a new update or applying specific system changes.

System Restore doesn't enable automatically for all drives. If you have other drives connected to your computer, you must enable the protection manually on each storage. Also, it's important to note that this is not a backup solution. It's only a feature to undo system changes without affecting your files.

How to create a System Restore point on Windows 10

Once System Restore is enabled, it will create a checkpoint when it detects system changes automatically. However, if you plan to make configurations manually, you always want to create a restore point manually.

To create a restore point on Windows 10 manually, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Create a restore point, and click the top result to open the System Properties page.

3. Under the "Protection Settings" section, click the Create button.

4. Type a descriptive name for the restore point — for example, Before modifying the Registry settings.

5. Click the Create button.
6. Click the Close button.
7. Click the OK button.
8. Click the Close button.

After you complete the steps, you should be able to undo system changes in the event that something happens while installing a new driver, program or applying changes to the Registry.

How to recover using System Restore on Windows 10

If an error or an unknown problem occurs after installing or modifying system settings, you can use the recovery feature to apply a restore point to undo the changes and fix the issue. You can complete this task from the Windows 10 desktop or the advanced startup settings if the computer no longer starts correctly.

Undo system changes from desktop

When you have access to the Windows 10 desktop, you can revert changes using these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Create a restore point, and click the top result to open the System Properties page.

3. Click the System Restore button.

   Quick note: If the option is grayed out, the system does not have any restore points available.

4. Click the Next button.

5. Select the restore point to undo changes and fix problems on Windows 10.

6. Click the Scan for affected programs button to confirm the apps that will be removed because they were added after creating the original restore point.
7. Click the Close button.
8. Click the Next button.
9. Click the Finish button.

Once you complete the steps, System Restore will restore the computer to the previous working state. If one or more apps were affected, remember to reinstall after the process finishes.

Undo system changes from Advanced startup

Alternatively, you can use the Advanced startup settings to access the System Restore feature to recover the system if the computer doesn't start correctly.

Access Advanced startup

To use System Restore through the Advanced startup environment, use these steps:

1. Start the computer.

2. As soon as the Windows logo appears, press the power button to interrupt the boot sequence.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 two more times. (Or until the device boots into the recovery experience.)

After you complete the steps, you can use the steps below to revert system changes with System Restore.

If you cannot access the recovery environment with these instructions, you can start the device with a Windows 10 installation media, and while in the "Windows Setup" experience, click the Next button, click the Repair your computer button from the bottom-left corner, and then continue the steps below.

Undo changes with System Restore

To undo system changes on Windows 10 through the Advanced startup environment, use these steps:

1. Click the Advanced options button.

2. Click on Troubleshoot.

3. Click on Advanced options.

4. Click on System Restore.

5. Select the Windows 10 account.

6. Confirm the account password.

7. Click the Continue button.

8. Click the Next button.

9. Select the restore point to fix the problem with your device.
10. Click the Scan for affected programs button to confirm the apps that will be removed because they were added after creating the restore point.
11. Click the Close button.
12. Click the Next button.

13. Click the Finish button.

Once you complete the steps, the restore point will apply to undo system changes that may be causing problems, including those preventing the computer from starting correctly.

System Restore is only a feature to quickly recover a device from configuration problems. It is not a feature to replace a backup solution or an option to reset the computer to the factory default settings.

More Windows resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 11 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Learn how to tackle the biggest monsters with our Monster Hunter Rise weapons guide!

Monster Hunter Rise takes place in a world populated with an immeasurable number of monsters, chomping at the bit to rip and tear you to shreds. Thankfully, you have access to a huge arsenal of weapons that are more than capable of slaying these beasties plaguing your home, Kamura Village.

Each of these weapons has a wide range of strengths and weaknesses that cater towards different hunting playstyles. You can also customize your weapon's moveset with Switch Skills in between missions so you can become more aggressive and more mobile in battle. Not to mention, in the upcoming expansion, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, you will be able to switch between two loadouts of Switch Skills using the new Skill Switch Swap mechanic so you can adapt to any situation during a hunt.

As a beginner, you may feel overwhelmed at the staggering number of options from which to choose and are unsure which weapon is right for you. So, to help you decide we have put together a guide showcasing every weapon type, how they work, and the new attacks each weapon has received in Monster Hunter Rise. We will also update this list with new attacks these weapons will receive in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak. This is our weapons guide for Monster Hunter Rise on PC.

Monster Hunter Rise (PC) weapons guide: Great Sword

The Great Sword is a slow but effective hit-and-run-style weapon designed to deal big damage in a single hit. You can make precise cuts to a monster's tail with its overhead slashes or clear out packs of smaller monsters with wild horizontal swings to send them flying. You can also power up the strength of your overhead strikes by charging your attack and letting go at the right moment to unleash even more damage.

The Great Sword also possesses defensive options to avoid or endure incoming damage such as the ability to block or the Tackle technique. This move allows you to tackle through attacks, ignore monster roars, deal stun damage which can knock them out, and even activate shortcuts to your stronger attacks. The most powerful of which is the True Charged Slash, a devastating double-overhead slash that can cut off monster tails with ease.

Monster Hunter Rise (PC) weapons guide: Long Sword

At first, the Long Sword is a difficult weapon to get the hang of, but the rewards for doing so are worth the dedication. This weapon can cut through monster tails like a hot knife through butter, bypass thick monster hides with Spirit Slash attacks, and grant the user a plethora of counterattacks that will leave enemies wide open.

Long Sword has a unique gameplay mechanic called the Spirit Gauge. When you attack with normal strikes and combos, the Spirit Gauge starts filling up with Spirit Energy, which you can spend to perform the Spirit Slash attacks. If you perform a Spirit Slash Finisher at the end of a Spirit Slash combo, the Spirit Gauge will level up. It has three levels — Lv. 1 (white), Lv. 2 (yellow), and Lv. 3 (red), and with every level increase, your attacks become stronger.

Monster Hunter Rise (PC) weapons guide: Sword & Shield

The Sword & Shield is a versatile weapon featuring skills and gameplay mechanics that can be used for almost any situation. The sword can perform quick slash attacks to cut off tails and close the distance with jumping and sliding attacks. Whereas the shield can defend the user from attacks and inflict stun damage to knock out monsters by punching them in the face with it. The Sword & Shield even allows the user to use all their items without putting their weapon away, and it's the only weapon that has this feature.

Monster Hunter Rise has given the Sword & Shield a new counterattack that only be executed while blocking. After using this counterattack, you can immediately transition into the Perfect Rush combo, a series of fast strikes that can deal a ton of damage if all the strikes are timed correctly.

New moves for Sunbreak

Monster Hunter Rise (PC) weapons guides: Dual Blades

The Dual Blades are the fastest melee weapons to use, and when mastered, allows you to dance circles around your foes while hacking them up. They possess quick, multi-hitting combos that pair with elemental and status effect Dual Blades and elusive mobility options to avoid dangerous attacks at the last second.

Dual Blades have a special gameplay mechanic called Demon Mode. When you activate it, you have more attacks at your disposal, your movement speed is increased, and your dodge roll is replaced with a dash. However, your stamina gradually drains away while Demon Mode is active, so you will have to make sure you don't exhaust yourself while chopping up the monster. While attacking in Demon Mode, a small bar called the Demon gauge will begin to fill. When it is full, you will enter Archdemon Mode, a state which grants the user access to attacks from Demon Mode without activating it.

Monster Hunter Rise (PC) weapons guide: Hammer

The Hammer is the Great Sword's blunt counterpart in terms of raw power. This bludgeon's primary purpose is to KO monsters by inflicting stun damage when smacking them into the face, leaving them vulnerable for your teammates to wail on them.

You can also charge up each hammer strike to increase the damage output just like the Great Sword. However, the Hammer allows you to move around while charging up, so you can position yourself to hit a monster's weak spot. The drawback to blunt weapons is that they can't cut off tails.

Monster Hunter Rise (PC) weapons guide: Hunting Horn

The Hunting Horn is, without a doubt, the most bizarre weapon in the Monster Hunter series. It is a blunt weapon like the Hammer that also functions as a musical instrument. How this weapon works is that with every attack you execute, you generate a musical note. When you produce two of the same notes, the Hunting Horn activates a melody that grants the user and their teammates temporary boosts to their stats, restored health, and other benefits depending on what Hunting Horn they're using.

When you collect the right combination of notes, you can initiate the Magnificent Trio, an ear-piercing soundwave attack that can KO monsters and activate all melodies simultaneously. The Hunting Horn also possesses another powerful song attack called the Infernal Melody. Whenever you attack or activate a melody, the Infernal Melody gauge will start to fill. Once it is fully charged up, you can activate Infernal Melody after the Magnificent Trio or the Slide Beat to let loose a hard-hitting song that not only blasts the monster's eardrums, it also grants the whole party a 20% attack boost for a short time.

Monster Hunter Rise (PC) weapons guide: Lance

The Lance's game plan is all about holding your ground and stabbing enemies in the face over and over again. It has the toughest shield out of all the melee weapons, capable of guarding against nearly every attack from a monster. The Lance also features a number of counterattacks with the shield, so you can continue attacking unabated.

The Lance has a slow walking speed but makes up for that with mobility skills. The Dash Attack has you running after a monster with your lance out to impale them like a jousting knight. You can't perform dodge rolls with the Lance, instead you do quick side-steps or back-hops with your shield out so you can block attacks while re-positioning yourself.

Monster Hunter Rise (PC) weapons guide: Gunlance

The Gunlance is the Lance's bombastic cousin, focusing on high-damaging explosions instead of precise pokes. It possesses a similar moveset and shield to the Lance, but with the added addition of Gunlance shells. These shells fire explosions that inflict a fixed amount of damage depending on the Gunlance's shelling levels. Also, these shells completely ignore a monster's defensive properties, making the Gunlance ideal for fighting monsters with hides as thick as rocks.

You can fire Gunlance shells individually, charge them up for bigger blasts, fire them between melee combos, or detonate them all at once after performing an Overhead Smash. Other tools in the Gunlance's kit include the Wyrmstake Cannon, an armor-piercing and explosive drill that bores into a monster's body before igniting. And the Wyvern Fire, an attack where you hold your shield up to block attacks while charging up the Gunlance to fire a massive burst of fire that will blow flying monsters out of the heavens.

Monster Hunter Rise (PC) weapons guide: Switch Axe

The Switch Axe is one of the crazier weapons of Monster Hunter Rise. It is a giant battle axe that can transform into a giant sword that lets out small explosions when you hit a monster. Learning the intricacies of each mode and alternating between them is the key to mastering the Switch Axe.

The axe mode features big meaty chops and evasive techniques you can use in the middle of combos to escape danger. Every axe attack fills a bar called the Switch Gauge, and when it is filled enough, you can activate the Switch Axe's sword mode.

The sword mode deals more damage than the axe mode, but your walking speed is dramatically decreased, and you don't have access to the Axe Mode's evasion moves. When you attack in sword mode, it depletes the Switch Gauge, and when it runs out you will be forced back into Axe Mode with a lengthy reload animation that leaves you at risk to enemy attacks.

The secret weapon of the Switch Axe is its phials. Depending on the type of phial your Switch Axe is equipped with, it can augment the attack power of a Switch Axe's raw or elemental properties, or even grant it the ability to exhaust or KO monsters. To activate the phial's effects, you must enter the Amped State by attacking in Sword Mode. Once you have achieved the Amped State, both Axe and Sword Modes will become empowered by the phial, and you will gain a new Sword Mode attack called the Zero-Sum Elemental Discharge. This attack plunges your Switch Axe into the monster's body and blows them up from the inside using the phial's stored energy.

New moves for Sunbreak

Monster Hunter Rise (PC) weapons guide: Charge Blade

The Charge Blade is the most complex weapon in a hunter's armory as it combines the transformation mechanics of the Switch Axe with the jack-of-all-trades features of Sword & Shield. Like Switch Axe, Charge Blade has a Sword Mode and an Axe Mode.

Sword Mode functions similarly to Sword & Shield, except your movement speed is decreased, you can't use items with your weapon out, and you have a stronger shield to block bigger attacks. How Charge Blade works is that you attack in Sword Mode to build kinetic energy within the sword, then transfer it into phials inside the shield. Once you have enough phials filled, you are ready to use the full might of the Axe Mode.

Axe Mode combines your sword and shield together to form a battle axe. In Axe Mode, you spend the stored energy within your Charge Blade's phials to grant your axe the ability to cause a small explosion with every hit. You can also use all your phials at once to perform the Charge Blade's ultimate attack, the Super Amped Elemental Discharge, to demolish all monsters within range.

There are two types of phials Charge Blades can be equipped with. There is the Elemental Phials, which inflict extra elemental damage, or the Impact Phials, which deal extra raw damage and stun damage if used on a monster's head.

Monster Hunter Rise (PC) weapons guide: Insect Glaive

The Insect Glaive can be used to fight monsters on the ground and in the air without the need for Wirebugs. This weapon features fast ground-based combos and the ability to pole-jump to the sky and let out aerial attacks to bring down flying monsters.

It also includes its own bug companion separate from the Wirebug called a Kinsect. The Kinsect can be ordered to extract fluids from a monster akin to a mosquito. It then takes those extracts and transfers them onto you to increase your attack and defense power, heal your wounds, make your aerial dashes go farther, and even grant you new attacks to use.

There are numerous species of Kinsects you can bring to a hunt, each with their own attack types and secondary properties. Some Kinsects can cut off tails while others can KO monsters like a blunt weapon. Powder Kinsects will automatically extract fluids on marks you have planted on the monster. Assist Kinsects will attack monsters automatically once you have enough extracts. And Speed Kinsects travel the fastest and can be commanded to charge up for a fastball-like attack.

Monster Hunter Rise (PC) weapons guide: Bow

The Bow is one of three purely ranged weapons you can use to damage monsters at a distance. This weapon is all about dodging and weaving through attacks and letting loose a volley of arrows into the monster's weak spots. You can charge an arrow for a big hit and launch a bag of dust that will grant buffs to teammates within range. You can also coat your arrows with special coatings that boost their damage output or enable them to inflict status effects.

The Bow's biggest attack is the Dragon Piercer. This move attaches a couple of fireworks to an arrow and fires like a missile towards the monster, piercing its hide and ripping through its body. However, nearly every action with the Bow costs a huge chunk of your stamina. So you will need to use items or armor skills that will help mitigate the hefty stamina loss when using this deadly weapon.

Monster Hunter Rise (PC) weapons guide: Light Bowgun

The Light Bowgun is a giant gun that lets you fire bullets while on the move. You can load your Light Bowgun with different types of ammo to aid you in fighting any monster:

• Normal-type ammo to deal a good amount of damage to weak spots.
• Pierce-type ammo goes through a target's hide and deals damage as it travels through their body. This is best suited for monsters with long bodies like Leviathans or Brute Wyverns for example.
• Spread ammo has short range but packs the firepower of a shotgun.
• Sticky ammo are rockets that stick to a monster's body and blow up after a few seconds. They also deal stun damage which can knock a monster out if the Sticky ammo lands on their head.
• Slicing ammo explodes into miniature blades that can slice off tails.
• Shrapnel ammo functions like Spread ammo, but it has a bigger range with less attack power. This ammo type is best used when you are fighting multiple monsters at once like during a Rampage quest.
• Cluster Bombs are small bombs that you fire into the air like mortar shells. Upon impact, the bomb detonates and splits into smaller bombs for more explosions.

Light Bowguns also get access to ammo types that deal elemental damage or inflict status effects. Unfortunately, Bowgun ammo is not infinite like the Bow's arrows. You will need to buy the ammo in shops or crafting materials from shops or gathered in the field to craft more ammo in the middle of a fight.

They also grant the user access to a special ammo type called Wyvernblast that can be planted on the ground. These landmines will detonate if a monster steps on them or if a player attacks them. The explosion will deal a fixed amount akin to a Gunlance's shelling attacks.

Monster Hunter Rise (PC) weapons guide: Heavy Bowgun

The Heavy Bowgun exchanges the mobility and Wyvernblast landmines of the Light Bowgun for more powerful ammo types and being able to attach a shield to block attacks. It has access to the same ammo types as the Light Bowgun and can charge up every shot for more damage. However, the Heavy Bowgun has a few unique ammo types that Light Bowgun doesn't have access to:

• The Wyvernheart special ammo converts the Heavy Bowgun into a walking turret that mows down anything in its path.
• The Wyvernsnipe special ammo fires an explosive round into a monster which sets off a chain of explosions across their body.
• Wyvernfire ammo type functions the same as the Gunlance's Wyvern Fire, except there is no cooldown timer. So long as you have the bullets, you can fire this as many times as you want.

New moves for Sunbreak

Which weapon will you take up in Monster Hunter Rise?

As you can see, there are many cool weapons from which to choose in this game. You can focus on mastering one weapon or go the extra mile and master every weapon to become the world's best monster hunter. This game's rich diversity of weapon options is one reason Monster Hunter Rise is one of the best multiplayer games on PC.

Monster Hunter Rise is available for Nintendo Switch and is now available for PC via Steam.

Happy hunting!

Monster Hunter Rise

$26 at GMG

It is time to prepare for The Rampage

Monster Hunter Rise is the latest entry in Capcom's action hunting series, Monster Hunter. The peaceful village is under threat of being trampled underfoot by a horde of monsters, and it is up to you to save it. Forge powerful weapons and armor to hunt the biggest game and bring your friends in co-operative multiplayer to aid you in fending off the dangerous Magnamalo.

Rise to hunt at dawn

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

$33 at GMG (preorder)

Save the Kingdom from the malevolent Malzeno

Sail to distant lands to hunt a threat in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak. This DLC expansion will bring new Wirebug actions to master, new gear to collect, and tons of new monsters to slay alongside your friends.

If Windows 10 has hardware issues, the problem could be an outdated or corrupted driver. This guide shares three ways to update drivers to resolve common issues.

On Windows 10, a device driver is a collection of files with instructions that allows the system to interact with specific hardware (such as graphics card, storage drive, and network adapter) and peripherals, including mice, keyboards, printers, monitors, and many others.

Typically, the installation of drivers happens automatically using the built-in driver library and Windows Update. However, sometimes, you may still need to update some of the controllers manually for many reasons. For example, when Windows 10 cannot recognize a component, the device stops working after an upgrade, Windows Update installs a generic package, or you have to apply a critical fix or access a new feature quickly.

Whatever the reason, Windows 10 comes with several options to update a device driver, including using Windows Update, Device Manager, and auto-update assistants from device manufacturers.

In this Windows 10 guide, we will walk you through three methods to update hardware drivers on your laptop or desktop computer. Also, we outline the steps to determine whether the driver was applied successfully.

• How to update drivers on Windows 10 using Windows Update
• How to update drivers on Windows 10 using Device Manager
• How to update graphics drivers on Windows 10
• How to determine if a driver updated successfully on Windows 10

How to update drivers on Windows 10 using Windows Update

Although the latest updates for drivers take some time to appear on Windows Update, it's still the best approach to download and install them manually. This is not only because you are getting updates through a trusted platform, but also because only the compatible packages with your system will be available through the service, minimizing the chances of confusion, which can use many problems.

To update device drivers using Windows Update, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Update & Security.
3. Click on Windows Update.
4. Click the Check for updates button (if applicable).

5. Click the View optional updates option.

6. Click the Driver updates tab.

7. Select the device driver to update on Windows 10.

8. Click the Download and install button.

Once you complete the steps, the newer driver will install automatically on the computer.

If the "View optional updates" option doesn't appear on the page, then Windows Update doesn't have any new drivers or any updates for other products at that particular time.

How to update drivers on Windows 10 using Device Manager

You can also use Device Manager to update drivers for a printer, wireless network adapter, monitor, and other components.

If the driver is not available on Windows Update because it was only recently available or the company has it in beta release, you will have to download and install the package from the manufacturer's support website manually.

Typically, when you download an update from the manufacturer, you should always use their instructions to apply it. If the support website does not have helpful information, double-click the installer and continue with the on-screen directions to complete the update.

In the case that you have a self-extracting package, double-click the file to extract its content. Or use this guide to extract the content of the ".zip" compressed file, and then continue with these steps.

To update a device driver through Device Manager, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the tool.
3. Double-click the branch with the hardware to update.

4. Right-click the hardware and select the Update driver option.

5. Click the Browse my computer for drivers option.

6. Click the Browse button.

7. Select the folder with the extracted driver files.
8. Click the OK button.
9. Check the Include subfolders option to allow the wizard to find the correct ".inf" file containing the instructions to update the driver.
10. Click the Next button.

After you complete the steps, the wizard will scan, detect, and install the newer driver on the computer to improve the overall experience.

While you can manually update a component using this method, you would typically use these steps to update the controllers for older hardware, for example, an old printer.

How to update graphics drivers on Windows 10

If the graphics card is working, it's never a good idea to update its driver. However, graphics card manufacturers periodically release updates to improve the experience, expand support, fix bugs, and add more functionalities, especially for games.

When you have to have the most recent version of the graphics driver, instead of using Windows Update, you should use the graphics control panel available from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel to install the latest updates.

You can use the links below to download the software for your brand:

• NVIDIA GeForce Experience.
• AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition.
• Intel Driver & Support Assistant.

After getting the app, installing it should be as easy as double-clicking the installers and going through the usual next, next, next wizard. Once in the control panel, click the check for updates button from the driver's section to install the latest driver.

Download graphics driver manually

In case you don't want to install another piece of software, you should be able to download the latest graphics driver directly from the manufacturer's support website.

The list below includes the links to download the latest update for your graphics card directly from your manufacturer support website:

• NVIDIA.
• AMD.
• Intel.

Once you download the package, use the manufacturer's instructions to complete the installation. If you can't find the instructions, launch the installer, and the wizard will automatically remove the old driver and replace it with the new version.

In case you have a .zip or a self-extracting package, you can refer to our previous steps to complete the driver installation using Device Manager.

Download graphics driver automatically

Alternatively, if you don't know the brand and model of the video card, some manufacturers provide a tool to automatically detect the driver you need.

You can use the links below to download and use the auto-detect driver assistant for your computer:

• NVIDIA.
• AMD.
• Intel.

While on the website, download the assistant, double-click the executable, and continue with the on-screen directions to complete the driver update.

If you have an OEM device (such as Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS, etc.), consider that many manufacturers (especially Intel) modify their drivers to limit, extend, or optimize the functionalities of the integrated graphics card. If you have a branded device, it's always recommended to download the latest updates from their support website instead of Intel. Otherwise, your device might experience unexpected behaviors or missing configurations, or you may not be able to access all the intended features.

You can also check the device model and brand using Device Manager on Windows 10 with these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the tool.
3. Expand the Display adapters branch.

4. Confirm the brand and model of the graphics card.

After you complete the steps, you can use the information to download the correct driver update. If the information isn't available, you may have to use one of the available tools from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel to detect the driver you need. Or you could also consult your device manual to determine the hardware configuration to find the correct driver update.

How to determine if a driver updated successfully on Windows 10

Once the update installs, it's a good idea to confirm that the latest version was added correctly using Device Manager.

To see the version of the driver on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the tool.
3. Expand the branch with the hardware to update.

4. Right-click the hardware and select the Properties option.

5. Click the Driver tab.

6. Confirm the "Driver Date" and "Driver Version" information.

Once you complete the steps, if these details match the manufacturer's support website's information, the device has the latest version of the driver on Windows 10.

If the driver didn't update correctly, use the steps mentioned above one more time. If you continue with the same problem, ask for help in the Windows Central forums.

More Windows resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 11 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

A trusted platform module (TPM) uses its hardware to increase encryption strength and prevent tampering from unwanted outside sources, and they've been around for a while. They're drawing more interest in the modern age since Microsoft has included a TPM requirement for enabling certain security features in Windows 11. We're here to help you check your PC's requirements and explain how to install a trusted platform module.

How to install a TPM

1. First, check that your PC doesn't already have a working TPM installed into its motherboard or via the CPU by hitting Win + R in Windows to open Run and type tpm.msc then hit Enter. It's possible to have a TPM installed without it being enabled by default, so it's best to check.

2. Now you need to check your motherboard for a TPM header. They have around 14-20 pins, usually with one pin blocked out to prevent the incorrect module from being installed. Consult your manual to find the header, usually marked "TPM" or "SPI_TPM," and be sure to purchase the correct module to match your motherboard brand and model. Trusted platform modules are not cross-compatible, so contact the manufacturer's customer support if you're unsure.
3. With your PC switched off and safely disconnected from power, safely install the TPM into your motherboard, as per your manufacturer's instructions.

4. Turn on your PC and enter the BIOS by hitting the appropriate key, usually Delete, F1, or F12. Keep your eye on your boot screen to identify which key you need if these don't work. If you load into Windows, you've gone too far and need to restart to try again.

5. Check the UEFI firmware for a TPM option and enable the module. The exact naming style will differ between motherboards and TPM modules. Since some processors have TPM modules built in, Intel CPUs often list them as "PTT" and AMD as variations of "fTPM," but TPM should have a section of its own.

6. Boot into Windows as normal and check whether your PC has detected the new TPM. Hit Win + R again to open Run and type tpm.msc to see that it's ready to use.

Enabling the TPM in your BIOS post-installation is a step you shouldn't skip, as Windows may still not detect it, so follow the instructions carefully. Now you're ready to use the latest security features of Windows 11 with TPM 2.0 as long as the rest of your hardware meets the official requirements, so go ahead and upgrade.

Choosing the right TPM

You must choose the right TPM to match your motherboard, so be extra careful when checking your brand and model to find the correct module. It's not just a software incompatibility either, the modules physically differ in their pin placement, so you can't plug an incompatible brand into the wrong board. Check your manual or the official website for a rundown of features for your motherboard to check for a TPM header and find a compatible module.

Though some Intel and AMD processors and even certain motherboards have TPMs built in, either as hardware or software, a dedicated module is a more efficient method of encrypting and protecting sensitive data. Luckily, TPMs are barely much longer than the pins on the motherboard itself, so they're discreet and shouldn't obstruct any other connections.

For ASRock motherboards

ASRock Trusted Platform Module (TPM)

This ASRock TPM 2.0 matches ASRock motherboards using a 17-pin header; be sure to check your own board's requirements.

$22 on Newegg

Demystifying the Xbox licensing process.

Recently, an Xbox outage put the spotlight on the console's DRM practices, also known as digital rights management. It refers to the mechanics that attach ownership and entitlement to a digital piece of content, whether it's a movie, mp3, or in this case, video game. Microsoft has been criticized for having stricter policies around DRM than other platforms, with no contingency plan in place for a theoretical future where Microsoft's server factory shuts down, leaving users without the ability to authenticate ownership of their content. Although generally, Xbox's DRM works similarly to other content platforms, from iOS to PlayStation.

Here's what you need to know about Xbox's DRM systems on the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One consoles, and how you can ensure you're always able to play compatible games offline in the event of a server outage.

Xbox's DRM explained

In eons past, proof of ownership was as good as owning the disc or cartridge, but in our digital world where sharing consoles and content is more prevalent, platform holders use DRM or "digital rights management" to assign your content to specific accounts. In the case of Xbox, when you purchase a digital item, it becomes tied to your Microsoft Account, which is whatever email and password you used to sign up for Microsoft services for tools like Office, Outlook, or Windows itself.

This Microsoft account is a one-stop shop for all of your licensed digital goods, whether it's games from the Microsoft Store on Windows 11, or shows from the Movies & TV app. You can sign into any Windows PC or Xbox console and have your content and licenses come along for the ride with you, but additionally, you can also assign one Xbox console to be your "home" console, where licenses remain permanently available even in the event of an internet outage.

On Xbox, Movies & TV streams from the internet and cannot be downloaded for offline use, thus it always needs an internet connection to verify its DRM status. Xbox games, however, can be used offline in certain scenarios.

Indeed, for digital licenses, Microsoft essentially verifies proof of ownership in two ways. For games that work offline and don't need an internet connection to play, in the vast majority of cases, they remain accessible even if your Xbox has been permanently disconnected from the internet — at least if your Xbox is set to your home console, which I'll explain a bit more about in the next section.

Recently, we spoke to Microsoft on the topic of Xbox's DRM, and there are some nuances when it comes to what constitutes ownership activation.

Recently, we spoke to Microsoft on the topic of Xbox's DRM, and there are some nuances when it comes to what constitutes ownership activation. According to Microsoft, most games pull down their offline entitlement licenses at the point of download. However, developmental nuances in other games may mean that you'll only fully activate the offline entitlement if you have opened the game at least one time. In the case of disc-based games on an Xbox One or Xbox Series X console, simply inserting the disc activates your ownership entitlement. But indeed, if you download a game and find that it won't open during an internet outage despite the fact it's an offline game, it may be because the offline entitlement hasn't been activated for whatever reason. It's always worth launching a game at least once to ensure that the entitlement has fully propagated.

Xbox games that have been activated properly for offline use remain active for offline use forever, and their licenses do not expire. If you change your home console over to another console, however, the entitlement on the games will expire as soon as it becomes connected to a fresh internet connection.

What exactly is a "home" console, anyway? Let's look at that in the next section.

Xbox console sharing explained

In the case of disc-based games, they are only available on whatever console you've inserted the disc into. However, digital games come with a lesser-known bonus feature, of being able to run on two separate consoles simultaneously.

Generally known as "game sharing," this is the practice by which two users on two separate Xbox consoles can pool digital games licenses together, by doubling up on their login details. You see, Microsoft Accounts come with dual ownership entitlements. One console is designated as your "home" console, which lets you use games offline, even without online verification. You also have a "cloud" entitlement, which lets you log into any other Xbox, and verify ownership of your games over an online DRM check.

People use this feature to share games within the same household or with a friend remotely. If you set your friend's console as your "home" console, and use your remote login to sign in and play on your own console, both you and your friend would get full access to your digital games simultaneously. The downside is that, if you don't have an internet connection, the cloud login will expire after roughly 15 minutes, locking you out of your games.

Xbox Live is generally up 98% of the time, but a long weekend outage in May 2022 put a spotlight on the potential pitfalls of using this feature. Microsoft's authentication servers went down, meaning that users who hadn't properly activated their offline games, or were using their cloud login to play on their consoles, were no longer able to verify entitlement to their own content. To ensure you're able to play offline games at all times, you need to have set your console to be your home console, which is enabled by default the first time you sign into an Xbox.

Setting your console up for offline play

To play games offline, you need to have your Xbox set up as your "home" console. This is because you only get offline entitlements on a single console that you designate as yours for use at home, irrespective of whether the internet is connected or not. If you've only ever signed into one Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S console, that will automatically be your home console, but if you've ever console shared, it might be worth checking the status of your console.

1. Open the guide using the Xbox button, and navigate right to Settings.

2. Under general, select Personalization.

3. Select My home Xbox at the bottom. You may be prompted to enter your pass key.

4. Here, you can put a checkmark in the "Make this my home Xbox" box.

Now, you'll be able to always play offline games on this console, as will anyone else who signs into this console. It's worth noting that while most digital games get their licenses at the point of download, some games need to have launched at least once to fully activate their offline license entitlement. Your home console will also automatically share its Xbox Live Gold multiplayer entitlement, alongside any Xbox Game Pass entitlement you may have, regardless of who's signed in on that console.

Naturally, games that require an internet connection to play like Call of Duty: Warzone won't work without an internet connection, but many singleplayer offline games like Ori and the Will of the Wisps or Minecraft local servers will work just fine.

Play well and be rewarded, Spartan.

While purchasing and progressing through the Halo Infinite Battle Pass is the primary way players can earn cosmetics in Halo Infinite's multiplayer, it's not the only way. Each week, players have an opportunity to complete an Ultimate Challenge, at which point they'll be rewarded with a special reward.

In this guide, we'll go over what the Ultimate Challenge and reward is this week, what the best way to complete the challenge is, how to get Ultimate Challenges, and when they refresh each week.

How to get Halo Infinite Ultimate Challenges

To get the Ultimate Challenge that's available each week, players will need to complete all of their other weekly challenges for the week. Currently, players are given 20 different weekly challenges every week, though this number could change in the future. Once all 20 of these weekly challenges are completed, players will then be given their Ultimate Challenge for the week.

Halo Infinite Ultimate Challenge and reward this week

The Halo Infinite Ultimate Challenge this week is High Score, which requires you to earn 5,000 cumulative player score in PvP Matches. Completing this challenge is pretty easy, as all you have to do is play matches until you've earned 5,000 score cumulatively. We highly recommend playing Big Team Battle to complete this challenge fast, as the abundance of vehicles and power weapons make it easier to score lots of kills and assists.

After completing the challenge, players will unlock the Alabaster Cognac vehicle coating. This coating is white, red, gray, and yellow, and it's available to equip on the Razorback vehicle. Players can equip it in the Vehicle Bay within the Customization menu.

Halo Infinite's multiplayer is free to play and is available on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One consoles, and Windows PCs. It's a ton of fun, and paired with the Halo Infinite campaign, it's easily one of the best Xbox games available right now.

The legend returns

Halo Infinite

Free at Microsoft (Xbox & PC)$43 at Amazon (Xbox)

Halo Infinite promises fans the most expansive Halo experience to date, featuring a fantastic campaign with a dynamic open world and an excellent story as well as an exciting free-to-play multiplayer with strong core gameplay and plenty of awesome cosmetic unlocks.

Even the fastest consoles can be brought down by slow internet.

Microsoft's latest consoles may count among the fastest and most powerful consoles ever released, but all the hardware prowess in the world matters little if your connection to the internet is tenuous or unreliable. High latency or moments of lag can mean the difference between victory and defeat in an online multiplayer game, and the difference between fun and frustration when using your Xbox.

The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are undoubtedly impressive, but they can't overcome these issues on their own. In this Xbox Series X|S networking guide, we'll go over everything you need to know about connecting your console to the internet, ensuring your connection is smooth and consistent, and making the most of online multiplayer games. Follow these in-depth tips and tricks if you have any problems getting, or staying, online.

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How do I connect to the internet with Xbox Series X|S?

The first step to pairing your powerful Xbox Series X|S with the internet is, well, getting your console online. There are two ways to connect your Xbox Series X|S to the internet: wired and wireless.

For most people, a wired internet connection is going to be the preferred route. A physical connection between your console and your router guarantees the best speeds and stability, at the expense of needing a cable connecting the two devices. Wireless connections can still provide perfectly adequate speeds for online play but trade some of the efficiency of a wired connection for convenience. Which one will work best for you depends on your setup and the overall convenience for which you're looking.

In this Xbox Series X|S networking guide, we'll go over how to connect your Xbox Series X|S to the internet both with and without wires.

Using a wired Ethernet connection

Connecting your Xbox Series X|S to the internet using a wired connection is not only the best way to go for optimal download speeds, but it's also the most effortless setup process.

All you need to do is plug an Ethernet cable into your internet router and then run that Ethernet cable to the corresponding port on the back of your Xbox Series X|S. Once your console is connected via Ethernet, it'll automatically attempt to connect to Xbox Live and the internet.

Whether or not this will be worth it to you usually rests in how far away your Xbox Series X|S is from your router. Running Ethernet cables around the house can be a hassle. However, it doesn't get any easier than simply plugging in a cable, and you're guaranteed the best possible connection through Ethernet.

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Using a wireless Wi-Fi connection

Suppose you're not able to connect your Xbox Series X|S to the internet using a wired connection, or it's simply not worth the hassle or added expense of buying and running an Ethernet cable between your router and console. In that case, you can always resort to a wireless connection.

A wireless internet connection, or Wi-Fi, is used by phones, tablets, and practically everything else to connect to the internet. Wi-Fi can still provide excellent speeds for downloading and playing games, without the wired connection, but it isn't always reliable. Using one of the best Wi-Fi routers can massively improve the reliability and speeds of your connection, making the trade-offs more than worth it for many situations.

To connect your Xbox Series X|S to your Wi-Fi, follow these steps:

1. On your Xbox Series X|S, open the Xbox Guide by pressing the "Xbox" button in the middle of your controller.

2. Once the Guide is opened, scroll to the "Profile & system" tab using the bumpers, D-pad, or right analog stick on your controller.

3. On the "Profile & system" tab of the Guide, navigate to the "Settings" button and open Settings on your console.
4. Once Settings is opened, navigate to the "General" section located at the top.

5. Inside the "General" section of Settings, navigate to and open the "Network settings" to access all the network-related settings on your console.

6. Inside the "Network settings" section, navigate to and open "Set up wireless network" to find and connect your console to Wi-Fi.

   • Note: If you do have an Ethernet cable plugged into your Xbox Series X|S, you'll need to unplug it to set up a wireless network.

7. Inside the "Set up wireless network" section, your Xbox Series X|S will display a list of available wireless networks currently in range. Find the Wi-Fi network you wish to connect to and select it from this list.

8. If necessary, enter your Wi-Fi network password when prompted. Your Xbox Series X|S will inform you if the password was correct or if you need to try again.

9. If you entered your password correctly, your Xbox Series X|S will automatically connect to your Wi-Fi network. When prompted, select the "Continue" button to finish the setup process.

How do I test my connection with Xbox Series X|S?

Once your Xbox Series X|S is connected to the internet, it's vital that you know how to test your connection. This will help you ensure that everything is working properly and can even help you isolate issues if something has gone wrong. Fortunately, the Xbox Series X|S features a pretty decent set of built-in tools that allow you to do exactly this.

In this Xbox Series X|S networking guide, we'll go over the two tools you can use to test your internet connection, and when you should use them.

Test network connection

The first diagnostic tool your Xbox Series X|S provides to you is also the simplest: testing your network connection. This tool quickly checks whether or not your Xbox Series X|S is properly connected to the network, and will either give you an "It's all good" message or let you know that something has gone wrong with some troubleshooting options.

To test the network connection on your Xbox Series X|S, follow these steps:

1. On your Xbox Series X|S, open the Xbox Guide by pressing the "Xbox" button in the middle of your controller.

2. Once the Guide is opened, scroll to the "Profile & system" tab using the bumpers, D-pad, or right analog stick on your controller.

3. On the "Profile & system" tab of the Guide, navigate to the "Settings" button and open Settings on your console.
4. Once Settings is opened, navigate to the "General" section located at the top.

5. Inside the "General" section of Settings, navigate to and open the "Network settings" to access all the network-related settings on your console.

6. Inside the "Network settings" section, navigate to and open the "Test network connection" option to run the troubleshooting tool.

7. After a few seconds, your Xbox Series X|S will inform you of the state of your console's network connection.

If your console is correctly connected to the network with no issues, you'll get an "Everything is good" message. If something went wrong, your Xbox will provide you with a set of troubleshoots you can perform to locate the problem and get back online. I suggest going back to the first step and ensuring you're properly connected to the internet and then verifying that your internet is working with other devices in your house before attempting other solutions or troubleshooting methods. Oftentimes, the simplest solution is the correct one!

Test multiplayer connection

Being connected to the internet isn't the only thing necessary for gaming on your Xbox Series X|S. Online services like multiplayer games and more are all powered by Xbox Live, Microsoft's extensive online system that's been the backend of Xbox consoles for years. If you're connected to the internet but are still running into issues, use this troubleshooter to test your connection to Xbox Live.

To test the multiplayer connection on your Xbox Series X|S, follow these steps:

1. On your Xbox Series X|S, open the Xbox Guide by pressing the "Xbox" button in the middle of your controller.

2. Once the Guide is opened, scroll to the "Profile & system" tab using the bumpers, D-pad, or right analog stick on your controller.

3. On the "Profile & system" tab of the Guide, navigate to the "Settings" button and open Settings on your console.
4. Once Settings is opened, navigate to the "General" section located at the top.

5. Inside the "General" section of Settings, navigate to and open the "Network settings" to access all the network-related settings on your console.

6. Inside the "Network settings" section, navigate to and open the "Test multiplayer connection option to run the troubleshooting tool.

7. After a few moments, your Xbox Series X|S will inform you of the state of your console's multiplayer connection, which often takes a little bit longer than the basic network connection test.

If there aren't any problems, you'll get an "Everything is good" message. If there are problems, it could be with Xbox Live. You can use our guide to check if Xbox Live is down right now, but this tool should also let you know if there are any problems with Xbox Live.

You can also use some of the below tips and tricks for any other multiplayer issues that aren't related to an Xbox Live outage. For example, another common issue for multiplayer issues is your NAT type. If you get a message about it, look below for ways to improve your NAT type.

Test network speed & statistics

The final diagnostic tool that your Xbox Series X|S provides is a decent overview of your network speed and statistics. Experiencing glacial downloads or abnormal amounts of latency in online multiplayer? Run a quick network check using this tool and see what speeds your Xbox Series X|S is reporting. While this alone doesn't give you any methods to improve matters, it gives you a place to start when trying to find the issue.

To test your network speed and statistics on your Xbox Series X|S, follow these steps:

1. On your Xbox Series X|S, open the Xbox Guide by pressing the "Xbox" button in the middle of your controller.

2. Once the Guide is opened, scroll to the "Profile & system" tab using the bumpers, D-pad, or right analog stick on your controller.

3. On the "Profile & system" tab of the Guide, navigate to the "Settings" button and open Settings on your console.
4. Once Settings is opened, navigate to the "General" section located at the top.

5. Inside the "General" section of Settings, navigate to and open the "Network settings" to access all the network-related settings on your console.

6. Inside the "Network settings" section, navigate to and open the "Test network speed & statistics" option to run the diagnostic tool.

7. After a few moments, your Xbox Series X|S will provide the numbers on some key statistics related to your network. This test may take a second but can give you lots of helpful information.

The "Test network speed & statistics" tool provides the following information:

• Download speed. Your download speed refers to the rate at which your Xbox Series X|S can pull information in. This directly affects things like game downloads and updates and can make the biggest difference in how stable your online multiplayer experience is.
• Upload speed. Your upload speed refers to the rate at which your Xbox Series X|S can push information out. This directly affects things like uploading screenshots and game clips. This is usually lower than your download speed, depending on your provider.
• Packet loss. This metric refers to how much information is lost when transmitting across your network, in the form of data "packets." You want this number to be a flat zero, or as close to zero as you can get. Any packet loss is a sign of an unstable network or tons of network congestion.
• MTU. This metric refers to the maximum size any given data packet can be when transmitted over your network. You typically won't mess with this, but the default size is around the 1,500 range. Anything significantly lower than 1,500 can potentially cause issues, while those with high-speed networks in their home might be able to support a higher MTU.
• Latency. Finally, latency is a crucial metric for online multiplayer and refers to the gap in time between a player doing something and the game responding to that action. For example, pressing the trigger on your controller to your gun firing. Latency is shown in milliseconds, and you want this number to be as low as possible.

How do I fix slow download speeds with Xbox Series X|S?

Nothing can put an abrupt and sudden halt to a gaming session faster than glacial download speeds. Video games, especially large "AAA" modern titles and online multiplayer games, feature larger initial install sizes and require constant updates. Slow download speeds can turn a fifteen-minute wait into a two-hour sludge. If you're experiencing slow download speeds on your Xbox Series X|S that might not represent your internet capabilities, this Xbox Series X|S networking guide will give you some tips and tricks to try.

If you're experiencing slow download speeds on your Xbox Series X|S, follow these steps:

Check your connection

Before you move forward with attempting to fix slow download speeds on your Xbox Series X|S, you first need to know with what you're working. Fortunately, your Xbox Series X|S gives you an easy way to get some stats on how things are running in the background. Simply follow the steps earlier in this Xbox Series X|S networking guide to find out how to test your network speed and statistics, which also breaks down all the relevant stats for you.

The biggest thing you're looking for here is simply your download speeds. Download speeds will have the most significant impact on, well, how quickly your Xbox Series X|S can download things. On top of download speeds, packet loss can also be consequential. Having any packet loss at all can be a sign of network congestion or instability, which brings us to the next tip for fixing slow download speeds on your Xbox Series X|S.

Use the best connection

When it comes to connecting your Xbox Series X|S to the internet, you have two options: wired and wireless. We always suggest using a wired connection to your router whenever possible, as this will offer you the fastest possible speeds on your network. A wired connection is more reliable and less affected by distance, interference, and network congestion. If you're able to run an Ethernet cable between your internet router and your Xbox Series X|S, it's definitely worth the time spent.

If you're using a wireless connection, most modern internet service providers (ISP) can still provide a great experience. However, there are still things to consider beyond simply using a wireless connection. Depending on your router and provider, you may have two separate wireless bands: 2.4GHz and 5GHz. It's becoming increasingly common for routers and ISPs to offer dual-band, which gives you access to both. Often this will appear in your "available networks" list as two separate networks.

While this may seem confusing, the differences between the two bands are relatively simple. 2.4GHz offers the greatest range and is suited for devices that are either far away from the router or that move around a lot (like phones and tablets). However, 2.4GHz connections offer slower speeds, higher latency, and are more susceptible to interference from other wireless signals.

5GHz, on the other hand, is much more appropriate for gaming, which relies on the fastest speeds and lowest latency. 5GHz connections can work great for your Xbox Series X|S, provided your console is reasonably close to the router. What 5GHz connections gain in speed, reliability, and latency they lose in distance and penetration through walls. If you can't use a wired connection, though, 5GHz is undoubtedly the way to go for wireless.

Close background games & apps

This tip to fixing the slow download speeds on your Xbox Series X|S may not be immediately apparent. Having any games or apps running in the background of your Xbox Series X|S can drastically reduce your download speeds, even if your internet speeds are fantastic. This is due to how the Xbox OS operates, prioritizing games and apps with internet bandwidth and system resources. Restricting background processes ensures the best possible experience when playing but can be a bummer when downloading something.

Games that require internet bandwidth themselves, or apps that require online access like streaming services, may affect this performance even more. This is even more exacerbated on the Xbox Series X|S, as Xbox Series X|S Optimized titles require even more system resources to run. While this shouldn't be considered a "problem" with Xbox consoles (the system is working as intended), it can be annoying when you're trying to install something new.

Our advice? When you need the best download speeds on your Xbox Series X|S, close down any background games or apps.

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To close a game or app, simply highlight it either on your Xbox Dashboard or inside the Xbox Guide. Once it's highlighted, press the "Menu" button on your controller (to the right of the "Xbox" button) and select the "Quit" option from the menu. The "Queue" page under "Manage" in "My games & apps," which lists all your ongoing installations and updates, provides an button to suspend your currently running game if something is throttling your download speeds, a helpful addition that can free up some bandwidth for your downloads.

If you use Xbox's "Instant-on" power mode, your Xbox Series X|S will also download and install games and updates even when the console is turned off, which can also provide optimal download speeds.

Avoid peak game times

While it's not something that's easily noticed, the internet does have "peak times" that significantly affect overall speeds and ease of use. When everyone in your area is getting off work or school and heading home to use the internet, this increased usage can cause a few hours of strain on not only your internet service provider (ISP) but also Xbox Live itself. This strain can result in slower download speeds and higher latency.

Honestly, there's not a ton you can do to "fix" this problem, but you can try to avoid big downloads around peak times instead. Downloading games early in the morning or late at night can lead to faster speeds. It's not always easy to tell when peak times are at, especially since they can change from area-to-area, over time, and through events like holidays, but being mindful of these fluctuations can lessen the frustration of slow download speeds.

Change DNS settings

Now that we've gotten the more basic tips out of the way, this Xbox Series X|S networking guide will go over some more advanced tricks that interested users can use to potentially improve their download speeds. The first thing that players can consider when facing slow download speeds is switching to a different DNS.

First, a quick explainer: Domain Name System (DNS) settings is a massive, mostly hidden part of using the internet that translates things that users see like web URLs to information that computers understand, or internet protocol (IP) addresses. Without DNS, simple tasks like browsing the web would be far more challenging and overall a chore. These servers act as gateways to the internet.

For the most part, your internet service provider (ISP) will handle DNS. These default DNS settings shouldn't ever cause any issues, and the vast majority of people will be pleased with what they provide. However, advanced users can see increased speeds when switching to a third-party anycast DNS.

To switch your Xbox Series X|S to a third-party DNS like GoogleDNS and OpenDNS, follow these steps:

1. On your Xbox Series X|S, open the Xbox Guide by pressing the "Xbox" button in the middle of your controller.

2. Once the Guide is opened, scroll to the "Profile & system" tab using the bumpers, D-pad, or right analog stick on your controller.

3. On the "Profile & system" tab of the Guide, navigate to the "Settings" button and open Settings on your console.
4. Once Settings is opened, navigate to the "General" section located at the top.

5. Inside the "General" section of Settings, navigate to and open the "Network settings" to access all the network-related settings on your console.

6. Inside the "Network settings" section, navigate to and open the "Advanced settings" option to open a set of more advanced controls.

7. Inside the "Advanced settings" section, navigate to and open the "DNS settings" option to access the DNS options.

8. Inside the "DNS settings" section, select the "Manual" option to manually enter a new DNS address.

9. Once you select the "Manual" option, you'll need to enter the primary address for the DNS you want to use.
   • GoogleDNS: If you're using this third-party DNS, enter 8.8.8.8 as the primary address.
   • OpenDNS: If you're using this third-party DNS, enter 208.67.222.222 as the primary address.
   • Third-party: If you're using another third-party DNS, enter the primary address for it here.

10. After confirming the primary address for your third-party DNS, you'll need to enter the secondary address for the DNS you want to use.

    • GoogleDNS: If you're using this third-party DNS, enter 8.8.4.4 as the secondary address.
    • OpenDNS: If you're using this third-party DNS, enter 208.67.220.220 as the secondary address.
    • Third-party: If you're using another third-party DNS, enter the secondary address for it here.

11. Once you enter both addresses, your DNS should change to the third-party option you selected.
    • Note: You can switch back to your ISP's default DNS at any point by following these steps and selecting "Automatic" instead of "Manual."
    • Note: If you're using an IPv6 connection instead of IPv4, the above DNS addresses will still work.

Once you complete all of these steps, you may see increased speeds on your Xbox Series X|S. Of course, every device on your network relies on DNS to browse the web, including your Windows computer. If you notice improvements on your Xbox Series X|S and also want to see them on your PC, check out our guide on how to change DNS settings on Windows 10.

Enable IPv6 addresses

IP stands for "internet protocol," and IP addresses are something that every device requires to browse the internet. IPv4 is the aging standard of IP addresses and is 32-bit, but it is running out of available addresses with the increased number of devices and internet services that exist. The lack of available addresses requires a lot more work and translation and can lead to lower speeds and longer latency on your Xbox Series X|S.

IPv6, on the other hand, is the new standard and is in 128-bit, which essentially equates to way more available IP addresses to use. IPv6 is still relatively new (as far as being an officially ratified internet standard) but is becoming increasingly available to users.

Your Xbox Series X|S automatically detects if it's using an IPv4 or IPv6 connection from your internet service provider (ISP), and there's nothing you can do to change it from your end. However, you can see the "Current network status" of your Xbox Series X|S on the right side of the "Network settings" section of Settings. The second item listed here should be "IPv4" or "IPv6," depending on which connection you're currently using.

If listed as IPv4, consider reaching out directly to your ISP and asking them if they provide an IPv6 connection. If not, there's not a whole lot you can do besides finding a new ISP. Still, if your ISP can set you up with IPv6, you could notice considerable improvements on your Xbox Series X|S to downloads and overall speed.

Enable Quality of Service

Finally, enabling Quality of Service (QoS) is another advanced tip that can lead to fantastic results on your Xbox Series X|S. QoS manages the bandwidth on your network, scaling depending on the current traffic on your network. Using QoS, you can prioritize specific devices and tasks, ensuring your Xbox Series X|S always has access to adequate bandwidth when required.

Under ideal network conditions, QoS isn't likely to make a huge difference, but in times when your network is congested or there's a lot of traffic, QoS can ensure your Xbox Series X|S has the bandwidth it needs. Most QoS is enabled on a per-router or network basis, meaning you'll need to refer to your specific router documentation to learn how to enable it. However, Xbox Series X|S consoles do now have specific settings to enable QoS on the console, as long as your router or network supports it.

Xbox Series X|S consoles support QoS Tagging, which means your console can tag latency-sensitive outbound tasks like online multiplayer sessions, streaming and cloud services, Xbox Party Chat, and more. When your network becomes congested, these tags provide bandwidth priority to those services on supported, QoS-enabled networks, ensuring you never miss a beat. There are two QoS Tagging options on Xbox Series X|S:

• Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) Tagging enabled. DSCP is done at the IP address packet level, and functions with both wired and wireless networks. DSCP identifies latency-sensitive network traffic on your console, and works with QoS-enabled routers or networks, or with ISP networks that support a standard known as Low Latency DOCSIS to ensure that traffic is provided with the necessary bandwidth. This is the only QoS Tagging option necessary for those on a wired network, and is also great for most wireless networks.
• Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM) Tagging enabled. WMM is done at the wireless packet level, and therefore only functions with wireless networks. This standard is normally enabled by default on supported network, and helps protect latency-sensitive network traffic from network congestion and high latency. This QoS Tagging option is great for wireless networks, but does nothing for wired networks.

To enable QoS on your Xbox Series X|S, follow these steps:

1. On your Xbox Series X|S, open the Xbox Guide by pressing the "Xbox" button in the middle of your controller.

2. Once the Guide is opened, scroll to the "Profile & system" tab using the bumpers, D-pad, or right analog stick on your controller.

3. On the "Profile & system" tab of the Guide, navigate to the "Settings" button and open Settings on your console.
4. Once Settings is opened, navigate to the "General" section located at the top.

5. Inside the "General" section of Settings, navigate to and open the "Network settings" to access all the network-related settings on your console.

6. Inside the "Network settings" section, navigate to and open the "Advanced settings" option to open a set of more advanced controls.

7. Inside the "Advanced settings" section, navigate to and open the "QoS Tagging Settings" option to access the QoS Tagging options.

8. On the "QoS Tagging Settings" page, enable the QoS Tagging options you desire to help protect your console from network congestion and latency.

   Note: While both these QoS Tagging options shouldn't negatively affect your network experience, even on supported network, you may experience issues on a small minority of networks. In these cases, you should disable QoS Tagging.

How do I fix multiplayer lag with Xbox Series X|S?

Once you've downloaded everything you want on your Xbox Series X|S, you'll probably want to hop online and play. However, issues with lag and other connectivity problems with multiplayer aren't necessarily intrinsically tied to low download speeds, and can have different solutions and underlying issues. In order to remain competitive with online multiplayer, you want your speeds and latency to be as close to "instant" as possible.

On top of everything mentioned in the previous section on download speeds, this Xbox Series X|S networking guide will go over a few other things you can keep in mind when wanting to get the most out of online multiplayer.

Check your connection

There are a few things you can attempt to rectify multiplayer lag on your Xbox Series X|S, but before you do anything, you should run a few tests to try and isolate the issue. Two factors are applicable when it comes to playing online: your connection to the internet and your connection to Xbox Live.

Your connection to the internet affects everything you do on your Xbox Series X|S online, and it's also the most information-dense test you can run. Fortunately, we've already been over how to run this useful test. Simply follow the steps earlier in this Xbox Series X|S networking guide to find out how to test your network speed and statistics, which also breaks down all the relevant stats for you.

All of the stats here can affect your multiplayer experience on your Xbox Series X|S, but the most important metrics will be your download and upload speeds, packet loss, and latency. Your speeds should be as high as possible, your packet loss should be as close to zero as possible, and your latency should be as low as possible. For a passable multiplayer experience, the minimum download / upload speed we suggest is 2MBps, a packet loss close to zero, and latency below 200ms.

If you notice any deficiencies in these stats, that could very well be the primary cause of any multiplayer lag you're experiencing. However, you could also have issues connecting to Xbox Live, Microsoft's server-backend that powers all Xbox online experiences. For the most part, Xbox Live is stable, fast, and players don't have to do anything on their end to make things work. Every so often, though, Xbox Live may go down for periods or have issues in certain areas.

There's also a test built-in to your Xbox Series X|S that will tell you exactly how your connection to Xbox Live is and if you're ready to start playing online multiplayer. Just like with the previous test, we've already been over exactly how to run this test. Simply follow the steps earlier in this Xbox Series X|S networking guide to determine how to test your multiplayer connection, which will tell you clearly how your Xbox Live connection is.

You should get a simple "Everything is good" message most of the time after running this test. However, if there are any issues with Xbox Live, you should get a message here letting you know that there was a problem. You can also use our guide to check if Xbox Live is down right now, but this tool is built right into your Xbox Series X|S.

Consider the multiplayer design

When it comes to online multiplayer, it isn't always dependent on your connection or your internet speed. Every multiplayer game is different, and the way they handle online multiplayer can dramatically affect how reliable and stable your connection is. Many games have been negatively affected by their approach to online networking. Depending on the game you're playing, the multiplayer lag and other issues you're experiencing may not be related to your setup or anything that's up to you.

There are two standard approaches to online multiplayer that can affect your experience: peer-to-peer (P2P) and dedicated servers.

P2P is the more affordable option and can be quite common with online multiplayer games built by indie developers. P2P means a game uses its players' personal networks to host online multiplayer connections while using one player's console as the central server. This is entirely reliant on individual users' networks and is far more prone to lag, latency issues, and interruptions. That isn't to say that P2P doesn't have a place, but as time goes on, it becomes increasingly uncommon and is generally less desirable than the other form of multiplayer networking.

Dedicated servers mean a game has central servers with the sole purpose of hosting online multiplayer. This approach takes the strain off player networks, typically guaranteeing the lowest lag and latency, and with a global network can provide a consistent experience for all players. Dedicated servers have become more common recently with the rise of cloud superpowers like Microsoft and Amazon that are happy to rent servers out, and is the ideal solution for online multiplayer.

Still, even games with dedicated servers can still experience multiplayer issues due to how the game is built, the number of players the servers are trying to support at once, and more. Many factors contribute to online multiplayer, especially with the hosting portion of it. Still, the simple distinction between P2P and dedicated servers can make a world of difference for online games, especially larger ones. Unfortunately, this does mean that the issues players can experience in online multiplayer games could be related to the game's design. In this case, some games can be improved on a per-case basis if you're willing to research them.

Aim for Open NAT

Another huge part of how the internet works is Network Address Translation (NAT), which allows multiple devices to map internal IP addresses to external addresses. This especially plays a massive role in anything that many people are involved in, like online multiplayer games. There are three types of NAT: Open, Moderate, and Strict. In rough terms, a player's NAT type can help dictate what other players with whom they're compatible when playing multiplayer games.

To put it simply, an Open NAT will have the least number of problems with online multiplayer, while a Strict NAT type can experience more issues. The below table gives a good indication of how different NAT types work with each other. In other words, which players with whom you can connect.

The end goal for players is to aim for Open NAT, but this isn't as simple as it sounds. For most players, you hopefully won't have to mess with anything and will already have an Open NAT. For the rest, it's a manual process that can be quite difficult. Fortunately, we have three different methods you can try to change your NAT type to Open.

If you're not sure what NAT type you currently have on your Xbox Series X|S, you can see the "Current network status" of your Xbox Series X|S on the right side of the "Network settings" section of Settings. The third option here should list your NAT type, which should hopefully say "Open." If it doesn't, then read on in our Xbox Series X|S networking guide for some ideas on how you can make your NAT type Open.

Do not mix and match UPnP, port forwarding, or DMZ when trying to get an Open NAT type on your Xbox Series X|S. If one option does not work, undo all the work you did before moving on to the next option.

Test your NAT type

Before you move forward with any of the other portions in this section of our Xbox Series X|S networking guide, you'll first want to be familiar with how to test your NAT type on your Xbox Series X|S. Testing isn't necessary to determine what kind of NAT type your Xbox Series X|S uses (it'll tell you like mentioned above), but it is essential to "finalize" any changes you make below. To save us some time, follow the steps below to test your NAT type on your Xbox Series X|S:

1. On your Xbox Series X|S, open the Xbox Guide by pressing the "Xbox" button in the middle of your controller.

2. Once the Guide is opened, scroll to the "Profile & system" tab using the bumpers, D-pad, or right analog stick on your controller.

3. On the "Profile & system" tab of the Guide, navigate to the "Settings" button and open Settings on your console.
4. Once Settings is opened, navigate to the "General" section located at the top.

5. Inside the "General" section of Settings, navigate to and open the "Network settings" to access all the network-related settings on your console.

6. Inside the "Network settings" section, navigate to and open the "Test NAT type" option to run the NAT type tool.

7. Your Xbox Series X|S will automatically run the "Test NAT type" tool, which may take several moments. When it's done, you'll get a concise message about what NAT type your Xbox Series X|S is now using.

Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)

UPnP is the default for a lot of modern routers. It's a set of protocols that automatically handles port mapping, or how your network handles incoming and outgoing traffic, to improve communications across devices. UPnP avoids the hassle of other methods, like port forwarding, by letting your router handle the work instead of being done manually.

It should be mentioned that UPnP isn't always the most secure and has been criticized in the past for its open nature and known vulnerabilities that can be maliciously exploited. Port forwarding requires more manual work but can be more secure because of this. On top of that, UPnP and how it's implemented can vary wildly from router to router, so less-reputable routers may be less secure than others. If you're concerned about security over convenience, UPnP may not be the best choice, but it should be mentioned that, especially for home users with closed-off systems like consoles, UPnP is a perfectly viable option.

Enabling UPnP is not guaranteed to make your NAT type Open on your Xbox Series X|S, but it can be the first step. If UPnP doesn't work, we recommend trying port forwarding instead (the section directly below).

If it isn't already enabled, UPnP can dramatically improve your network connections with online multiplayer. However, the steps vary wildly from router to router. We can provide the basic process, but enabling UPnP will require some research on your exact router.

Do not mix and match UPnP, port forwarding, or DMZ when trying to get an Open NAT type on your Xbox Series X|S. If one option does not work, undo all the work you did before moving on to the next option.

To enable UPnP on your Xbox Series X|S for an Open NAT type, follow these steps:

1. On a PC or other browser-enabled device, navigate to your router's login page.

   • Note: Every router can be different. You'll have to research your specific router make and model to determine how to access its login page and how to enable UPnP.
2. On your router login page, login using the required credentials.

3. After you've logged in to your router, find and navigate to the UPnP menu.

   • Note: If your router does not support UPnP, we recommend moving on to port forwarding.
4. Inside the UPnP menu on your router, enable UPnP.
5. Once you've enabled UPnP, make sure to save your changes.
6. Once you've saved your changes, go to your Xbox Series X|S.
7. On your Xbox Series X|S, follow these steps to test your NAT type.
8. If enabling UPnP succeeded in changing your NAT type to Open, your Xbox Series X|S will let you know after a few moments. Otherwise, undo these steps and move on to port forwarding.

Port forwarding

When UPnP doesn't work, isn't available, or you're willing to trade convenience for some added security, you can try manual port forwarding. While UPnP handles a lot of protocols automatically, port forwarding allows you to direct specific traffic to your Xbox Series X|S personally, massively opening up connectivity. Because port forwarding is device-specific and can even be catered to specific games and online experiences, port forwarding often solves a ton of online multiplayer issues.

So why wouldn't you use port forwarding instead of the less secure and consistent UPnP? The biggest reason is convenience. Many modern routers enable UPnP by default, handle it quite well, and the majority of users won't ever have to worry about security concerns. On the other hand, port forwarding is much more manual and requires comfort getting into the gritty details of your network and your Xbox Series X|S settings.

Port forwarding can drastically improve your speeds, network connections, and more, especially with low-latency games and chat on your Xbox Series X|S. However, the precise way to enable port forwarding also varies wildly from router to router, so personal research will be required for the exact make and model of your router. Below is the basic outline for enabling port forwarding, but we can't provide all of the information.

If you have issues enabling port forwarding on your console, double-check all of the information and go through the steps one by one to ensure everything was done correctly. If port forwarding still does not Open your NAT type, your last resort is DMZ, which you can find below.

Do not mix and match UPnP, port forwarding, or DMZ when trying to get an Open NAT type on your Xbox Series X|S. If one option does not work, undo all the work you did before moving on to the next option.

To enable port forwarding on your Xbox Series X|S for an Open NAT type, follow these steps:

1. On your Xbox Series X|S, open the Xbox Guide by pressing the "Xbox" button in the middle of your controller.

2. Once the Guide is opened, scroll to the "Profile & system" tab using the bumpers, D-pad, or right analog stick on your controller.

3. On the "Profile & system" tab of the Guide, navigate to the "Settings" button and open Settings on your console.
4. Once Settings is opened, navigate to the "General" section located at the top.

5. Inside the "General" section of Settings, navigate to and open the "Network settings" to access all the network-related settings on your console.

6. Inside the "Network settings" section, navigate to and open the "Advanced settings" section to access the most advanced network settings for your Xbox Series X|S.

7. Inside the "Advanced settings" section, take note of and record the IP address of your Xbox Series X|S.

8. Inside the "Advanced settings" section, take note of and record the MAC address of your Xbox Series X|S.

9. On a PC or other browser-enabled device, navigate to your router's login page.

   • Note: Every router can be different. You'll have to research your specific router make and model to determine how to access its login page and how to enable port forwarding.
10. On your router login page, login using the required credentials.
11. After you've logged in to your router, manually assign an IP address to your Xbox Series X|S, using the previously recorded IP and MAC addresses.
12. If necessary, once you've manually assigned an IP address, save your changes.
13. On your Xbox Series X|S, follow these steps to test your network connection.

14. If your Xbox Series X|S is still connected to your network, navigate to the port forwarding section on your router.

    • Note: If your Xbox Series X|S is no longer connected to your network, follow the steps of this section from the beginning, double-checking that you have all the right information.

15. Inside the port forwarding section on your router, open the following ports, using the appropriate protocol:

    • UDP: 88, 500, 3544, 4500
    • TCP & UDP: 3074
16. If necessary, once you've opened the ports, save your changes.
17. On your Xbox Series X|S, follow these steps to test your NAT type.
18. If enabling port forwarding succeeded in changing your NAT type to Open, your Xbox Series X|S will let you know after a few moments. Otherwise, repeat these steps if necessary, or move on to DMZ as a last resort for resolving NAT issues.

Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

If UPnP and port forwarding fail to Open your NAT type, then using the DMZ (also known as a perimeter zone) should be your last resort. While UPnP and port forwarding map ports to improve network connections, the DMZ completely removes network restrictions for a device (without completely removing network security). While the DMZ is practically guaranteed to improve your NAT type, it also allows unsolicited traffic to be sent to your Xbox Series X|S.

Xbox Series X|S use a restricted OS with tons of built-in security and limited access, so using the DMZ is usually acceptable. However, the DMZ should never be used with a PC or other, more open devices. Even with your Xbox Series X|S, the DMZ should be your last choice, after UPnP and port forwarding have already failed to improve your NAT type. Before using the DMZ, I recommend returning to the previous sections in this Xbox Series X|S networking guide and going through UPnP and port forwarding one more time. I also recommend having a decent understanding of how networks work before using DMZ.

The exact process for enabling the DMZ for your Xbox Series X|S will vary wildly depending on your router. While the basic steps are outlined below, it'll still be up to you to research the exact make and model of your router for the rest of the details.

If you have any issues enabling the DMZ for your Xbox Series X|S, go through all of the steps and double-check that you have all the correct information and followed the steps in order.

Do not mix and match UPnP, port forwarding, or DMZ when trying to get an Open NAT type on your Xbox Series X|S. If one option does not work, undo all the work you did before moving on to the next option.

To enable the DMZ on your Xbox Series X|S, follow these steps:

1. On your Xbox Series X|S, open the Xbox Guide by pressing the "Xbox" button in the middle of your controller.

2. Once the Guide is opened, scroll to the "Profile & system" tab using the bumpers, D-pad, or right analog stick on your controller.

3. On the "Profile & system" tab of the Guide, navigate to the "Settings" button and open Settings on your console.
4. Once Settings is opened, navigate to the "General" section located at the top.

5. Inside the "General" section of Settings, navigate to and open the "Network settings" to access all the network-related settings on your console.

6. Inside the "Network settings" section, navigate to and open the "Advanced settings" section to access the most advanced network settings for your Xbox Series X|S.

7. Inside the "Advanced settings" section, take note of and record the IP address of your Xbox Series X|S.

8. Inside the "Advanced settings" section, take note of and record the MAC address of your Xbox Series X|S.

9. On a PC or other browser-enabled device, navigate to your router's login page.

   • Note: Every router can be different. You'll have to research your specific router make and model to determine how to access its login page and how to enable the DMZ.
10. On your router login page, login using the required credentials.
11. After you've logged in to your router, manually assign an IP address to your Xbox Series X|S, using the previously recorded IP and MAC addresses.
12. If necessary, once you've manually assigned an IP address, save your changes.
13. On your Xbox Series X|S, follow these steps to test your network connection.

14. If your Xbox Series X|S is still connected to your network, navigate to the DMZ section on your router.

    • Note: If your Xbox Series X|S is no longer connected to your network, follow the steps of this section from the beginning, double-checking that you have all the right information.
15. In the DMZ section on your router, enable the DMZ.
16. Once the DMZ has been enabled, enter the assigned IP address for your Xbox Series X|S from earlier.
17. If necessary, once you've entered the assigned IP address, save your changes.
18. On your Xbox Series X|S, follow these steps to test your NAT type.
19. If enabling the DMZ for your Xbox Series X|S succeeded in changing your NAT type to Open, your Xbox Series X|S will let you know after a few moments. If not, be sure to go back through this section and repeat this process step-by-step.

How do I reduce data usage with Xbox Series X|S?

The Xbox Series X|S are gaming beasts, but all those multiplayer games, streaming apps, downloads and updates, and more can quickly burn through internet bandwidth. If you have a limited amount of bandwidth or a metered connection through your internet service provider (ISP), you'll want to know how to monitor and reduce the data usage on your Xbox Series X|S. Fortunately, there's quite a bit you can do here to reduce the strain on your data cap.

The last stop in this Xbox Series X|S networking guide will go over all the ways you can reduce data using on your Xbox Series X|S, so you can make the most of your gaming without worrying about going over your data cap.

Check your data usage

Before doing anything to reduce how much data your Xbox Series X|S is consuming on your network, you might want to check the numbers first. Fortunately, your Xbox Series X|S provides an easy way to track how much data your Xbox Series X|S is using right now, an hour-by-hour breakdown of the last day, usage so far for the current period, and historical tracking for total usage in previous months. You can even choose what day your Xbox Series X|S resets its monthly tracking, that way you can sync it to when your ISP resets your bandwidth cap.

This test can provide invaluable insight into how much data you're using, when you're using it, and how much you need to change to avoid going over.

To check your data usage on your Xbox Series X|S, follow these steps:

1. On your Xbox Series X|S, open the Xbox Guide by pressing the "Xbox" button in the middle of your controller.

2. Once the Guide is opened, scroll to the "Profile & system" tab using the bumpers, D-pad, or right analog stick on your controller.

3. On the "Profile & system" tab of the Guide, navigate to the "Settings" button and open Settings on your console.
4. Once Settings is opened, navigate to the "General" section located at the top.

5. Inside the "General" section of Settings, navigate to and open the "Network settings" to access all the network-related settings on your console.

6. Inside the "Network settings" section, navigate to and open the "Bandwidth usage" section" to access all the information on your data usage.

7. Your Xbox Series X|S will display all the relevant information you need in a nice, easy-to-read format. You can always return to this section whenever you need to.

Go offline

While there are plenty of ways to reduce how much data you're using on your Xbox Series X|S, the most effective way is to simply go offline. Your Xbox Series X|S contains a relatively easy-to-find toggle that lets you completely disconnect from the internet without unplugging cables or forgetting Wi-Fi networks. When you've gone offline, your Xbox Series X|S won't use any data at all.

Of course, this also means that your Xbox Series X|S isn't going to be online, which means you won't be able to do anything internet-connected. Online multiplayer, streaming apps, web browsing, game downloads, and everything in between won't work at all.

Going offline is a great option if you want to play a single-player game, watch a movie off a Blu-ray or DVD, or do something else that doesn't need you to connect to the internet. You can still do plenty without worrying about your Xbox Series X|S using data in the background.

To go offline with your Xbox Series X|S, follow these steps:

1. On your Xbox Series X|S, open the Xbox Guide by pressing the "Xbox" button in the middle of your controller.

2. Once the Guide is opened, scroll to the "Profile & system" tab using the bumpers, D-pad, or right analog stick on your controller.

3. On the "Profile & system" tab of the Guide, navigate to the "Settings" button and open Settings on your console.
4. Once Settings is opened, navigate to the "General" section located at the top.

5. Inside the "General" section of Settings, navigate to and open the "Network settings" to access all the network-related settings on your console.

6. Inside the "Network settings" section, navigate to and open the "Go offline option" to take your console offline immediately.

7. Once your Xbox Series X|S has gone offline, the "Network settings" section will remove and grey out unnecessary functions. You can return here and hit the "Go online" option to reconnect to your network whenever you want.

Disable automatic updates

Your Xbox Series X|S uses automatic updates by default to ensure your games and console are always up-to-date and ready to play. For those with ample bandwidth and data, this is typically the best option, as it's more convenient and can lead to fewer interruptions before game time. However, players who need to use their data wisely may prefer to disable automatic updates and instead rely on manually updating games and apps when necessary.

Xbox consoles haven't always provided the option to disable just automatic updates, but your Xbox Series X|S does.

To disable automatic updates on your Xbox Series X|S, follow these steps:

1. On your Xbox Series X|S, open the Xbox Guide by pressing the "Xbox" button in the middle of your controller.

2. Once the Guide is opened, scroll to the "Profile & system" tab using the bumpers, D-pad, or right analog stick on your controller.

3. On the "Profile & system" tab of the Guide, navigate to the "Settings" button and open Settings on your console.
4. Once Settings is opened, navigate to the "System" section located near the middle.

5. Inside the "System" section of Settings, navigate to and open the "Updates" section to access all update-related settings on your console.

6. Inside the "Updates" section, you'll see a page with the following options:

   • Console update status. The top option in the "Updates" section lets you know if a console update is available or not.
   • Latest console update status. The next option in the "Updates" section gives you more information about the last time your console was updated.
   • Keep my console up to date. The next option in the "Updates" section lets you toggle on and off automatic updates for your Xbox Series X|S. By default, it'll be turned on.
   • Keep my games & apps up to date. The final option in the "Updates" section lets you toggle on and off automatic updates for your games and apps. By default, it'll be turned on.

7. To disable all automatic updates on your Xbox Series X|S, toggle off the "Keep my console up to date" and "Keep my games & apps up to date" options. You can toggle just one or both if you choose.

Turn off "Instant-on" mode

One of the features that made the Xbox One great (and was improved on further with the Xbox Series X|S) was "Instant-on" mode. This power mode means that, even when "turned off," your Xbox console is in a low-power state. In "Instant-on" mode, your Xbox Series X|S can install updates in the background when you're not using it, turn on nearly instantaneously, and can keep your most recent game or app in memory without using Quick Resume.

With "Instant-on" mode, you can also remotely play, install, and manage games installed on your Xbox Series X|S, usually from the Xbox mobile app.

However, "Instant-on" mode also means that your Xbox Series X|S continues to use both power and data when it's turned off. If you've disabled automatic updates, then that's the majority of any data your Xbox Series X|S will use in "Instant-on" mode, but it's not necessarily all of it. If you want to minimize data usage to the absolute max, then you can turn off "Instant-on" mode on your Xbox Series X|S.

To disable "Instant-on" mode on your Xbox Series X|S, follow these steps:

1. On your Xbox Series X|S, open the Xbox Guide by pressing the "Xbox" button in the middle of your controller.

2. Once the Guide is opened, scroll to the "Profile & system" tab using the bumpers, D-pad, or right analog stick on your controller.

3. On the "Profile & system" tab of the Guide, navigate to the "Settings" button and open Settings on your console.
4. Once Settings is opened, navigate to the "General" section located at the top.

5. Inside the "General" section of Settings, navigate to and open the "Power mode & startup" section to access all power-related settings on your Xbox Series X|S.

6. Inside the "Power mode & startup" section, navigate to the "Power mode" dropdown option in the middle.

7. Open the "Power mode" dropdown menu and change the power mode from "Instant-on" mode to "Energy-saving" mode.

Install games with discs

One of the biggest drains on data caps with consoles is the download and installation of games. This is especially true of the Xbox Series X|S, where powerful hardware translates to increasingly large install sizes for games. One way of mitigating how much time and data is spent on installing games is using discs for the initial setup.

Unfortunately, the Xbox Series S will not be able to take advantage of this. Microsoft's more affordable gaming console lacks a physical disc drive and is therefore digital-only. In the case of the Xbox Series S, players will instead have to exercise caution and only install the games they want to play.

For the Xbox Series X, though, using physical discs is still very much an option. By using discs, you'll reduce how much of a game you'll have to install. Keep in mind; most modern games still require a portion to be downloaded over the internet and often require day-one updates to be playable. Still, using a disc can save a considerable amount of data, and every bit can count when working with a limited data cap.

With physical discs, there's also the potential for reselling your old games later on to recoup a small amount of the costs. Physical copies can often be cheaper (especially when used), and you get the feeling of being able to hold and actually own your games. Of course, using physical discs also requires that you use the physical disc any time you want to play that game.

Avoid data-hungry games and apps

Finally, our final tip for reducing data usage on your Xbox Series X|S is simply to try and avoid data-hungry games and apps. While this may seem like a no-brainer, it's not always obvious which of your games and apps are using the most data. Avoiding or limiting use of these games and apps can have a massive effect on how much data you have left. You can also keep track of your data usage on your Xbox Series X|S with the tip above, which helps keep track of what games and apps are hungrier than others.

Video streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and others can use GBs of data an hour, depending on your quality settings. Intensive multiplayer games like Call of Duty can be a consistent drain on data caps if you're not careful. Bandwidth-heavy apps like Twitch can also consume a considerable amount of data (both if you're streaming or watching streams), as well.

Outside of your internet connection, there's nothing that you want to be fast more than your console's storage. Ensure that you have plenty of space for your games and quick load speeds with one of the best Xbox Series X|S external SSDs If you follow this guide, you're sure to have a blast playing all the best Xbox games around.

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If you want a more natural experience while scrolling your mouse, use these instructions to change the scrolling direction.

On Windows 11, the mouse and touchpad help us to make navigation and interaction much easier on the screen. However, these devices have a default scroll direction that doesn't feel natural. If you scroll up with the mouse wheel or swipe down, the page will always scroll up. Although this behavior is acceptable for most users, many people may not feel comfortable with this behavior.

Whatever the reason it might be, if you want to move the page up when scrolling up or move the page down when scrolling down, Windows 11 lets you reverse the scrolling direction. However, you can only use the Settings app to adjust the scrolling for a precision touchpad peripheral. If you want to change the direction for a regular mouse, you will need to use the Registry.

In this Windows 11 guide, we will walk you through the steps to reverse the scrolling direction of the mouse and touchpad.

• How to reverse mouse scrolling on Windows 11
• How to reverse touchpad scrolling on Windows 11

How to reverse mouse scrolling on Windows 11

On Windows 11, the Settings app does not have an option to change the scrolling direction. However, you can adjust the scrolling behavior through the Registry.

Warning: This is a friendly reminder that editing the Registry is risky, and it can cause irreversible damage to your installation if you don't do it correctly. Before proceeding, it's recommended to make a full backup of your computer.

Confirm mouse information

To determine the mouse identification number on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Device Manager and click the top result to open the app.
3. Expand the Mice and other pointing devices branch.

4. Right-click the active mouse and select the Properties option.

5. Click on the Details tab.
6. Use the "Property" drop-down menu and choose the Device instance path option.

7. Confirm the "VID ID" value for the mouse — for example, VID_0E0F&PID_0003&MI_01.

Once you complete the steps, continue with the steps below to modify the Registry to reverse the mouse scrolling on Windows 11.

Reverse mouse scrolling direction

To reverse the mouse scrolling direction through the Registry, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for regedit and click the top result to open the Registry Editor.

3. Browse the following path:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\HID

4. Expand the key (folder) that matches the "VID ID" of the mouse — for example, VID_0E0F&PID_0003&MI_01.
5. Expand the subkey (folder).
6. Select the Device Parameters key.

7. Double-click the FlipFlopWheel DWORD and set the value from 0 to 1.

8. Click the OK button.
9. Restart your computer.

After you complete the steps, when you scroll up with the mouse wheel, the page should also scroll up.

You can always revert the changes to their original settings using the same instructions, but on step 7, set the value from 1 to 0.

How to reverse touchpad scrolling on Windows 11

Although you won't find an option to change the scrolling direction for the mouse, Windows 11 includes settings to reverse the scrolling direction of a precision touchpad. If the option is not available in the Settings app, it might still be possible to adjust the mouse behavior using the manufacturer's software (if applicable).

To reverse the touchpad scrolling direction on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Bluetooth & devices.

3. Click the Touchpad page on the right side.

4. Under the "Gestures & interaction" section, select the Scroll & zoom setting.

5. Select the Down motion scrolls down option using the Scrolling direction drop-down menu.

Once you complete the steps, scrolling up on the touchpad should now scroll pages down for a more natural experience on Windows 11.

More Windows resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 11 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Windows 10 includes a slew of keyboard shortcuts to make your experience easier around the desktop, and here are all of them.

On Windows 10, keyboard shortcuts are quick ways to navigate and perform actions using one or multiple key combos, which otherwise would take many more clicks and time to complete the task with the mouse.

The system has tons of keyboard shortcuts, but you don't need to learn every shortcut on Windows 10. You only need to remember those that can help you make your life easier and improve productivity.

In this Windows 10 guide, we will list all the most helpful keyboard shortcuts to navigate and operate the desktop and apps. You can also check out these additional shortcuts that you will need to know for Windows 11.

Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts

This comprehensive list includes the most helpful keyboard shortcuts to perform tasks on Windows 10 a little faster.

• Essential shortcuts
• Desktop shortcuts
• File Explorer shortcuts
• Settings page shortcuts
• Command Prompt shortcuts
• Microsoft Edge shortcuts
• Windows key shortcuts

Essential shortcuts

These are the essential keyboard shortcuts that every Windows 10 user has to know.

Desktop shortcuts

On Windows 10, you can use these keyboard shortcuts to open, close, navigate, and perform tasks more quickly throughout the desktop experience, including the Start menu, Taskbar, Settings, and more.

File Explorer shortcuts

File Explorer includes keyboard shortcuts to help you get things done a little quicker.

These are the most useful shortcuts for the default file manager on Windows 10.

Settings page shortcuts

This list includes the keyboard shortcuts for the dialog box legacy settings pages (for example, Folder Options).

Command Prompt shortcuts

If you use Command Prompt, these keyboard shortcuts will help to work a little more efficiently.

Microsoft Edge shortcuts

If Microsoft Edge is your preferred browser, you will benefit from these keyboard shortcuts. These shortcuts apply to any version of Windows.

Windows key shortcuts

The Windows key combined with other keys allows you to perform many useful tasks, such as launch Settings, File Explorer, Run command, apps pinned in the Taskbar, or open specific features like Narrator or Magnifier. You can also complete tasks like controlling windows, and virtual desktops, taking screenshots, locking the computer, and more.

Here's a list of all the most common keyboard shortcuts using the Windows key.

More Windows resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 11 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Sidestep Xbox's DRM and play your console offline.

In May 2022, a rare outage of Xbox's authentication servers rendered many players unable to access their games. Xbox digital rights management (DRM) is a system that checks whether you actually own the games installed on your console, in part to prevent people from making copies for free. The DRM also allows you to access your content on other Xbox consoles that aren't necessarily your home Xbox, so you can play with friends and family in other places.

The outage led to many questions about how and when people can actually play games offline since without authentication servers active, many online games became inaccessible. In this article, I'll be outlining the steps you need to take to ensure that during those rare Xbox outages, you'll actually be able to access your content. The following information is relevant across all Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One consoles.

Check that your games support offline play

Naturally, games that require online services to play won't work during an outage, whether it's on Xbox's side or your own internet. Games like Overwatch, Fortnite, Call of Duty, and so on require online servers to play generally, although in the case of Call of Duty, you may be able to play its offline singleplayer campaign mode even without online services active.

There's no simple and obvious way to determine at a glance whether an Xbox game supports offline play as of writing, sadly, although we hope one day Microsoft will add it. The general rule of thumb is to follow what type of game it is. If it's a game you play solo, and doesn't have any online systems or services, most likely it can be played offline. Some games also have offline "modes," despite having online systems. Minecraft and Elden Ring, for example, both have online systems, but can also be played entirely offline.

Most games download an offline license when you download the game, but others may need to be launched at least once to fully activate the license. If you're playing an offline game from a disc, you shouldn't need the internet in the vast majority of cases. Xbox Game Pass titles may also need an online connection to authenticate in some cases, even if they're an "offline" solo game.

Your best bet is to find some games you'd prefer to play in an outage, and test to see whether they'll work in offline situations. Follow the two sections below to make sure your console is properly set up for offline play.

Set your console to "offline"

One issue some people ran into during the May 2022 outage was that games were failing to launch, even if they were "offline" titles. This may have been, in part, due to some nuances in the way licenses attach to digital games. Since some parts of Xbox Live were still active, games may have been trying to check the DRM servers and returning a negative result. Some were able to bypass this DRM check and fall back to an offline license by forcing their Xbox console into an offline state.

If you're connected using an Ethernet cable, it's as simple as pulling the plug, but if you want to disable your Wi-Fi without wiping your settings, here's how. You can also use this setting to check whether a game actually works offline or not.

1. Access the guide using the Xbox button on your controller, and move the stick all the way to the right section to find Settings.

2. Under the general tab, select the Network settings menu.

3. Select Go offline on the Network settings menu screen.

Set up your console as your "home" console

When you use your Xbox, you sign in with a Microsoft Account. While using a Microsoft Account, you have what's known as dual-entitlement on digital games. This means you can access them both remotely, authenticating over the internet on a second Xbox at a friend's house or in another room, and you can also access them permanently on a single Xbox you designate as your "home" Xbox.

Your "home" Xbox gains permanent access to any games in the event of an internet outage, providing the game doesn't require online services to play. Here's how to double-check that your console is set up as your "home" Xbox.

1. Access the guide using the Xbox button on your controller, and move the stick all the way to the right section to find Settings.

2. Under the general tab, select the Personalization menu.

3. Enter the My home Xbox section. You may be asked to enter a passkey or password if your security settings are set to require it.

4. Make sure there's a check in the box that reads "Make this my home Xbox."

If you want to change your account name, in this guide, we'll show you how on Windows 10.

On Windows 10, you can change the account name for any reason. For example, you may need to update your personal information because you recently changed your name. The computer has a local account, and you prefer showing the actual name instead of the nickname. Or you want to update the name to make it a little more private.

Whatever the reason, Windows 10 includes different settings to change the name on the Sign-in screen and across the desktop, but it is not a straightforward process. Depending on the account type, the instructions will be entirely different.

In this Windows 10 guide, we will walk you through the steps to change the account name on the Sign-in screen for a local or Microsoft account on your computer.

• How to change account name with Settings on Windows 10
• How to change account name using Control Panel on Windows 10

How to change account name with Settings on Windows 10

Windows 10 displays the account name from the cloud when the computer is configured with a Microsoft account. As a result, you have to change the settings online if you want to change the account name.

To change the name of the Windows 10 account, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Your info.

4. Click the Manage my Microsoft account option.

   Quick tip: You can always access your account settings online on this Microsoft page.

5. Sign in with your credentials (if applicable).

6. Click the Your Info tab.

7. Under the current name of the account, click the Edit name option.

8. Change the new account name as necessary.

   Quick tip: To make your information a little more private, use the first six letters of your name and the first two letters of your last name (often known as "six-by-two" by administrators).

9. Confirm the challenge to verify that a robot is not making the changes in the account.
10. Click the Save button.
11. Restart the computer.

Once you complete the steps, the Sign-in screen should reflect the new name change but allow some time for the device to sync the latest information.

While changing the account name is a straightforward process, renaming the account online also changes the first and last name of any services connected to your account, including Xbox Live, Outlook, OneDrive, Microsoft 365, and others.

How to change account name using Control Panel on Windows 10

When using a local account on Windows 10, you have several ways to modify the account's name through Control Panel.

Change account name with User Accounts

To change the account name using the User Accounts settings on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Control Panel.

2. Under the "User Accounts" section, click the Change account type option.

3. Select the local account to change its name.

4. Click the Change the account name option.

5. Confirm the new account name for the Sign-in screen.

6. Click the Change Name button.

After you complete the steps, sign out of the current session, and the Sign-in screen should now display the new name.

Change account name with netplwiz

You can also use the legacy account management tool (netplwiz) to complete the same task on your computer.

To update the account name with netplwiz, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for netplwiz and click the top result to open the legacy account management tool.
3. Click the Users tab.
4. Select the account to change its name.

5. Click the Properties button.

6. (Optional) Update the "User name" field to change the account nickname.

7. Confirm the new name in the "Full Name" field – for example, "John Smith."

   Quick tip: If you want to display a nickname instead of your real name, leave the "Full Name" field empty.

8. Click the Apply button.
9. Click the OK button.
10. Click the OK button again.

Once you complete the steps, sign out, and the Sign-in screen will show the name in the "Full Name" field.

You can also edit the accounts linked to a Microsoft account with the legacy tool. However, the cloud settings will overwrite the information again, thus making this option only available for local profiles.

Change account name with Computer Management

To use a different name on your Windows 10 account, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Computer Management and click the top result to open the app.
3. Double-click to expand the System Tools branch.
4. Double-click the Local Users and Groups branch.
5. Click on Users.

6. Right-click the account to edit and select the Properties option.

   Quick tip: You can use the Rename option to change the profile nickname from the context menu.

7. Click the General tab.

8. In the "Full name" field, confirm a new name for the account.

9. Click the Apply button.
10. Click the OK button.

After you complete the steps, the sign-in screen will show the local account's new name when you sign in to the account.

On Windows 10, you have several methods to change the account name, but none of the available options will change the name of the profile folder in the "Users" folder. You might find some workarounds online, but it is not recommended to use those instructions, as you may create other issues.

If you want to change the account name everywhere on Windows 10, you should create a new account with the name you wish to use, and then transfer all your settings and files to the newly created account.

More Windows resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 11 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know