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In this article we will show you how to Fix ‘Xbox Game Bar Not Working’ issue. The Xbox Game Bar in Windows 11 is a cool app for gamers who want to use extra gaming-related features, such as chatting with friends online, keeping an eye on their PC data, or recording their gameplay. Even though the Xbox Game Bar can be helpful while gaming, it is very annoying when it stops working in the middle of a game. You may already know that Microsoft added a new feature called “Game bar” to the Windows Xbox app. It comes with the Xbox app.
The Xbox Game bar appears when a game is started, and it’s made so that users can record videos and take pictures of the game. It’s similar to what people can do on the Xbox One, and you know what? It’s true. Not only that, but if the Game bar doesn’t open automatically for a certain game, users can add that game through the settings area. Now, since you’ve already clicked on this article, we’ll assume that the Xbox Game Bar on your PC or laptop isn’t working in Windows 11 and that you want to know how to Fix ‘Xbox Game Bar Not Working’ issue.
What is Xbox Game Bar?
The Xbox Game Bar is a gaming overlay that comes with Windows 10 and can be changed. It works with most PC games. It gives you instant access to more features without leaving your game. Among these features are the ability to take a picture of your screen and share it, chat with your Xbox friends on your Xbox console, mobile device, or PC, and improve your game performance with the new Razer Cortex widget.
Microsoft built the Xbox Game Bar into Windows 11 and Windows 10 so that we can use different widgets while playing games on our computers.
With a simple keyboard shortcut (Win + G), you can get to the widgets in Xbox Game Bar that let you capture game clips, take screenshots, find friends, monitor and manage performance, and so on, without having to leave the game you’re playing.
Ways to Fix ‘Xbox Game Bar Not Working’ issue
Don’t Run Games in Full-Screen Mode
- Game bar may not appear in full-screen mode while playing a game.
- Games may not know how to respond to Windows + G key combination.
- Run the game in windowed mode.
- Press Windows key + G to open the Game bar’s user interface.
- Take a screenshot or record gameplay by pressing Windows + Alt + R or Windows + Alt + PrtScr.
Install the Windows Media Feature Pack
- Go to the page for the Windows Media Feature Pack.
- Scroll down and click on “Download the Media Feature Pack update package now” to save the installer.
- Open the Windows Media Feature Pack installer that you saved and run it.
- This step is needed if you are using Windows 10 N or KN because they don’t have all the media technologies needed for the Game Bar.
Edit the Registry
- Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type “regedit” in the Run dialog box and click OK.
- In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GameDVR.
- Right-click on the “AppCaptureEnabled” DWORD and choose “Modify”.
- If the value is 0, change it to 1.
- Go to the same path in the registry: “GameConfigStore”.
- Right-click on the “GameDVR_Enabled” DWORD and choose “Modify”.
- If the value is 0, change it to 1.
- Restart your computer.
- Try using the Game bar again.
Check the Xbox app’s Hotkey Settings
- Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
- Choose “Gaming” from the menu.
- Look for the section called “Keyboard shortcuts” that talks about the hotkeys for the Game Bar.
- Make sure the hotkeys are set up right. If you need to, change them to the shortcuts you want.
- Click “Save” to use the new settings.
Reinstall the Xbox Game Bar through PowerShell
- Press the Windows key + S, type “powershell,” right-click on “Windows PowerShell” in the list of results, and choose “Run as administrator.”
- Run the command “Get-AppxPackage xboxapp | Remove-AppxPackage” in the PowerShell window to get rid of the Xbox Game Bar.
- Restart your computer.
- Open the Microsoft Store and look for the Xbox Game Bar. From there, you can reinstall it.
Check the Game bar’s Settings
- Search for “Xbox” in the Cortana search box and click on the app to open it.
- Use your Microsoft Account to sign in to the Xbox app.
- Click the icon in the bottom left corner that looks like a gear.
- Click on “Game DVR.”
- Make sure that the option to “Record game clips and screenshots using Game DVR” is turned on. Activate it if it’s off.
- Close the Xbox app and then restart your Windows computer.
- Press the Windows key + G to open the Game bar and make sure it is working.
Reasons for the Xbox Game Bar Not Working
- Version of Windows that is out of date: The Xbox Game Bar may need a certain version of Windows 10 to work properly. If your version of Windows is old, it could cause problems with compatibility.
- System requirements: There are certain system requirements that must be met in order to use the Xbox Game Bar. If your computer doesn’t have these things, the Game Bar might not work right.
- Disabled Xbox Game Bar: The Xbox Game Bar might have been turned off in the Windows settings. Make sure the Game Bar is turned on by going into the settings.
- Software that doesn’t work well together: The Xbox Game Bar might not work well with other software or apps that are running on your computer. Anti-virus software, screen recorders, and software that goes on top of the screen can sometimes make the Game Bar stop working.
- Files that are broken or missing: If the Xbox Game Bar’s important files are broken or missing, the Game Bar might not work. This can happen for a number of reasons, such as software bugs, system errors, or installations that aren’t finished.
- Problems with drivers: The Xbox Game Bar may not work well if its graphics drivers are out of date or don’t work well with other devices. It’s best to make sure your graphics drivers are always up to date.
Questions and Answers
There are a few things that could be wrong with the Xbox game bar. First, see if the Xbox game bar is turned on in the app settings or registry editor. The feature is turned on by default, so if you turn it on and it still doesn’t work, you need to fix or reset the app.
It happens because some of the parts depend on each other, and the Xbox bar gets messed up. When you switch from the Xbox Game bar to other apps, the recording may stop. It also happens when you press Alt and Tab at the same time.
Yes, turning off the Xbox Game Bar on Windows 11 can improve FPS (frames per second) while gaming, since the overlay uses up system resources and may affect performance. You can free up some resources and see an improvement if you turn it off.
Here are the two ways you can remove the Xbox Game Bar. In Settings > Apps & Features, you can search for Xbox Live, right-click it, and choose to uninstall or remove it. PowerShell can also be used to: Type Get-AppxPackage xbox | Remove-AppxPackage into PowerShell while you are logged in as an administrator.