Xbox is the most widely used platform for gaming and offers abundant features to users. One of these features is the Xbox Game Bar. Although slightly underrated compared to other features, the Xbox Game Bar can sometimes cause issues. That is why many users want to know what to do when Xbox Game Bar is not working.
Also, it is an added advantage to know how to use Xbox App on Windows 10.
How To Fix The Xbox Game Bar Not Working Issue
The Xbox Game Bar allows users to chat, take screenshots, and stream live games, thus, negating the need for external software to carry out all those functions.
There are several reasons why the Xbox Game Bar might not work. There are different solutions for different reasons as to why the Xbox Game Bar is not working. Let’s have a look at these solutions and how you can try them on a trial-and-error basis.
1. Check If The Game Bar Is Enabled
Before you go for any solution, it is important to check if the Game bar has been enabled in the Settings. Follow the steps given below to ensure if the settings are in place.
Open the Run command window from the Cortana search bar.
Type ms-settings:gaming-gamebar in the address bar.
Now, in the Game bar tab of the Settings menu, check if the toggle associated with Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using the Game bar is enabled.
Once done, check if the Xbox Game Bar not working issue is resolved. However, if you are encountering the issue even after this step, check out the solutions mentioned below.
2. Check Your Firewalls
The reason why you need to check your firewalls is that when it comes to gaming, they cause many hurdles and stop games from running smoothly. The Windows firewall can block the Xbox app at times. If you find the executable files of the Xbox game in the firewall, disable it and then try running the game again.
Sometimes, a third-party app can also block and turn off Xbox game bar. So, when you check your firewall, make sure there’s no such app blocking the Xbox game bar in Windows 10.
3. Don’t Run Game Bar In Full-Screen Mode
Suppose you open an Xbox game in full-screen mode and then try opening the Game bar, but it doesn’t open. It can be because the Game bar is already running but doesn’t show up in the full-screen mode. However, that’s far from saying you can’t use the Game bar options while playing the game in full-screen mode.
Many keyboard shortcuts can be used for performing the functions. You can record the gameplay with the Win key + Alt + R shortcut, or capture a screenshot using the Windows key + Alt + Prt combination. Win key + G can open the Game bar UI, but you have to open the game in window mode and then press this combination.
4. Enable the Game Bar Via Registry Editor
If you are using third-party apps, it can cause the Xbox Game bar not working issue by changing a value in the registry. In such cases, you need to access the registry editor and make the necessary tweaks to enable the Game bar.
Open the Run command window using the Win key + R and type regedit in the address bar. Press Ok to open the registry editor.
Navigate to the following path:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows\CurrentVersion\GameDVR
Next, double-click on the AppCapturedEnabled Dword in the right pane. If you don’t find the Dword, create a new one.
Then, right-click in the blank space, and select New. Now, choose New > DWORD (32) bit Value.
Once you open the Dword, change the Value Data from 0 to 1.
Try to launch the Game bar and check if the solution works. Move on to the next solution if the issue hasn’t been fixed.
5. Check the Hotkey Settings
Sometimes, the Xbox Game bar settings are automatically changed. You need to keep a check on the Settings to know if they aren’t the root of the problem. Open the Xbox app on your desktop, go to Settings, and select Game DVR. If the Record game clips and screenshots using Game DVR is enabled, you can check and tweak the Game bar hotkeys.
Check if the hotkey for full-screen mode is Windows key + G or any other combination. If the key combination has been altered, you can change and save it.
However, it is vital to know that not every game will support the hotkeys you select. Once you have entered a hotkey, select Save to confirm it. If this doesn’t solve the Xbox Game bar not working issue, you can move on to the next step.
6. Install Windows Media Feature Pack
The Windows Media Feature Pack that contains a set of apps that aren’t in the Windows 10 KN or N versions. If you have one of these versions, there is a possibility you might not have those apps. Hence, the Xbox Game bar not working issue occurs.
To download the Windows Media Feature Pack, visit this page.
Click on the Download button. This will open a window in which you have to select the bit version of your PC.
Next, click on ‘I Accept’ to agree on all the terms and conditions of the Media Pack. Once you install the Feature Pack, restart the PC to see if the Xbox Game bat issue has been resolved.
7. Reset Xbox App
Resetting the Xbox App is a fine way to solve the Xbox Game bar not working problem. Resetting your settings to default has the potential to fix this issue. To begin with, go to Settings from the Cortana search bar. You can also use the Win key + I shortcut to open the Settings window.
Then, choose the Apps option.
This will open the Apps and features section.
You can also open this page by using the ms-settings:appsfeatures command in the RUN section. Now, click on the Xbox option in the right pane. Then, click on Advanced options.
Click on the Reset button in the Reset section. After a few seconds, the Xbox app will be reverted to its original default settings. Try running the Game bar after you have executed the steps above. If the solution doesn’t work, move on to the next one.
8. Reinstall the Xbox App
If the Game bar not working issue occurs, one of the best solutions to go for is reinstalling the app. However, since it’s a core Windows application, you need to uninstall it from Powershell. Go to the Start menu and type PowerShell; select the Run as administrator option.
When the PowerShell is launched, enter the following command:
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.XboxApp | Remove-AppxPackage
The Xbox app will be uninstalled after this process. You can reinstall it from the Microsoft Store. If this still doesn’t solve the Xbox Game bar not working issue, try out another solution.
9. Reset Your PC
If none of the solutions involving the Xbox app work, the best method is to perform a system repair or reset your PC. Several users have reported that this method has solved the problem for them. You can check the details on how to reset a Windows 10 PC.
10. Perform A Clean Boot
Restarting your computer is also regarded as one of the ways to fix the Xbox Game bar not working issue. Users can have better control over the software they are running if they opt for a clean boot. Click on Start, select the Power button, and choose the Restart option. Make sure you sign in as an administrator after the computer restarts.
Next, open the Run command from the Start menu or by using the Win key + R keyboard shortcut.
Type the command msconfig and click on Run. This will open the System Configuration.
Find the Services tab and check the Hide all Microsoft services box.
Then, click on Disable all.
Next, open the Task Manager and click on the Startup tab. Select each process and disable it. Then, close the Task Manager window.
Once you have disabled all the processes, close the Task Manager and the System Configuration window. Reboot your system and see if the Game bar has started working. If it has, start enabling all the necessary processes to see which one was causing the problem.
Conclusion
The Xbox Game bar is not necessarily required, albeit it delivers features that gamers cannot ignore. You can easily stream live games, record videos, and capture screenshots without having to depend on external software to do all that stuff. That’s probably the simplest way to explain how the Xbox Game bar works.
However, the Game bar contains many bugs, and that’s why many users report about its disappearance several times. While there are multiple reasons why this happens, there also are solutions for each one of them. Users who face the Xbox Game bar not working issue should first check out the basic solutions listed in this article, and then move on to the complex methods. Different solutions work for different reasons, depending on why you are facing the Game bar problem.
