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Xbox Game Bar Not Working: 8 Confirmed Fixes to Apply
Easy solutions to a rather tricky problem
10 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Key notes
Xbox is one of Windows 10’s default apps. This app integrates the Xbox with Windows and includes a handy Game Bar, but some can’t open it on Windows 10.
This Game Bar is a built-in tool you can use to take snapshots. It is also one of thebest screen recording toolsfor Windows PC. To open the Game Bar, you only need to press theWindowskey +Gwith a window selected. So, let’s find out all about it.
Why won’t Xbox game bar open?
If the Game Bar is not opening on Windows 10 andWindows+Gis not working, it might be because you altered the shortcut that opens the tool.
Also, the issue might be down to the Game Bar settings on your PC. Lastly, some registry settings can make the tool fail to work on your PC.
Moreover, some of them may be applied even when facing the following issues:
The Game Bar is usually enabled by default on your PC. But you can still follow the steps above to check if it is active.
How do I fix my Xbox game bar when it’s not working?
1. Check the Game bar’s Settings
It might be the case that the Game BarRecord game clips and screenshots settingis switched off in Windows 10.
Then the Game Bar isn’t going to open when you press its hotkey. So, you can check that option as described above.
2. Edit the Registry
You can also switch the Game Bar via the registry.
3. Don’t Run the Games in Full-Screen Mode
Is it the case that the Game Bar is not opening when you’re running a game on full screen? The Game Bar doesn’t open in full-screen modes because most games don’t recognize theWindowskey +Ghotkey.
That doesn’t mean you can’t use the Game Bar’s options in full-screen mode, but the overlay UI isn’t going to open. You can still record a game with theWindows+Alt+Rhotkey or take a snapshot by pressingWindows+Alt+PrtScr.
Run the game in window mode and press theWindowskey +Gto open the Game Bar UI.
4. Check the Xbox app’s Hotkey Settings
Check the Game Bar hotkeys haven’t been reconfigured in any way. The Xbox app enables users to customize the hotkeys so that somebody might have tinkered with the keyboard shortcut settings.
You can check the Game Bar hotkeys as described above.
5. Install the Windows Media Feature Pack
Windows 10 N and KN versions don’t include all the media technologies and apps in more standard editions.
So if your platform is a Windows 10 N edition, that might be why the Game Bar isn’t opening for you.
Several apps need Windows Media files not included in Windows 10 KN or N.
However, you can install the media-related technologies otherwise lacking in Windows 10 N with the Windows Media Feature Pack.
6. Reinstall the Xbox Game Bar through Powershell
If you were wondering how do I reinstall game bar, delete the app via PowerShell, and thendownload Xbox Game Bar from the Microsoft Store.
The Game Bar is a feature closely related to the Xbox app, and if you have any issues with it, you might be able to fix them simply by reinstalling the Xbox app.
Reinstalling a core Windows application is a slightly advanced process that involves PowerShell, but you should be able to reinstall the Xbox app without issues by following the above procedure.
After running this command, the Xbox app will be removed from your PC. You must open theMicrosoft Storeapp and download the Xbox app again.
Once you download it, the problem with the Game bar should be entirely resolved.
7. Turn the Game Bar off and on
If you are wondering how do I fix my Xbox game bar not popping up, simply turning the Game bar off and on or updating the OS should work. This is a temporary workaround, but it might help you with this issue.
After that, the Game Bar should start working again. Remember that this is just a temporary workaround, and if you encounter issues with the Game Bar, you’ll need to repeat this solution.
8. Create a new user account
According to users, problems with the Game Bar can occur if your user profile is damaged or corrupted. However, you might be able to fix the problem simply by creating a new user account.
To do that, you need to follow these simple steps from above. After creating a new user account, switch to it, and check if that solves your problem.
If the problem doesn’t appear on the new account, you need to move all your files to the new account and use it instead of your old account.
9. Use third-party solutions
If you can’t fix the problem with the Game Bar, you might want to consider using third-party software.
Although the Game Bar comes preinstalled with Windows 10, it has certain limitations, and if you can’t get it to work correctly, you might want to try some otherWindows 10 screen recording software.
If you’re looking for a different application to record your screen and gameplay sessions, we strongly recommend tryingIcecream Screen Recorder.
This straightforward tool offers certain features that the Game Bar lacks, so feel free to try it out.
Speaking about recording issues, one particular topic caught our attention, and we would like to share it quickly with you.
What can I do if Xbox Game Bar is not opening on Windows 11?
If the Game Bar is not opening on Windows 11, it might be because you have not enabled it from the settings. You can follow the steps in this guide to activate the tool.
Also, it might be down to some glitches with the tool. Disabling and enabling the tool after some minutes should solve this. Lastly, you can apply any fixes in this guide to solve the problem.
What can I do if Xbox Game Bar stops recording when switching Windows?
While many users struggle with the Xbox Game Bar not recording, others only encounter this issue when switching between apps or using theAlt+Tabkey combination in the browser. You can fix this by updating the tool by following the steps below:
There you have it: Everything you need to fix the Game Bar not opening issue.
Good luck with the troubleshooting, and don’t be shy to let us know if any of these solutions helped you solve the Xbox Game Bar not working issues.
More about the topics:game recording software
Kazim Ali Alvi
Windows Hardware Expert
Kazim has always been fond of technology, be it scrolling through the settings on his iPhone, Android device, or Windows PC. He’s specialized in hardware devices, always ready to remove a screw or two to find out the real cause of a problem.
Long-time Windows user, Kazim is ready to provide a solution for your every software & hardware error on Windows 11, Windows 10 and any previous iteration. He’s also one of our experts in Networking & Security.
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Kazim Ali Alvi
Windows Hardware Expert
Kazim is specialized in hardware devices, always ready to remove a screw or two to find out the real cause of a problem.
