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Game Bar no longer opens

Alexander 0 Reputation points
2026-05-27T17:15:38.4366667+00:00

I'm running latest Windows 10 version, recently installed new Xbox app since Xbox Console Companion no longer works, even after that Game Bar worked just fine for at least 3 or 4 days, don't know what happened but now for 3 days and like 6 PC restarts it doesn't open at all.

In task manager I see 3 processes in Game Bar process tree and it overall uses 22MB of RAM, no idea how much it normaly uses, this is first time this happened in like 8 years of me using the Game Bar.

I tried terminating those processes and restarting it from start menu, the processes reappear however Game Bar stil doesn't open. Shortcuts do start recording and make screenshots as normal, but don't open the Game Bar UI, trying to open it from new Xbox app or start menu shortcut also don't open it, I tried turning Game Bar off and back on in the settings app, but that changed nothing.

Is there anything I can do to fix this without having to reinstall whole OS?

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Gaming
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  1. Hendrix-V 15,260 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-05-28T03:39:28.8633333+00:00

    Hi Alexander,

    From your description (processes running but no UI appears while shortcuts still work), this typically indicates the Game Bar overlay/UI isn’t rendering correctly, rather than the feature being fully broken.

    You can try the following focused steps to restore Game Bar UI:

    1, Open it using the URI command - press Win + R > type xboxgamebar: > Enter

    2, Restart Xbox-related services

    • Open Task Manager → Services tab
    • Restart:
      • Gaming Services
      • Xbox Live Game Save / Networking Service

    3, Disable overlay conflicts

    • Temporarily close apps like:
      • Discord overlay
      • NVIDIA / AMD overlays
      • MSI Afterburner / RTSS
    • Then test Win + G again

    4, Reinstall Gaming Services

    • Open PowerShell (Admin) and run:
    get-appxpackage Microsoft.GamingServices | remove-AppxPackage -allusers
start ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=9MWPM2CQNLHN
    • Reinstall from Store, then restart PC If the issue continues, try testing in a new user profile to confirm if it’s account-specific.

    Let me know if you need any further help. Feel free to ask by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Reply" if you are unable to add a comment, so that your reply is visible. I appreciate your effort.

    Note: Follow the instructions in our documentation to enable email notifications if you wish to receive notifications about this conversation.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-05-27T17:15:55.06+00:00

    Use the following steps, in order, to try to restore Xbox Game Bar without reinstalling Windows:

    1. Confirm Game Bar can open in principle
      • Game Bar cannot open if a PowerShell or Command Prompt window has focus. Click on any other app (for example, the desktop, a browser, or a game) and then press Win + G to try to open it again.
    2. Make sure Game Bar is installed and updated
      • Open Microsoft Store from Start.
      • Go to See more (⋯) → Downloads and updates → Get updates and install any updates, especially for Xbox Game Bar.
      • If needed, reinstall Xbox Game Bar from Microsoft Store.
    3. Run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter
      • Select Start → Settings → Update & Security → Troubleshoot.
      • From the list, select Windows Store apps → Run the troubleshooter.
      • Apply any fixes it suggests, then try Win + G again.
    4. Repair or reset Xbox Game Bar
      • Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps (or Apps & features on older builds).
      • Find Xbox Game Bar, select Advanced options.
      • Click Repair and test.
      • If still broken, click Reset and test again.
    5. Check for and install Windows updates
      • Go to Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update → Check for updates.
      • Install all available updates and restart the PC.
    6. If the app still won’t show its UI
      • Use Microsoft Store → My Library to uninstall/reinstall Xbox Game Bar if available.
      • If the issue started after a System Restore, try starting Game Bar multiple times or reinstalling it from Microsoft Store, as MSIX apps can temporarily fail to open after a restore.

    If none of these steps work and only this profile is affected, creating a new Windows user profile and testing Game Bar there can help confirm whether the issue is profile‑specific.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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