How to Solve Windows 10 Game Bar Not Working and Other Common Issues

With the recent Windows 10 version 1809 update, Microsoft pushed a bunch of improvements to the Xbox Game Bar. All casual as well as enthusiast PC gamers look at the Game bar as a must-have utility since it packs a couple of new widgets that come loaded with additional functions.

However, several users running the Windows 10 version 1809 or higher are facing issues while launching the game bar. The Windows OS focused forums are filled with queries about the Windows 10 game bar not working. That’s what we aim to address with this post.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the most common issues you might face while using the game bar and how you can fix them.

Windows 10 Game Bar Not Opening

One of the most common issues you’ll face while trying to use the Windows 10 game bar is that it won’t open with the Windows key + G shortcut. Thankfully, there’s a straightforward fix for the same. Follow these steps to resolve the issue:

Step 1: Head over to the Windows 10 settings using the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut and click on the Gaming option.

Step 2: Here, select the Game bar option from the menu on the left, and then turn on the toggle under the ‘Record game clips, screenshots and broadcast using Game bar’ setting.

Now close the settings, launch a game and try using the Windows Key + G shortcut again. The Game bar should now pop-up without any issues. In case it still doesn’t work, you should restart your system before trying again.

Can’t Turn on Game Mode on Windows 10

The Game Mode feature in Windows 10 is a blessing for anyone who’s simply tired of Windows redirecting system resources to other background processes while a game is running. With the feature turned on, Windows reserves a big chunk of your system resources for the game you’re playing so that you don’t face any unwanted stutters or frame drops.

The feature is configured to turn on automatically as soon as you launch a game. In case it doesn’t work, you can follow these simple steps to turn it on manually:

Step 1: Open up Windows 10 settings using the Windows key + I shortcut and click on the Gaming option.

Step 2: Here, select the Game Mode option from the list on the left and then turn on the toggle under the Game Mode setting.

Now every time you launch a game on your system, the Game Mode will be turned on automatically. Simple, isn’t it?

Windows 10 Game Bar Keyboard Shortcuts Not Working

If the Game bar doesn’t pop with the Win+G shortcut, there is a probable conflict with the game or your keyboard. A few games and gaming peripherals are known to disable the Windows key to avoid accidentally hitting it while you are playing a game.

To fix this issue, you’ll need to remap the keyboard shortcuts for the game bar. Just follow these simple steps to remap the keyboard shortcuts:

Step 1: Head over to the Windows 10 settings using the Win+I keyboard shortcut and click on the Gaming option.

Step 2: Here, select the Game bar option from the list on the left and scroll down to the Keyboard shortcuts.

Enter a new keyboard shortcut of your choice in the blank space next to each function and you’re good to go. Make sure you don’t hit a keyboard shortcut that’s already in use, or it might cause unnecessary conflicts.

Windows 10 Game Bar Not Working on Full-Screen Games

While the Windows 10 Game bar should work with most games capable of running in the full screen mode, there’s still a chance that it might not work with select titles.

If that’s the case, you’ll need to jump into the in-game settings and disable the full screen mode. You can also choose the Windowed or Windowed Fullscreen modes, depending on the game you’re playing. Once that’s done, you’ll be able to launch the Game bar in the game without any issues.

Reinstall Windows 10 Game Bar App

If none of the solutions mentioned above work, then you should try reinstalling the Windows 10 Game bar. But for that, you’ll first need to uninstall it. Follow these steps to uninstall and then reinstall the Game bar:

Step 1: Right-click on the Start button and select Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the pop-up menu.

Step 2: Enter the following command in PowerShell and hit Enter to uninstall the Game Bar from your system.

Get-AppxPackage *xbox* | Remove-AppxPackage

Step 3: Now head over to Microsoft Store and search for Xbox Game Bar.

Step 4: Click on the Get button on the Xbox Game Bar page and then click on Install.

The Windows 10 Game bar should now be installed on your system. Try bringing it up with the Windows key + G shortcut, and you should see something like this.

Restart your system for the changes to take effect.

Enjoy the Windows 10 Game Bar

Now we hope that one of the solutions helped to get the Game bar running on your system. You can use it for a variety of activities like recording your gameplay, monitoring system usage, and controlling the system volume. You can also use it to broadcast your game to Microsoft’s streaming site — Mixer.

Next up: Are you facing latency issues while playing online multiplayer games on your PC? We recommend you check our recommended solutions to find out how you can fix high ping on Windows 10 to play multiplayer games more efficiently.