The Xbox Game Bar in Windows 11 offers various features like capturing screenshots, recording gameplay, and chatting with friends without leaving your game. While it provides handy tools for gamers, some users may find it unnecessary or experience performance issues. If you wish to disable or completely remove the Xbox Game Bar from your system, the following methods will guide you through the process.
Remove Xbox Game Bar via Windows PowerShell
If you do not plan to use the Xbox Game Bar and want to eliminate it entirely, you can uninstall it using Windows PowerShell. This method frees up system resources and ensures the app does not run in the background.
Step 1: Open Windows PowerShell with administrative privileges. To do this, search for PowerShell in the Windows Search bar, then click 'Run as administrator' on the right side for the top result.
Step 2: In the PowerShell window, you can remove the Xbox Game Bar for the current user by entering the following commands one after the other, pressing Enter after each:
Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.XboxGameOverlay* | Remove-AppxPackageGet-AppxPackage *Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay* | Remove-AppxPackageStep 3: To remove the Xbox Game Bar for all users on the system, use these commands instead:
Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers *Microsoft.XboxGameOverlay* | Remove-AppxPackageGet-AppxPackage -AllUsers *Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay* | Remove-AppxPackageStep 4: There are additional Xbox-related apps pre-installed on Windows 11. If you wish to remove them as well, execute the following commands:
Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.Xbox.TCUI* | Remove-AppxPackageGet-AppxPackage *Microsoft.XboxApp* | Remove-AppxPackageGet-AppxPackage *Microsoft.GamingServices* | Remove-AppxPackageGet-AppxPackage *Microsoft.XboxIdentityProvider* | Remove-AppxPackageGet-AppxPackage *Microsoft.XboxSpeechToTextOverlay* | Remove-AppxPackageDisable Xbox Game Bar using the Settings app
If you prefer not to remove the Xbox Game Bar completely but want to disable it, you can do so through the Settings app. This method prevents it from running and consuming resources without uninstalling it.
Step 1: Open the Settings app by right-clicking the Start menu (Windows logo) and selecting 'Settings', or press Windows + I on your keyboard.
Step 2: In Settings, select the 'Gaming' tab from the left sidebar, then click on 'Xbox Game Bar' on the right side.
Step 3: On the Xbox Game Bar settings page, toggle off the option labeled 'Open Xbox Game Bar using this button on a controller'. This disables the shortcut that allows the Game Bar to be opened with an Xbox controller.
Step 4: To ensure the Game Bar doesn't run any background processes, return to the main Settings menu. Select 'Apps' from the left sidebar, then click on 'Apps & features'.
Step 5: Scroll through the list of installed apps to find 'Xbox Game Bar', or type 'Xbox' in the search bar to locate it quickly.
Step 6: Click the three vertical dots next to 'Xbox Game Bar' and select 'Advanced options' from the dropdown menu.
Step 7: In the advanced options, locate the 'Background app permissions' section. From the dropdown menu under it, select 'Never' to prevent the app from running in the background.
Step 8: Scroll down and click the 'Terminate' button to immediately stop the app and its related processes.
Re-installing Xbox Game Bar in Windows 11
If you decide to use the Xbox Game Bar again, you can reinstall it using PowerShell or through the Microsoft Store.
Step 1: To reinstall via PowerShell, open Windows PowerShell as an administrator as described earlier.
Step 2: Enter the following command to reinstall the Xbox Game Bar and press Enter:
Get-AppxPackage -allusers *Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay* | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}Step 3: To reinstall all Xbox-related apps and services, use this command:
Get-AppxPackage -allusers *Xbox* | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}Alternative: You can also reinstall the Xbox Game Bar from the Microsoft Store. Open the Microsoft Store app, search for 'Xbox Game Bar', and click 'Get' or 'Install' to add it back to your system.
Disabling or removing the Xbox Game Bar can help improve system performance for users who do not utilize its features. Whether you choose to disable it through the Settings app or remove it entirely via PowerShell, these methods allow you to customize your Windows 11 experience. If you decide to use the Xbox Game Bar in the future, reinstallation is straightforward.
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