How-To
Can you disable the Xbox Game Bar in Windows 11?
You could in Windows 10, but what about Windows 11?
One of the handy tools that Microsoft first introduced with Windows 10 is the Xbox Game Bar. It’s gained features since release, and now can record gameplay videos, tweak PC settings, and monitor your hardware’s performance.
Being able to hit Win+G or the Xbox button on your controller can be super handy, bringing up an overlay with things like Xbox’s messaging features and more.
That said, you might not want to be run Xbox DVR to record gameplay or have any of the other tools running in the background. In Windows 10, you could either temporarily disable it in Settings, or do some command-line tricks to delete the entire program. Can you remove it in the same way in Windows 11?
Can I disable the Xbox Game Bar with Windows 11?
Short Answer: Yes, for the most part
Windows 11 removed some of the controls that Windows 10 had for the Xbox Game Bar, but you can still turn it off. If that is something you are looking to do, follow along with the steps below.
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Head to Settings > Gaming > Xbox Game Bar and tap the toggle next to Open Xbox Game Bar using this button on a controller so it says Off
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Then head back to Settings > Apps > Apps & Features and search for Xbox Game Bar
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Click on the Menu button, then click on Advanced. Change the setting under Background apps permissions to Never
That’s all you need to do in Windows 11 to disable the Xbox Game Bar. You don’t have to go to the great lengths of registry editing or command-line app removal that you used to have to do in Windows 10. Happy gaming!
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