Can't download Xbox app games on Windows 11 anymore

TheTingler1982 · Jun 1, 2023

I can no longer download games using my Xbox app (or Windows Store) on my PC. I have several games on the app outside of Game Pass, such as Gears 4 and Psychonauts 2, but I now can't download any of them. It hangs at 0% and even moves the download size all over the place. My Game Pass lapsed early in May but I successfully downloaded the likes of Redfall and Atomic Heart without issue very recently, so I'm not sure what's changed that's stopping my downloads.

I have tried:

Restarting the app and my PC multiple times

Logging out and logging in again

Uninstalling the Xbox app

Repairing and resetting the Xbox app, gaming services, and Windows Store via Settings/Apps

Unticking IPv6 under network settings for my internet and forcing IPv4 manually

Nothing seems to be working. I even have trouble downloading on the Windows Store too. Every other program, like Steam and Epic, is running and downloading fine.

Any help?

:)

Anders Nygren

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I’ll definitely check it out. However, that doesn’t explain why my physical Xbox has the same download issues, and why that’s fixed by using wifi instead of Ethernet. I probably have a different issue.

CosmicCraze

Run the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter - Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Windows Store Apps > click on the Run the troubleshooter button.

Anders Nygren

It’s actually on two Xboxes plus all the Microsoft stuff on the Windows PC. Every other device works like a charm, whether on Wifi or Ethernet. It’s super weird.

TheTingler1982

In my case, the issue was caused by something I chose to do (and was advised to) with Windows 11 - throttling Windows Update download speeds.

Windows Update > Delivery Optimization > Advanced Settings

I had previously had issues with download speeds on my new Windows 11 PC and was told that Windows Update sometimes hogged all the resources. I went here and limited its bandwidth. Unfortunately, Microsoft neglects to tell you that it ties Windows Store and the Xbox app downloads into the same resources as Windows Update, so when I chose to limit Update I also kneecapped Store and Xbox. I reset everything there to what it was before, restarted my PC, checked to make sure my changes were saved, and then went to the Xbox app. Lo, it downloads my games normally now.

(Incidentally, this is another in a line of incidents I've had with Windows 11, Xbox app, or Microsoft stuff, where I went to the communities and support staff, no one could help me, and I went and found the solution myself)

TheTingler1982

Try accessing Windows in safe mode, rename the Xbox Games folder, restart and test.

Press the Windows keys + R, type shutdown -r -o -t 0 and click OK;

Click Troubleshooting > Advanced Options > Startup Configuration > press 5 or F5 key > login as user.

Access This Computer by pressing Windows+E;

Click drive C: or the drive where Windows was installed;

Rename the Xbox Games folder to Xbox Games.old;

Restart the PC and test.

If it persists, try downloading the game from the Microsoft Store instead of the Xbox application.

Note: Make sure the Microsoft account connected is the account that has the game or subscription.

Nope. Didn't work. Microsoft Store is having the same issue.

Can't download Xbox app games on Windows 11 anymore