PC Xbox Game Bar will not allow me to connect to Xbox Live Party Chat

Hi there!

When was the last time it worked on that PC? Are you on Windows 10 or Windows 11?

First, make sure to check for Windows updates and get all available updates from the Microsoft Store.
Check for Windows updates - https://support.microsoft.com/windows/update-wi...
Get updates from Microsoft Store - https://support.microsoft.com/account-billing/g...

Then check your network status for Xbox.
On Windows 10, go to Settings > Gaming > Xbox Networking. On Windows 11, open the Xbox Console Companion app, select Settings, and then select the Network tab.
Look for Server connectivity and check the other results if there are some problems.

Check your account as well through the Enforcement website here https://enforcement.xbox.com/ if there's an active suspension that might be causing the issue.

Alternatively, try to repair/reset your Xbox app and Game Bar.
Repair/Reset apps - https://support.microsoft.com/windows/repair-ap...

This is really starting to piss me off, I don't know what's going on.. my party chat was working absolutely fine and then all of a sudden people can't hear me in the party chat.

So if I join a party and I have the Xbox Game bar on the screen and can view the party people can hear me

However if I don't have xbox game bar on my screen they cannot hear me but I can still hear them? ( its like something isn't allowing it to run in the background )

There are some more convoluted setups as well, but they would work such as connecting the bluethooth headset to a Windows 10 PC and using the Game Bar or Xbox apps to connect to a Xbox party and chatting that way, still remaining wire free and utilizing
your existing bluetooth headsets.

Finally, a post that I can relate to. I feel your pain and feel the pain of the PC Friend in a very frustrated way.

I recently switched from playing games like COD Modern Warfare and Warzone on Xbox One to playing these same games on my gaming pc (still using my xbox one controller and the xbox game bar for party chat - basically, I'm the PC Friend in your scenario).

I've spent numerous hours looking for ways to fix the issue you mentioned because it seems like even though I am using a pc with Windows 10 (that comes installed with the Xbox One Companion App and Xbox Game Bar) and assuming that such a transition from console
to pc would be simple. Well, as you outlined, something is "messed up" and causing all types of issues relating to the xbox party chat.

I can't seem to understand if Xbox/Windows are made to seem so easily compatible why, now that I'm on pc using the pc ways to continue using xbox party chat, why such an assumption seems idiotic now. I have joined/created party chats through the xbox game bar
on pc and experienced:

-perfectly fine audio to begin but at some point, as Horr1ble253 mentions, I lose all audio to and from the console people in the party

-I have to mute my mic (in-game/not related to the party chat) because it's as if two streams of audio output have been created (this would make sense but if for example, my xbox live account is connected to my battle.net/activision accounts/Warzone game on
pc shouldn't some sort of priority communicate between the game/windows 10/xbox party chat on pc so that the party chat works correctly/doesn't interfere with EVERYTHING?

-In addition to issues with the party itself, any time I go from standard "game chat" to "party chat" it seems to drastically impact the performance and ability of my pc to efficiently run the game I'm playing. It's almost like xbox party chat is now off
limits because I am on pc, they are on console and even though there is some sort of compatibility with windows 10 and xbox software, it doesn't work as advertised with games such as Modern Warfare or Warzone.

My thoughts on other options:

-If I join a xbox party through my xbox mobile app, I could have full function of the party chat (change volume, etc) without interference. My phone isn't the same as being on console yet there are not any issues with connection/completely losing audio between
party members. So do I solve the problem by running some sort of air pods/iphone ear buds from my phone that will then be inside of the ear coverings for my gaming headset? I have a hard time believing this is the only solution (it shouldn't even be considered
a solution because of what Windows/Xbox claim to have created to essentially allow pc and console players to play together.

-Maybe try to use the Xbox Adapter for Windows 10 (USB) to connect my wireless headset to my pc. Maybe the signals get crossed and messed up with something like Bluetooth on my pc. Either way, it's annoying and it shouldn't be this difficult to find a simple
solution when xbox/microsoft paint a picture of being able to "play anywhere on any device"

Hello Liam Spicer ✔️,

Thank you for your contribution to the Microsoft community.

We totally understand that you want to fix the party chat on your PC. Based on the information you provided, it seems like your party chat only works when you have the game bar open, which is inconvenient. Just a reminder, we are not able to double check the account or the devices that is connected to your account. No worries, we do have some effective troubleshooting steps here that could fix the issue.

Here are some steps you can try to resolve this issue:

1. Check your privacy settings: Make sure that the Game Bar is allowed to access your microphone. You can do this by going to Settings > Privacy > Microphone and making sure that Game Bar is turned on.
   
2. Update your audio drivers and Windows to the latest version: Outdated drivers or software can cause issues with your party chat. Make sure that your audio drivers and Windows are up to date.
   
3. Try using a different browser: If you’re using Microsoft Edge, try using a different browser like Firefox or Chrome to see if the issue persists.
   
4. Check Xbox live status: Check the Xbox live status to see if there are any known issues with party chat.
   
5. Restart your PC: Restarting your PC can help flush out any bugs that may have come up.
   
6. Try resetting Xbox Game Bar, Xbox Console Companion, and Xbox Live: You can do this by going to Settings > Apps > Apps & Features > Xbox feature > Advanced Options. Then, restart your PC and try again.
   

I hope this helps you resolve the issue. Let me know if you have any other questions!


Microsoft Community Moderator