Windows Xbox application stores the contents of downloaded apps twice

Riccardo Massa · Dec 20, 2021

Exploring my installed games folders, I realized that in the WindowsApps -> MSIXVC folder are stored files with a size equivalent to the size of the games downloaded, effectively doubling the space occupied by every single game. In the attached example I downloaded Forza Horizon 5 with Xbox App (Game Pass, Windows 11), which corresponds to the game downloaded in the Microsoft.624F8B84B80_3.417.812.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe folder, but actually inside the MSIXVC folder there is another file (3D263E92-93CD-4F9B-90C7-5438150CECBF) about the same size as the game. In this way FH5 instead of occupying 101 GB takes up more than 200 GB. I have already tried to uninstall all the games and reinstall everything, but no result.

Is it a known problem? Is it possible to solve?

:)

SwordofWhedon

Are the dates in them different?

Riccardo Massa

I'm sorry, not to be rude but in what world a driver update could solve a problem with a clear bug of the Xbox Application? This is a generic answer to a "not generic" question, it's the equivalent to "have you tried to turn it off and on again".

I hope this is an automatic reply of a bot, and not a real help, because this won't help anyone about this problem.

Riccardo Massa

Mistery solved.

Xbox App on PC, probably to maintain compatibility with Xbox console filesystem, uses a strange way to install games.

The MSIXVC is a virtual folder, not a real one, and TreeFileSize misinterpret the size of the folder and the files.

The size of the game you download is ACTUALLY the size that will be occupied on hard drive (FH5 ~ 103 GB), not twice the size.

For better explanation:

https://www.reddit.com/r/XboxGamePassPC/comments/nr5g4l/file_taking_up_space_in_msixvc_folder/

Riccardo Massa

Nope, opening this issue i was hoping that some developer came up with a word.

jensondavis

Hi Riccardo. I am currently having the exact same problem. have you found a solution?

Windows Xbox application stores the contents of downloaded apps twice