Xbox Game Bar broken on PC/Windows 11

GriffYall · Dec 7, 2023

It started with a recent update of some kind. Game Bar doesn’t recognize that it’s still “currently in use” under mic privacy when you close it. It won’t run in the background or whatever. So party chat turns off mic when you’re out of gamebar. So no more party chat. Also seems to struggle to start up and function properly.

I’ve tried repairing and resetting, toggling mic settings, playing with firewall and privacy settings. So so so many things. I think it needs to be patched. Please fix this.

:)

gavin latour

this is only a temporary solution it keeps doing this ever since the latest update for game bar

GriffYall

UPDATE: They have since delivered an update and removed this problem as a known issue but it is still an issue. Nothing has changed and no work around fixes the problem. Just posting this so Microsoft knows the app is broken and there is no fix until they fix the app.

GriffYall

I just noticed that this problem is under “known issues” for the current version so it’s being worked on.

But the workaround that is given to change the settings of “Let this app run in the background” to “always”, does not exist in my windows 11. As in, the “Background app permissions” section is not in the advanced options for installed apps. Any idea where this is located in current windows 11, or why it’s not there?

Yanyannnn

Hello GriffYall,

Thank you for your contribution to the Microsoft community.

We totally understand that you want to fix your issue with the Xbox Game Bar on your PC. Just a reminder, we are not able to double check your account and device here manually since we do not have the option to. No worries, we do have some troubleshooting steps here that we may try:

Before proceeding, I need to know more details so that we can get the best possible troubleshooting for you.

-May I know what was the last changes/updates you made on your end before the issue occurred?
- Is everything completely working before?

-Have you tried resetting Xbox Game Bar?

Basing on the statement you provided above, here are some troubleshooting steps that you may try:

Update your Windows 11: Make sure your Windows 11 is up-to-date with the latest patches and updates. You can check for updates by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates .
Reset Xbox Game Bar: Resetting the Xbox Game Bar app can help resolve issues with the app. To reset the app, follow these steps:
- Open Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
- Search for Xbox Game Bar and click on it.
- Click on Advanced options.
- Scroll down and click on Reset .
Reinstall Xbox Game Bar: If resetting the app doesn’t work, try uninstalling and reinstalling the Xbox Game Bar app. To do this, follow these steps:
- Open Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
- Search for Xbox Game Bar and click on it.
- Click on Uninstall.
- Download and install the Xbox Game Bar app from the Microsoft Store .

I hope I helped! Please let me know if you need anything else.

YanYannn
Microsoft Community Moderator

GriffYall

To answer your questions, it started with the most recent update to the Xbox app on 11/27/23. Everything was working before. And yes I’ve tried resetting and everything you suggested.

Xbox Game Bar broken on PC/Windows 11