Xbox Game Bar Not Starting on Windows 11 [Proven Fix 2024]

Written By Farhan Max

You are used to the Xbox game bar on Windows 10, but after upgrading your Windows 10 to 11, you noticed that the Xbox game bar feature is not starting on your Windows 11 system.

Are you frustrated and annoyed about this situation and can not find a way out?

If this issue is the case and you are worried about it, don’t worry.

As a tech specialist and enthusiast, I found the most effortless method to solve the Xbox game bar feature is not starting or working. So, if you are looking for an ultimate step-by-step guide to fix the Windows 11 Xbox game bar feature not working, then you have come to the right place.

This post will show you some of the best proven and effective techniques to fix the Windows 11 Xbox game bar feature not starting or working on your Windows 11 system.

Keep reading and precisely follow the instructions.

So, let’s get started to fix the Xbox game bar feature not starting or working issue on your Windows 11 computer.xbox-game-bar-not-starting-on-windows-11

Follow our guide on how to Uninstall Xbox Game Bar on Windows PC

How to Fix Xbox Game Bar Not Starting on Windows 11

One of the pre-installed programs in Windows 11 is Xbox. This program allows you to connect your Xbox to your Windows computer and provides a convenient gameplay bar.

The Xbox game bar is a handy feature for gamers. By hitting Win + G on your keyboard while playing a game, you can activate the Xbox Game Bar. You can take your gameplay screenshots and record videos easily and quickly using the game bar feature.

But after upgrading to Windows 11, many Windows 11 users reported that they are facing the Xbox game bar not starting or opening when they try to open it by shortcut.

This section will show you several tested and proven solutions to fix the Windows Xbox game bar not starting or opening problem on your Windows 11 computer.

So, let’s dive right in to know the Xbox game bar is not starting issue solution.

Read more on how to Fix Xbox Series X Won’t Turn On

Here are the steps to fix the Xbox game bar not starting on Windows 11:

1. Enable the Xbox Game Bar via Settings

The first effective way to solve the Xbox game bar not starting or opening problem is to enable the Xbox game bar via Settings.

If your game bar is not starting or opening, your game bar feature is disabled. So, first of all, you need to ensure your game bar feature is enabled.

Follow the steps below to enable the Xbox game bar via the Windows System Settings:

  1. Press the Win + I keys on your keyboard to open the Windows System Settings.Windows-system-settings
  2. Click on the Windows icon at the left side corner of the taskbar and select Settings app under the Pinned apps section to open the System Settings.
  3. Type settings on the windows search panel and hit the Enter button to open Windows Settings. type-settings-windows-search-bar
  4. Select the Gaming tab from the side left settings menu panel.
  5. Click on Xbox Game Bar on the right side of the screen to open available game bar options. xbox-game-bar-win
  6. Toggle on the right-side game bar button to enable the game bar instantly.right-side-game-bar
  7. Close the Settings window.
  8. Press Win + G on your keyboard to open the Xbox Game Bar shortcut. If this method does not solve your problem, try the next solution.

Check out our separate post on how to Turn Off Game Mode in Win 11

2. Enable the Xbox Game Bar via Registry Editor

Another effective method to fix the Xbox game bar not starting or opening problem on your Windows 11 computer is to enable the Xbox game bar via the Registry Editor.

Follow the steps below to enable the Xbox game bar via the Registry Editor:

  • Press Win + R keys on your keybaord to open the Windows Run 
  • Type regedit in the Run dialogue box.
  • Press the Enter key on your keyboard or click on the OK button to open the Registry Editor. Type-regedit
  • Click the address bar and remove the existing address.
  • Enter the following path into the address bar to navigate the path:
    • Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GameDVRCurrent-version-gameDVR
  • Right-click on the right-side screen space, choose New, and select DWORD (32-bit) Value. select-dword
  • Enter the name of the value as AppCaptureEnabled. App-capture-rnabled
  • Double click on the newly created value to open the Edit DWORD (32-bit) Value
  • Enter the value one (1) into the Value data field and click on the OK button to apply the changes. edit-dword
  • After saving the changes, close the Registry Editor.
  • Restart your computer and check to see whether your problem is solved.

Check out the easiest way to Fix Decreased Game Performance In Windows 11

3. Repair & Reset Xbox Game Bar

You can also fix the Xbox game bar not starting or opening problem on your Windows 11 computer by repairing and resetting the Xbox game bar application.

Follow these steps to repairing and resetting the Xbox game bar application:

  • Press Windows Key + I on your keyboard to open the Windows System Settings 
  • Click on the Windows icon on your taskbar, and then click on the Settings icon under the pinned apps to open.windows-11-settings
  • Select the Apps tab option from the left side settings menu panel.
  • Click on the Apps & features option at the top of the right side screen. apps-features-option-at-the-to
  • Scroll down and find the Xbox Game Bar app or click on the search bar and type Xbox game bar to sort out the Xbox Game Bar app quickly. find-the-xbox-bar
  • Click on the Mail and Calendar three-dot menu and select the Advanced options. xbox-bar-advanced
  • Scroll down and find the Reset 
  • Click on the Repair button to try to repair first. The app’s data won’t be affected. Now, check to restart your app and try to log in to see whether your problem is solved.
  • Click on the Reset button to reset the app if the app still isn’t working. Note: The app’s data will remove permanently. xbox-bar-reset
  • Check to see if your issue has been resolved.

Here’s a complete guide on how to turn off Touchpad Clicks on Windows 11.

4. Repair the iframe.dll file

To solve the Xbox game bar not starting or opening problem on your Windows 11 computer, you can repair the iframe.dll file.

Follow the steps below to repair the iframe.dll file:

  • Press the Win + S key on your keyboard to open the Windows Search panel.
  • Type cmd and click on Run as administrator to open the Command Prompt with admin privileges. Command-prompt
  • Enter the following command one by one to scan and repair the Xbox Game Bar problem automatically:
    • Prompt
    • sfc /scanfile=c:\windows\system32\ieframe.dll
    • sfc /verifyfile=c:\windows\system32\ieframe.dll
    • assoc
    • sfc /scannowGame-bar-problem
  • Restart your computer and check to see whether your problem is solved.

Also, check out our separate post on how to fix Windows can’t access network drive on Windows 11.

5. Enable the Xbox Game Bar via Local Group Policy Editor

If you are not a Windows Home user, you can apply this method. By enabling the Xbox Game Bar via Local Group Policy Editor, you can solve your Xbox game bar not starting or opening problem on your Windows 11 computer.

Follow these steps to  enable the Xbox Game Bar via Local Group Policy Editor:

  • Press Win + R keys on your keybaord to open the Windows Run 
  • Type regedit in the Run dialogue box. Type-regedit
  • Press the Enter key on your keyboard or click on the OK button to open the Local Group Policy Editor. Local-group-policy
  • Navigate to Local Computer Policy > Administrative Templates > Windows Components> Windows Game Recording and Broadcasting.
  • Click on the Edit policy setting link to open the Enables or disables Windows Game Recording and BroadcastingWindows-game-recording
  • Select the Enabled option and click on the Apply button to save the change. Enabled-option
  • Click on the OK button to close the window.
  • Check to see if your issue has been resolved.

You may also like to read: Bluetooth Toggle Missing On Windows 11.

6. Repair & Reset Xbox App

You can also fix the Xbox game bar not starting or opening problem on your Windows 11 computer by repairing and resetting the Xbox application.

Follow these steps to repairing and resetting the Xbox application:

  • Press Windows Key + I on your keyboard to open the Windows System Settings Windows-system-settings
  • Click on the Windows icon on your taskbar, and then click on the Settings icon under the pinned apps to open Windows Settings.
  • Select the Apps tab option from the left side settings menu panel.
  • Click on the Apps & features option at the top of the right side screen.apps-features-option-at-the-to
  • Scroll down and find the Xbox app or click on the search bar and type Xbox to quickly sort out the Xbox search-xbox
  • Click on the Mail and Calendar three-dot menu and select the Advanced options. xbox-advanced
  • Scroll down and find the Reset 
  • Click on the Repair button to try to repair first. The app’s data won’t be affected. Now, check to restart your app and try to log in to see whether your problem is solved.
  • Click on the Reset button to reset the app if the app still isn’t working. Note: The app’s data will remove permanently. repair-reset
  • Check to see if your issue has been resolved.

Here’s a complete guide on how to enable Telnet on Windows 11.

7. Reinstall Xbox App

You can fix the Xbox game bar not starting or opening problem on your Windows 11 computer by reinstalling the Xbox application.

Follow these steps to reinstall the Xbox application:

  • Press Windows Key + I on your keyboard to open the Windows System Settings 
  • Click on the Windows icon on your taskbar, and then click on the Settings icon under the pinned apps to open Windows Settings. windows-11-settings
  • Select the Apps tab option from the left side settings menu panel.
  • Click on the Apps & features option at the top of the right side screen. apps-features-option-at-the-to
  • Scroll down and find the Xbox app or click on the search bar and type Xbox to quickly sort out the Xbox
  • Click on the Mail and Calendar three-dot menu and select the Advanced options.
  • Scroll down and find the Uninstall 
  • Click on the Uninstall button to remove or delete the app permanently. xbox-uninstall
  • After completing the uninstall process, reinstall the Xbox app on the Microsoft Store.
  • Check to see if your issue has been resolved.

Facing error 0x80004005, you can quickly fix unexpected Zip file error on Windows from our detailed guide.

Final Thoughts

Xbox is one of Windows 11’s pre-installed apps. For gamers, the Xbox game bar comes in handy. The Xbox Game Bar may access by pressing Win + G on your keyboard while playing a game.

The Xbox Game Bar connects your Xbox to your PC and gives a handy gameplay bar. The game bar function allows you to quickly and simply snap pictures and capture videos while playing.

But after upgrading to Windows 11, many Windows 11 users reported that they are facing the Xbox game bar not starting or opening when they try to open it by shortcut.

Here, I demonstrate several tested and proven solutions to fix the Windows Xbox game bar not starting or opening problem on your Windows 11 computer. Using these practical methods, you can successfully solve your system’s damaged or corrupted icon or thumbnail problem.

I hope you found this post to be informative. If you found your solution, please let me know which method works for you.

You may also look at other posts if you’re interested in learning more about similar topics.

About The Author
Farhan Max is a tech geek with a particular interest in computer hardware. He's been fascinated by gaming since childhood and is now completing his undergraduate studies while researching and testing the latest tech innovations. Alongside his love for all things geeky, Farhan is also a skilled photographer.

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