If you’re not a gamer, you might have noticed Xbox Game Bar running in the background on your Windows 11 PC — popping up when you press Windows + G or showing performance overlays you never asked for. While it’s great for recording clips or chatting on Xbox Live, many users find it unnecessary and resource-consuming.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through how to remove Xbox Game Bar from Windows 11 — safely, completely, and step by step. You’ll learn both built-in and advanced methods to disable, uninstall, or hide it, depending on your needs.
What Is Xbox Game Bar in Windows 11?
Xbox Game Bar is a built-in Windows 11 overlay app designed primarily for gamers. It allows you to:
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Record or capture gameplay clips.
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Take screenshots.
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Monitor system performance (CPU, GPU, RAM usage).
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Chat with Xbox friends.
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Stream or control audio during gameplay.
You can open it anytime using Windows + G.
However, if you never use these features, Game Bar becomes unnecessary clutter — consuming background resources and adding startup delays.
2. Why You Might Want to Remove It
While Xbox Game Bar is harmless for most users, there are several reasons you might prefer to remove or disable it:
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🖥️ Improved performance — fewer background processes and less memory usage.
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⚙️ Cleaner system interface — fewer pop-ups or shortcuts you don’t use.
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🔒 Better privacy — prevents unwanted recording or telemetry data.
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🚀 Faster startup — reduces the number of background tasks running automatically.
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🧩 More control — useful for administrators or IT professionals managing multiple PCs.
If you’re not gaming or using Xbox features, you can safely remove it without affecting Windows 11’s stability.
3. Is It Safe to Remove Xbox Game Bar?
Yes — it’s completely safe to disable or remove the Xbox Game Bar.
Removing it doesn’t impact system updates, audio recording, or screen capture through third-party tools (like OBS Studio or ShareX).
That said, some system updates might reinstall it, so you’ll learn below how to prevent reinstallation as well.
4. Difference Between Disabling and Uninstalling
Before we start, understand the distinction:
| Action | What It Does | Reversible? | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disable | Stops Xbox Game Bar from running or appearing. | ✅ Yes | Easy |
| Uninstall | Removes it entirely from your PC. | ✅ Yes (can reinstall via Store or PowerShell) | Moderate |
| Hide | Keeps it installed but invisible in menus. | ✅ Yes | Easy |
Choose the method that fits your goal — disable for quick fixes, uninstall for a clean system.
5. Method 1: Turn Off Xbox Game Bar via Settings
This is the simplest and safest method for most users.
Steps:
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Press Windows + I to open Settings.
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Go to Gaming → Xbox Game Bar.
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Toggle Open Xbox Game Bar using this button on a controller OFF.
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Turn off the toggle for “Open Xbox Game Bar with Windows + G” if available.
This disables its shortcuts and prevents the overlay from launching — perfect if you just want it out of your way.
6. Method 2: Disable Background Recording and Game DVR
Even when disabled, Game Bar’s background recording can still run silently. Here’s how to stop it.
Steps:
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Go to Settings → Gaming → Captures.
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Under “Record what happened”, toggle it OFF.
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Make sure Background recording and Capture audio when recording are both OFF.
This ensures no CPU or GPU resources are used for video capture or telemetry.
7. Method 3: Remove Xbox Game Bar Using PowerShell
If you want a complete removal, PowerShell gives you control at the system level.
Steps:
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Press Windows + X and choose Windows Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
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Copy and paste the following command, then hit Enter:
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Wait for the process to complete — this may take a few seconds.
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Once finished, Xbox Game Bar will be uninstalled.
✅ Optional: Reboot your PC to finalize removal.
8. Method 4: Uninstall Xbox Game Bar via Winget Command
Windows 11 includes Winget, Microsoft’s package manager, which can uninstall store apps cleanly.
Steps:
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Open Windows Terminal (Admin).
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Run this command:
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Wait for the confirmation message that the app was successfully removed.
This method is cleaner and more reliable than PowerShell for recent builds.
9. Method 5: Remove Xbox Game Bar Using a Third-Party Uninstaller (Optional)
If you prefer using a GUI-based app instead of command lines, try trusted uninstallers like:
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Revo Uninstaller
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Geek Uninstaller
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IObit Uninstaller
Steps:
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Open your uninstaller of choice.
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Locate Xbox Game Bar in the list.
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Click Uninstall, then choose Advanced Scan (if available) to remove leftover files and registry entries.
⚠️ Always ensure you download these tools from their official websites to avoid bundled software.
10. Method 6: Disable Xbox Game Bar from Running at Startup
Sometimes Game Bar components still launch during boot. You can stop that.
Steps:
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Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
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Go to the Startup Apps tab.
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Look for Xbox Game Bar or Xbox App Services.
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Right-click and choose Disable.
This prevents it from auto-running after login — saving you boot time.
11. Method 7: Hide Xbox Game Bar from Windows Search and Start Menu
If you don’t want to uninstall but never want to see it again:
Steps:
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Open the Start Menu.
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Search for Xbox Game Bar.
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Right-click it → choose Unpin from Start.
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Open Settings → Personalization → Start → Folders, and ensure Game Bar isn’t added.
To hide from Search completely, go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Search Permissions, and disable “Search Highlights.”
Now the Game Bar won’t appear or interrupt your workflow.
12. Method 8: Reinstall Xbox Game Bar (If You Change Your Mind)
If you removed Game Bar but want it back later, reinstalling is easy.
Option 1 — Microsoft Store:
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Open the Microsoft Store.
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Search for Xbox Game Bar.
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Click Install.
Option 2 — PowerShell:
Run:
Within minutes, Game Bar will be restored to default settings.
13. How to Verify Xbox Game Bar Is Completely Removed
To confirm removal:
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Press Windows + S and search “Xbox Game Bar.”
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If no results appear — it’s gone.
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Press Windows + G — nothing should happen.
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Check via PowerShell:
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If it returns no output, removal was successful.
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You can also verify in Settings → Apps → Installed Apps.
14. Common Issues and How to Fix Them
Even after uninstalling, some users report residual Game Bar processes. Here’s how to handle them:
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Game Bar reappears after Windows Update | Disable Microsoft Store automatic app reinstalls. |
| “AppxPackage Access Denied” in PowerShell | Run PowerShell as Administrator. |
| Xbox services still running | Disable related services via services.msc (Xbox Accessory Management, Xbox Live Auth). |
| Can’t reinstall from Store | Reset Microsoft Store cache with wsreset.exe. |
15. Alternative Tools for Screen Recording or Performance Monitoring
If you removed Xbox Game Bar but still want screen capture or FPS monitoring, here are better alternatives:
| Purpose | Recommended Tools | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Recording | OBS Studio, ShareX, Bandicam | Free, powerful, supports audio mixing and streaming. |
| Performance Monitoring | MSI Afterburner, HWiNFO | Tracks CPU/GPU temps, usage, FPS overlay. |
| Quick Clips | NVIDIA ShadowPlay, AMD ReLive | For gaming, optimized at the driver level. |
These tools are often more stable and customizable than Game Bar.
16. Tips to Optimize Windows 11 for Gaming or Productivity
Whether you’re a gamer or a productivity power user, here are quick optimizations after removing Game Bar:
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Disable background Xbox services in Services.msc.
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Turn off Game Mode (Settings → Gaming → Game Mode → Off).
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Disable Captures and Notifications under Gaming settings.
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Use High Performance Power Plan in Power Options.
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Keep graphics drivers updated for better FPS and stability.
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Use Storage Sense to free up space periodically.
With these tweaks, your PC will run smoother — without unnecessary overhead.
17. Conclusion
And that’s it! You’ve learned how to remove Xbox Game Bar from Windows 11, along with every possible method to disable, uninstall, or hide it.
Whether you used Settings, PowerShell, or Winget, the result is the same — a cleaner, faster, and distraction-free Windows experience.
If you ever change your mind, you can easily reinstall it from the Microsoft Store or PowerShell.
Removing Xbox Game Bar is completely safe and can even improve system performance — especially for non-gamers or professionals who value a minimalist setup.
FAQs
1. Does uninstalling Xbox Game Bar affect other Xbox apps?
No. It only removes the overlay app. The Xbox app for PC, Game Pass, or Microsoft Store remain unaffected.
2. Can I reinstall Xbox Game Bar later?
Yes — just download it again from the Microsoft Store or use PowerShell commands.
3. Is Xbox Game Bar running even when I don’t open it?
Sometimes, yes. Its background processes may remain active unless manually disabled.
4. Will removing it improve gaming performance?
Slightly — it reduces background CPU/GPU usage and memory footprint, especially on low-end PCs.
5. What if PowerShell says “Access is denied”?
Run PowerShell as Administrator or use the Winget command instead.
Key Takeaways
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Xbox Game Bar is optional — safe to remove or disable.
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Use Settings to disable; PowerShell or Winget to uninstall.
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Always run commands with administrator privileges.
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Reinstall easily anytime through Microsoft Store.
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Removing Game Bar can lead to a faster, cleaner Windows 11 experience.