What Is the Xbox Game Bar and Things You Can Do with It

Every experienced gamer may be familiar with the Xbox Game Bar, a built-in tool of Windows 10 and Windows 11. With the Xbox Game Bar, gamers can easily access and control many features during gameplay without switching to other software. Only with several shortcuts, gamers can record wonderful gameplay, adjust volume, take screenshots, and even play their favorite music on Spotify without exiting their game. If you are interested in knowing the multiple things you can do with the Xbox Game Bar, and wish to get a wonderful and undistracted gaming experience, read this review of Xbox Game Bar.

Part 1. What Is Xbox Game Bar

Xbox Game Bar is a customizable gaming overlay built into Windows 10 and Windows 11. It can work with nearly all PC games. Users can press Win + G to bring up the Xbox Game Bar when playing PC games. The overlay is equipped with many handy features and gives users fast access to widgets without leaving the game.

1. Record and capture epic gameplay moments.
2. Control the volume for different audio channels.
3. Illustrates the performance of the computer when playing games.
4. Play and control your favorite background music in playing games.
5. Find players for your games with Looking for Group (LFG).
6. Take screenshots of gameplay while playing it.

Now you know the Xbox Game Bar has such versatile features, and are you curious about how to open the Xbox Game Bar? The next part will introduce the shortcut for opening the Xbox Game Bar.

Part 2. Xbox Game Bar Shortcut

Win + G is the basic and the most important shortcut to bring up the Xbox Game Bar, showing the toolsets for users to engage with multiple features such as recording gameplay videos, capturing screens, chatting, and monitoring computer performance. Users can click these icons appearing at the top of the overlay, and they can also use individual shortcuts because these functions have their own corresponding shortcuts. Below are detailed shortcuts to major features of the Xbox Game Bar.

1. Windows + G. Brings up the Game Bar.
2. Windows + Alt + G. Records the last 30 seconds of the game.
3. Windows + Alt + Print Screen. Take a screen capture.
4. Windows + Alt + R. Record the game without limitation of time.
5. Windows + Alt + T. Shows the performance of the computer.
6. Windows + Alt + M. Control the microphone in the recording.

Users can also change or design their own shortcuts for operating the Xbox Game Bar. Click on the Settings icon, locate the Shortcuts option, input the newly designed shortcut on the blank space, and then click on Save. Then, new shortcuts suitable for users’ habits are created.

The most commonly used feature of Xbox Gamer Bar by gamers is the record because many gamers are crazy about preserving and sharing their epic gaming moments. The next section guides you to know how to record with the Xbox Game Bar.

Part 3. How to Record with Xbox Game Bar

The Record function of Xbox Game Bar provides great convenience for gamers to instantly preserve their breathtaking gameplay moments, and gamers can even share their achievements on social media without exiting the game. Guess you are curious about this feature. Read on to learn detailed steps to record game clips with the Xbox Game Bar.

Step 1. Open the Xbox Game Bar.

When you’re playing games, press Win + G to bring up the game bar.

Step 2. Start recording.

Click on Capture on the Widget Menu at the top of the screen, select Start recording, and then you can instantly record the game clip. Click again the same button, and you can stop recording.

Step 3. Find the recording.

After stopping the recording, your game clips are automatically saved on Galley. You can click Gallery to find your game clips.

As you can see, it is very easy to record games with Xbox Game Bar. Only by pressing the shortcut, and clicking your mouse twice, you can record your peak moments in gameplay. However, you can only record up to 30 minutes with Xbox Game Bar. And it will turn off automatically after 30 minutes. Besides, the video resolution recorded by the Xbox Game Bar is only up to 1080p. So, if you want to record the screen for more than 30 minutes without a break, or record high-definition video, or this feature is unnecessary for you and you want to uninstall the Xbox Game Bar, just keep reading.

Part 4. How to Uninstall Xbox Game Bar

To completely uninstall the Xbox Game Bar, the method of PowerShell commands is the most effective

Step 1. Open the PowerShell.

Press Wins + X on the keyboard and locate Windows PowerShell (Admin) to open PowerShell.

Step 2. Input the command.

Type in the command: Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay | Remove-AppxPackage. Then click Enter, and your Xbox Game Bar is gone.

If you don’t want to uninstall the Xbox Game Bar, you can choose to turn it off. Look here to learn how to turn off the Xbox Game Bar with three easy steps.

Open Settings, choose the Gaming section, and then locate Xbox Game Bar. Turn off the toggle that starts with Enable Xbox Game Bar. In this way you can turn off this tool successfully.

Now, if you have followed the above steps, you may have removed the Xbox Game Bar successfully. Next, which tool you can choose when you want to record your game clips? The next part will introduce you to the Xbox Game Bar alternative, Vidmore Screen Recorder, you can decide whether to try it or not based on your preference

Part 5. Alternative to Xbox Game Bar on Recording

Although the Xbox Game Bar has so many benefits for gamers, its function is limited, especially in recording. Xbox Game Bar only supports one single window recording and there are limitations on recording time and region standards. Besides, sometimes your Xbox Game Bar is disabled, or you can’t open the Xbox Game Bar, thus finding its alternative is necessary. Here, Vidmore Screen Recorder is highly recommended to you after a comprehensive review.

Vidmore Screen Recorder also provides great convenience for both professional gamers and amateur players. It can serve as a light-weight game recorder. Game players can record their own victory moments without limitations. Now look at how to use this tool.

Step 1. Download Vidmore Screen Recorder.

Press the Download button to install the tool on your PC.

Step 2. Select Game Recorder.

Enter your game and open Vidmore Screen Recorder. Select Game Recorder mode to move on.

Step 3. Start recording.

Select the game window from the Select the game section. If you want to tweak recording settings, you can click the Cogwheel icon to control your preferred output format and video quality.

Click the REC button to record, and the recording will start in 3 seconds.

Step 4. Find the recording.

End by clicking the Stop button, you can also edit your recorded video with ease, then click the Save button and export the recording to the computer.

As you can see, similar to the Xbox Game Bar, Vidmore Screen Recorder is also easy to use when recording. Notably, the trial version can only support a 3-minute game clip. If you are prone to looking for a free screen recorder, Free Screen Recorder Online is a good choice, which can also satisfy your basic needs in recording.

Part 6. FAQs About Xbox Game Bar

What If the Xbox Game Bar Does Not Work?

Background software or the Windows update may have disabled the Xbox game bar. Besides, there are also some games that prevent the desktop from recording.

Why Can’t I Uninstall Xbox Game Bar?

Maybe because you just disable it instead of uninstalling it. If you use the methods of pressing the Windows button, choosing Settings, typing Gaming, and locating the Xbox Game Bar to toggle the game bar off, you can’t uninstall the Xbox Game Bar. Because you can only disable the Xbox Game Bar on your computer but not uninstall the Xbox Game Bar in this way. The method to uninstall the Xbox Game Bar has been introduced in the above content.

How Do I Get the Xbox Game Bar on My Computer?

If the Xbox Game Bar fails to bring up when you press Win + G, the potential reason is that the game bar feature is limited or disabled. You should check your Xbox Game Bar settings. Press the Windows button on the keyboard, then click Settings, find Gaming, and choose Xbox Game Bar. Turn on the Open to enable all the settings. Once done, restart your application to check whether the Xbox Game Bar is working.

Conclusion

Now you know more about the reviews of Xbox Game Bar from Windows. Its convenience and user-friendly interface make it popular among gamers. If you are not satisfied with its recording feature, its alternative Vidmore Screen Recorder is recommended to you. If you are looking for a free screen recorder, another online recorder is also provided. You can make choices based on your own needs. So, What is your favorite feature about the Xbox Game Bar? Tell us what you like in the comments section below.