5 Useful Things You Can Do With Xbox Game Bar on Windows

Xbox Game Bar is a built-in Windows app designed specifically for users who want to immerse themselves in games while also performing other tasks on their PC. It provides a hassle-free gaming experience. Here are five ways to maximize the convenience it provides.

1. Capture and record your screen

To use the Xbox Game Bar screenshot and recording feature, you must be in an active window of any app, program, or game. Note that the tool cannot screenshot or record the Windows desktop or File Explorer.

Take a screenshot

1. Open any application, program, or game on your computer.
2. Click on Windows + G To launch Xbox Game Bar or launch it from the menu Start. Since the app appears as an overlay, you don't need to minimize the game window to navigate around it.
3. Find a window "Capture" , where you can see the app you're going to take a screenshot of.
   Note: If you can't find the capture window, click the capture icon from the top menu.
4. In the capture window, click camera icon To take a screenshot. You can also take a screenshot without launching Xbox Game Bar by pressing Windows + Alt + PrtSc.
5. You'll see a notification on the right side of the screen stating that the screenshot has been saved. Click it to view the screenshot in Xbox Game Bar Gallery.
6. From here you can Rename image Or create a meme With it, open the file location, or delete your screenshots. You can also copy the link to your screenshot or share it on Twitter.

Tip: Check out some of the ways Take a scrolling screenshot on your Windows PC.

Record your screen

1. Open any application, program, or game on your computer.
2. Open Xbox GameBar.
3. in window "Capture" You can see the active application.
   
4. To record the last 30 seconds of on-screen activity, tap the rewind icon or press Windows + Alt + G.
   
5. Alternatively, click record button or press Windows+Alt+R To start recording the active application window.
   
6. When recording the last 30 seconds, wait for the seconds to expire so the recording is automatically saved. If you are recording your current activity within the app, tap Windows+Alt+R Again to stop recording.
7. You'll see a notification on the right side of your screen alerting you that the recording has been saved. Tap the notification to view your saved recordings. Xbox Game Bar Gallery.
   
8. As with screenshots, you can rename the recording or open it from its location in the Gallery.

Change capture settings in Xbox Game Bar

Want more control when capturing? You can change some settings as shown below.

1. Open Xbox game bar Using one of the methods described above.
2. Click icon The gear.
   
3. Click on "capture" In the settings window, change the sound you want in your recordings. For example, you can choose "everyone" , which means you'll capture audio from everywhere, including the game, your enabled microphone, etc. Additionally, you can choose to record in the background.
   

Good to know: Do you miss? Classic volume mixer in Windows 11? Here's how to get it back.

2. Adjust the audio mix and volume.

Xbox Game Bar provides easy access to audio and voice settings. Follow the steps below to control this.

1. turn on Xbox game bar on your computer.
2. in the area "the sound" , switch to tab "mix" To change your output device and adjust the output device volume, you can also calibrate the volume for each open application in the list.
   
3. Go to the tab "the sound" In the same window select Input/Output Devices and open Settings. Xbox party chat.
   
4. In the pop-up window Xbox party chat You can select which input and output devices your PC will use during Xbox Group Chats. You can also enable and disable push-to-talk and noise suppression.
   

3. Monitoring device performance and usage

Xbox Game Bar lets you monitor your device usage and FPS. It also lets you view which apps are using your device and the percentage of usage. Follow the steps below to use this feature:

1. turn on Xbox GameBar.
2. in window "the performance" Here, you'll see the percentage of CPU, GPU, VRAM, and RAM being used based on what you're running on your computer. You can also view your FPS in this area.
   
3. Click the button "Options" To modify the information displayed in this area.
   
4. You will have the opportunity to change the chart position, highlight color, scales, and more.
   
5. To see which apps are using your hardware, click the Resources icon from the top menu of Xbox Game Bar.
   
6. Here you can view applications that have a low, medium, and high impact on your computer's performance. Click Show more To see a more detailed view.
   
7. The expanded view should show you the percentage of CPU. (CPUs) and graphics processing unit (GPUs) and RAM (RAM) The hard disk used by the applications you are currently running.
   
8. Click the button "Options" To allocate the resources section.
   
9. يمكنك تغيير Highlight color, scales, refresh rate, and more..
   

4. Connect with friends using Xbox Social

Xbox Social lets you connect with your Xbox and social media friends to play games, chat, or share game activity. Follow these steps to link your social media accounts to Xbox Social.

1. bring Xbox game bar on the screen.
2. Click icon gear from the top menu.
   
3. Locate “accounts” From the menu on the left of the Settings window.
4. Click "correlation" Next to any social media account or platform you want to link. You'll need to sign in to each platform and authorize it to use it with Xbox Social.

Note: When you link your Steam, Facebook, or Discord account to your Xbox Social account, you'll receive suggestions to add your friends with Xbox Network accounts linked to the same platforms.

5. If you want to hide or show your gaming activity, scroll down and change the setting from the drop-down menu or manage additional privacy settings.

5. Listen to music on Spotify

Xbox Game Bar has a Spotify section that lets you log in to your Spotify account and navigate through your playlist without switching to the Spotify app.

1. Make sure you install Spotify On your computer and log in with your account and password.
2. Open Xbox GameBar.
3. tap on Spotify icon from the top menu.
   
4. Click Start listening Log in to your Spotify account.
   
5. If you want to listen to a different playlist, click the button. "expansion".
   
6. Click Playlist cover To play the playlist you want to listen to.
   

Good to know: Looking to subscribe to a music streaming service? Check out Spotify vs. Apple Music Comparison Make an informed decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What do I do if I don't see the Spotify widget?
answer. First, make sure Spotify is installed on your PC. Then, from the top menu in Xbox Game Bar, click Settings -> Widget Menu and click the . button "+" To add Spotify to Game Bar.

Q2. Do I need an Xbox console or controller to use Xbox Game Bar?
answer. No, you only need a PC running Windows 10 or 11. However, if you want to play games on your PC using a controller, you can.

Q3. What are some alternatives to the screen recording feature in Xbox Game Bar?
answer. you may Using OBS Studio Streamlabs Desktop, XSplit Broadcaster, and other similar programs. If you're not sure which to choose, take a look at our comparison article to help you decide.