How to Download and Use Windows Game Bar for Gaming and More
If you are a gamer or a content creator, you might want to capture your gameplay, stream it online, or share it with your friends. But how can you do that without installing any third-party software? The answer is Windows Game Bar, a built-in tool in Windows 10 and 11 that lets you do all that and more. In this article, we will show you what Windows Game Bar is, why you need it, how to download and enable it, and how to use it for gaming and more.
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What is Windows Game Bar and Why You Need It
Windows Game Bar is an overlay that you can open by pressing Windows + G on your keyboard. It gives you access to various functions and features, such as widgets, screenshots, recording, broadcasting, performance monitoring, audio control, Spotify integration, and more. You can use it with any game or app on your PC, but it works best with games from the Microsoft Store.
Why do you need Windows Game Bar? Here are some reasons:
You can capture screenshots and videos of your gameplay without any hassle.
You can stream your gameplay to popular platforms like Twitch or YouTube.
You can adjust the volume of any running app without leaving your game.
You can monitor your CPU, GPU, and RAM usage while playing.
You can play music from Spotify without opening the app.
You can customize your overlay by choosing your favorite widgets.
You can enable Game Mode to improve your gaming performance.
Windows Game Bar Features
Windows Game Bar has many features that make it a useful tool for gamers and content creators. Here are some of them:
Windows Game Bar Features
The Capture widget lets you take screenshots and record videos of your gameplay. You can also enable background recording to capture the last 30 seconds of your gameplay. You can choose the quality, resolution, frame rate, audio source, and microphone settings for your captures. You can also view and edit your captures in the Gallery widget or share them online.
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Windows Game Bar System Requirements
All PCs running Windows 10 or 11 should be able to use Windows Game Bar for screenshots. However, to use it for video recording or streaming, your PC's video card must support one of these encoders: Intel Quick Sync H.264 or later, NVIDIA NVENC, or AMD VCE. You can check your video card's compatibility by running the DirectX Diagnostic Tool. If your PC doesn't meet the requirements, you will see an error message when you try to record or stream.
Windows Game Bar Alternatives
If you are looking for alternatives to Windows Game Bar, there are many options available. Some of them are:
: A platform that offers various apps and widgets for gaming, such as game capture, chat, streaming, performance monitoring, etc.
: A screen recorder that lets you record high-quality videos of your gameplay or desktop.
: A free and open-source software for video recording and live streaming.
How to Download and Enable Windows Game Bar
To use Windows Game Bar, you need to download and enable it first. Here are the steps to do that:
How to Download Windows Game Bar from Microsoft Store
Windows Game Bar is a free app that you can download from the Microsoft Store. To download it, follow these steps:
Open the Microsoft Store app on your PC.
Search for "Windows Game Bar" in the search box.
Select the Windows Game Bar app from the results and click on "Get".
Wait for the app to download and install on your PC.
How to Enable Windows Game Bar in Windows Settings
Windows Game Bar is enabled by default on most PCs, but you can check and change its settings in Windows Settings. To do that, follow these steps:
Open Windows Settings by pressing Windows + I on your keyboard.
Select "Gaming" from the left sidebar.
Select "Game bar" from the top menu.
Make sure the toggle switch for "Enable Xbox Game Bar for things like recording game clips, chatting with friends, and receiving game invites" is turned on.
You can also change other settings, such as keyboard shortcuts, audio settings, game mode, etc.
How to Open and Customize Windows Game Bar
To open Windows Game Bar, press Windows + G on your keyboard while playing a game or using an app. You will see an overlay with various widgets and buttons. You can customize your overlay by adding, removing, resizing, or moving the widgets. To do that, follow these steps:
Click on the menu button (three horizontal lines) on the top left corner of the overlay.
Select "Widget menu" from the drop-down list.
You will see a list of available widgets that you can add to your overlay. Click on the "+" button next to the widget name to add it.
To remove a widget, click on the "X" button on the top right corner of the widget.
To resize a widget, click and drag the edges or corners of the widget.
To move a widget, click and drag the title bar of the widget.
How to Use Windows Game Bar for Gaming and More
Now that you have downloaded and enabled Windows Game Bar, you can use it for gaming and more. Here are some of the things you can do with it:
How to Capture Screenshots and Videos with Windows Game Bar
To capture screenshots and videos of your gameplay, use the Capture widget. To do that, follow these steps:
Open Windows Game Bar by pressing Windows + G.
Select the Capture widget from the overlay. If you don't see it, add it from the Widget menu.
To take a screenshot, click on the camera icon or press Windows + Alt + PrtScn.
To record a video, click on the record icon or press Windows + Alt + R. To stop recording, click on the stop icon or press Windows + Alt + R again.
To capture the last 30 seconds of your gameplay, click on the record icon with a circle around it or press Windows + Alt + G.
You can view and edit your captures in the Gallery widget or share them online.
How to Adjust Application Volume with Windows Game Bar
To adjust the volume of any running app without leaving your game, use the Audio widget. To do that, follow these steps:
Open Windows Game Bar by pressing Windows + G.
Select the Audio widget from the overlay. If you don't see it, add it from the Widget menu.
You will see a list of apps that are using audio on your PC. You can adjust their volume by moving the sliders or muting them.
You can also change your master volume, system sounds volume, microphone volume, and speaker output device.
How to Monitor System Performance with Windows Game Bar
To monitor your CPU, GPU, and RAM usage while playing, use the Performance widget. To do that, follow these steps:
Open Windows Game Bar by pressing Windows + G.
Select the Performance widget from the overlay. If you don't see it, add it from the Widget menu.
You will see a graph of your CPU, GPU, and RAM usage over time. You can also see the current values and percentages of each resource.
You can also pin the Performance widget to your desktop so you can see it even when you close Windows Game Bar.
How to Play Music from Spotify with Windows Game Bar
To play music from Spotify without opening the app, use the Spotify widget. To do that, follow these steps:
Open Windows Game Bar by pressing Windows + G.
Select the Spotify widget from the overlay. If you don't see it, add it from the Widget menu.
You will need to sign in to your Spotify account and give permission to Windows Game Bar to access it.
Once you are signed in, you can control your music playback, such as play, pause, skip, shuffle, repeat, etc.
You can also search for songs, artists, albums, or playlists and play them from the widget.
Conclusion
Windows Game Bar is a handy tool that lets you capture, stream, control, monitor, and enjoy your gaming and other activities on your PC. It is easy to download, enable, and use. It has many features and widgets that you can customize to suit your needs. It is compatible with most games and apps on Windows 10 and 11. If you are looking for a simple and convenient way to enhance your gaming experience, you should give Windows Game Bar a try.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Windows Game Bar:
How do I disable Windows Game Bar?
If you don't want to use Windows Game Bar, you can disable it in Windows Settings. To do that, follow these steps:
Open Windows Settings by pressing Windows + I.
Select "Gaming" from the left sidebar.
Select "Game bar" from the top menu.
Turn off the toggle switch for "Enable Xbox Game Bar for things like recording game clips, chatting with friends, and receiving game invites".
How do I change the keyboard shortcuts for Windows Game Bar?
If you want to change the keyboard shortcuts for Windows Game Bar, you can do that in Windows Settings. To do that, follow these steps:
Open Windows Settings by pressing Windows + I.
Select "Gaming" from the left sidebar.
Select "Game bar" from the top menu.
Scroll down to the "Keyboard shortcuts" section.
Click on the shortcut you want to change and press the new key combination.
How do I broadcast my gameplay with Windows Game Bar?
If you want to broadcast your gameplay with Windows Game Bar, you need to have a Mixer account. Mixer is a live streaming platform owned by Microsoft. To broadcast your gameplay with Windows Game Bar, follow these steps:
Open Windows Game Bar by pressing Windows + G.
Select the Broadcast widget from the overlay. If you don't see it, add it from the Widget menu.
You will need to sign in to your Mixer account and give permission to Windows Game Bar to access it.
Once you are signed in, you can choose your broadcast settings, such as title, quality, camera, microphone, chat, etc.
To start broadcasting, click on the "Start broadcast" button or press Windows + Alt + B.
To stop broadcasting, click on the "Stop broadcast" button or press Windows + Alt + B again.
How do I edit my captures with Windows Game Bar?
If you want to edit your captures with Windows Game Bar, you can use the Gallery widget. To do that, follow these steps:
Open Windows Game Bar by pressing Windows + G.
Select the Gallery widget from the overlay. If you don't see it, add it from the Widget menu.
You will see a list of your captures sorted by date and time. You can select any capture to view it in full screen.
To edit your capture, click on the "Edit" button on the bottom right corner of the screen.
You will see a toolbar with various editing options, such as trim, split, rotate, crop, filter, text, etc.
Use the editing options to make changes to your capture as you like.
To save your edited capture, click on the "Save" button on the top right corner of the screen.
How do I chat with my friends with Windows Game Bar?
If you want to chat with your friends with Windows Game Bar, you can use the Xbox Social widget. To do that, follow these steps:
Open Windows Game Bar by pressing Windows + G.
Select the Xbox Social widget from the overlay. If you don't see it, add it from the Widget menu.
You will need to sign in to your Xbox account and give permission to Windows Game Bar to access it.
Once you are signed in, you can see your friends list and their online status. You can also search for new friends by their gamertags.
To chat with a friend, click on their name and select "Chat". You can type or use voice chat to communicate with them.
You can also invite your friends to join your game or party by clicking on the "Invite" button next to their name.
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