Why Does Windows Keep Prompting to Get an App to Open MS-Gaming Overlay?

So, you keep getting that annoying message about the ms-gaming overlay? Let’s try a few things to sort it out.

First off, you could try giving the Xbox Game Bar a bit of a reset. Hit up your Settings with Windows + I, dive into Apps, then Apps & Features. Find Xbox Game Bar, click on it, and head over to Advanced options. Scroll down a bit until you see the Reset button and give it a go.

Maybe you don’t want to reset? No worries—repair it instead. You can find the Repair option in the same Advanced options section.

If neither of those does the trick, maybe it’s time for a fresh start with the Xbox Game Bar. Pop open the Microsoft Store, search for Xbox Game Bar, and if it’s MIA, just click Get to bring it back.

Or if you’re feeling a bit techy, fire up Windows PowerShell (right-click the Start button and choose Windows PowerShell (Admin)). Use this command to chuck out the current package:

Get-AppxPackage *gamingoverlay* | Remove-AppxPackage

Then, reinstall it by running:

Get-AppxPackage -allusers *gamingoverlay* | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

If you’re just over it and want the game bar gone, you can switch it off. Head back into Settings and find Gaming, then Xbox Game Bar, and flick the Enable Xbox Game Bar toggle to Off.

And here’s a no-brainer: make sure your Windows is running the latest updates. Cruise over to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and hit Check for updates.

With any luck, one of these tricks will stop that overlay message dead in its tracks. Just keep your system up to date, and you shouldn’t have to deal with this hassle again anytime soon.