In Windows 10, the Game Bar allows you to create content directly from your games (and certain apps), here's what you need to know.
The Windows 10 Game Bar is an underrated feature which allows you to easily screenshot, record, and stream directly from a game (or app) without the need for external software. In the Windows 10 April 2018 Update, the Game Bar got a fresh coat of paint, along with speed improvements and other new features. Here's what you need to know.
How to enable the Windows 10 Game Bar
First, make sure the Game Bar is actually enabled. It should be turned on by default, but here's how to find it.
- Open the Settings menu by clicking the cogwheel in the Start Menu.
- Select Gaming in the Settings Menu.
Select Game Bar.
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- Make sure it's set to On as pictured above.
In this menu, you can also customize and review the hotkeys available for the Game Bar. It's worth knowing where they are for future reference.
How to use the Windows 10 Game Bar in games (and apps)
The Game Bar in Windows 10 is enabled by pressing Windows Key + G or by pressing the Xbox button on a connected Xbox controller. Windows Key + G opens an overlay bar which gives you access to numerous functions and features. There are a few nuances to its use you need to be aware of.
- It works best using games from the Windows 10 Microsoft Store. This is because these games are enabled to use the Game Bar by default.
- It works with some Win32 games in Full Screen mode, but not all. If you find that you can't see the overlay, you can try running your game in windowed mode, or by using the Game Bar hot keys (they should still work, you just won't be able to see the overlay).
- You can actually use the Game Bar with any Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app, even if it's not a game. This can be handy for recording UWP apps like Microsoft Edge, but it won't work in classic apps, even if they're ported to the Windows 10 Microsoft Store, like Spotify and Slack.
- Enabling Game Bar (and Game DVR, which is the recording service) might impact the performance of your game or app.
Turning on the Game Bar should release your mouse cursor. You can mouse over the individual controls to see what they do. Here's a run through from left to right:
Configuring Game DVR
When it comes to recording footage and taking screenshots with the Game Bar, there are a number of settings you can tweak to improve your experience. Here's a run down of where to find them, and what you can fix.
- Open the Settings menu by clicking the cogwheel in the Start Menu.
- Select Gaming in the Settings Menu.
- Select Game DVR, as shown above.
Using the Game DVR settings menu, you can configure the following things:
- You can change the location of stored captures.
- Set the DVR to maintain background recording for capturing recent moments.
- Change settings for when background recording should be maintained (on battery, off battery, etc.).
- Change audio recording settings, such as mic levels.
- Change video capture quality, including resolution and frame rate (set lower for better performance).
- Enable or disable cursor capture in videos.
Game Bar settings within games
When you're inside a game, there are a few settings you control from within the bar itself for convenience. To do this, follow these steps.
- Open the Game Bar inside a game by pressing Windows Key + G.
- Click on the Settings cogwheel.
From here, you can change certain quick settings, such as the color theme of the Game Bar, whether background recording is enabled or not, and whether to include microphone audio or not in the recordings.
More Game Bar features
If you want to disable the Game Bar to save resources, broadcast to Mixer, or use Game Mode, we have a bunch of resources tailored to that end below.
- How to disable the Game Bar
- How to broadcast to Mixer using the Game Bar
- How to enable (and disable) Game Mode in Windows 10
More Resources
For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources: