If you like gaming, especially on your Windows device, it is likely that you have encountered the Windows process called gamerbar.exe. While usually a harmless process, gamebar.exe can cause problems on your PC. It can also be a malware masquerading as a genuine windows process.
If you have experienced any problems resulting from a gamebar.exe process, then this article will show how to resolve the issues.
What is gamebar.exe?
Before offering any solutions to your Windows problems, it is best to first understand the nature of the problem that you are likely dealing with, in this case, gamebar .exe.
Gamebar .exe is a Windows process that belongs to the software Xbox.Apps.GamingOverlay or GameBar by Microsoft. It can be found in the following location : C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay_1.16.1012.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\.
Expert Tip: For smoother PC performance, consider using a PC optimization tool. It handles junk files, incorrect settings, and harmful apps. Make sure it's right for your system, and always check the EULA and Privacy Policy.
Special offer. About Outbyte, uninstall instructions, EULA, Privacy Policy.
The actual software behind gamebar.exe is a tool that helps gamers capture videos, take screenshots and to broadcast their gameplay online. One can also use it to quickly access the Xbox app. Thus, it is not all that bad and some gamers actually find it a must have.
Gamebar.exe can also be a malware camouflaging as a genuine Windows process, especially if it is located in a subfolder that is different from the one noted above. So yes, if your question was is gamebar.exe a virus? Know this, it might be.
Issues Resulting from Gamer bar.Exe
What issues does gamebar .exe cause on a computer? Gamebar.exe will affect your computer’s performance, making it slower than you’d normally expect. It can also make it unresponsive.
How to Stop the Gamebar .exe Process
The first thing that you need to do when trying to stop gamebar .exe is to clean your computer with a PC repair tool such as Outbyte PC Repair. You might be asking yourself why you need to clean your computer in the first place. There are a few reasons why.
A PC repair tool will optimize the performance of your RAM and get rid of any junk files that may otherwise be slowing your PC down. So, even if gamebar .exe is slowing it down, its effects might be minimized when the RAM is optimized, when all the software is updated and when the registry is clean.
Secondly, a PC repair tool will scan your system for any malware, meaning that if there is a virus masquerading as gamebar.exe, it won’t take long before being identified and subsequently removed.
You can actually stop gamebar.exe from taking too much computing power on your computer with the help of the Windows Task Manager. The Windows Task Manager is a system monitor that provides information about running software and computer performance. It includes the names of running processes, Windows services and CPU load.
Here is how to launch the Task Manager on Windows 10/11:
- Press Ctrl+ Alt + Delete.
- This will bring the Windows security screen which will provide several options. Choose Task Manager.
- After launching the Task Manager, go to the Processes tab and look for gamebar .exe.
- Choose to quit gamebar.exe.
If you quit gamebar.exe the extra CPU usage that was previously allocated to the process will be available to other ‘tasks’. This might help improve the performance of your computer.
How to Disable Gamebar .exe
Sometimes, you just want to disable the gamebar.exe process rather than using the Task Manager to stop it every time it starts affecting the performance of your computer.
With the help of a PC repair tool, you can choose which apps should launch on startup. The lesser the apps, the better, and if gamebar.exe is slowing everything down by using too much computing power, choose to stop it from launching in the first place.
To change which apps run automatically on your Windows 10/11 device, take the following steps:
- Select the Windows Start button and go to Settings > Apps > Startup.
- Select the app that you want to change, and then choose between Enable or Disable.
Another way to disable gamebar.exe is to disable Game Bar, the software behind the process. To do this, take the following steps:
- Right click on the Start button and navigate to Settings > Gaming.
- Click Game Bar.
- Switch off the option that lets you record game clips, screenshots, and broadcasts using Game Bar.
You can also disable gamebar .exe by editing the registry, although such is a risky move because when done poorly, it may cripple your computer in unexpected ways.
Here is how to disable gamebar .exe by editing the registry:
- On the Windows search box, type regedit and hit the Enter button on the keyboard.
- Double-click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
- Double-click on SYSTEM.
- Double-click on Services.
- Click on xbgm.
- Right-click on Start REG_DWORD.
- Click Modify
- Type 4.3 is the default.
- Click OK.
When you choose to disable gamebar .exe, it will never run on your computer again, unless you have launched the program on your own. In case you used the last method that involves editing the registry, you will have to repeat the noted steps and revert to the default (3).
How to Remove Gamebar .exe
Suppose you want to remove gamebar .exe from your computer entirely, how would you go about it? Like any other executable file, the gamebar .exe process has a software program behind it and you can actually remove this software from the Control Panel.
The Control Panel is a Windows app that allows users to view and to change systems settings, including removing programs that are no longer needed.
You can access the Control Panel by taking the following steps:
- In the search box, type control panel and then select Control Panel.
- In the Control Panel, choose Programs.
- Look for the Game Bar program and uninstall it.
And that completes our recommendations on how to deal with gamebar .exe. The best way, of course, especially if you are a gamer, is to use a PC repair tool because if anything, you need to optimize your PC for the best gaming experience possible.
If you have any comments, suggestions or more solutions on how to deal with gamebar .exe feel free to share them in the comment section below.