Windows 10: Spotify, Chat, and more coming to Game Bar on Windows 10

Brink · Apr 4, 2019

Today, we are excited to begin testing several new features in beta for Game bar on Windows 10. Game bar is an overlay built into Windows that works over any PC game and can be brought up quickly by pressing the Windows key + G – “Win+G”. Check it out on the Xbox Insider Hub on your Windows 10 PC (more instructions below).

At X018, we shared a commitment to improve PC gaming on Windows 10 and, earlier this year, we kicked off a PC Gaming Idea Drive to get your suggestions. Today, we’re excited to introduce a number of new Game bar features, many inspired by your feedback, including controlling your music through Spotify, creating memes, chatting with friends to share in-game moments, and customizing the UI to your preferred layout. Insiders in our Windows Gaming flight ring can access these new features this week by pressing “Win+G” to bring up the Game bar when playing any PC game.

Here’s a more detailed rundown:

Spotify

Like many of you, music is a very important part of our gaming experience. Now you can easily control music and podcasts on Spotify from the Spotify widget in the Game bar, including play/pause/skip, changing current playback device, and selecting playlists recommended for you by Spotify. You’ll need the Spotify app for Windows installed to take advantage of this new feature, so be sure to get it from the Microsoft Store or Spotify.com.

You can get started in three simple steps:

Press Win+G to bring up Game bar

Click on Spotify in the widgets menu

Sign-in with your Spotify credentials

Want to tweak the volume of that song you just started rockin’ out to? Pull up the audio widget in Game bar to change volume settings across apps quickly and easily without having to alt-tab out of your game.

Gallery and Memes

Back in December, we promised to make it dead simple to “screenshot or it didn’t happen.” Currently, you can easily capture and view your gameplay screenshots, then share directly to Twitter without leaving your game.

With today’s update, you can take this a step further by turning your captured screenshots into memes. During your game, hit Win+G to call up Game bar, open the Capture widget in the Game bar menu, and take a screenshot or video. Once captured you can edit your video and add overlay text to your screenshot in the Game bar gallery. When you have your meme ready, share it with the world right away via Twitter.

Friends, Chat, and Mixer

In the new Xbox Social widget, you can now see what your friends are playing, and you can quickly text them, voice chat them, or watch their Mixer stream all from within the Game bar. The same friends list and communication features work on Xbox One as well as within the Xbox App on iOS, Android and of course Windows 10.

Press Win+G at any time to bring up Game bar, send a quick message, and get back into the action without taking your eyes off the game.

Customizable UI

You told us that the ability to customize your experience was extremely important. You can now customize Game bar to make the overlay your own. Choose which widgets to show/hide, where you want them located, and even pin specific widgets. Find your own favorite Game bar layout to enhance your gaming experience.

How to get access to the Game bar beta:

Launch the Xbox Insider Hub on your Windows 10 PC – if you don’t have it, get it from the Windows 10 store.

Select Insider Content in the upper left

Select Windows Gaming. If you are on Window 10 build# 17763 or higher, you will be automatically enrolled into the Game bar flight

Press Win+G in any game to bring up Game bar and have fun!

We have many PC Gamers on Team Xbox who are inspired to continue improving PC gaming on Windows 10. As always, your feedback is important to us and our partners as we continue to evolve this experience. So please share your ideas at the Xbox Idea Hub for Game bar. A huge thank you to all our Insiders for helping us improve the Windows 10 gaming experience! This is only the beginning, so stay tuned.
Click to expand...

Source: Spotify, Chat, and more coming to Game Bar on Windows 10 - Xbox Wire

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Junaid_A · Apr 4, 2019

want to open game bar, but win+G repeatedly asks if "want to open game bar?"

Hi Sabinscabin,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community forum.

I suggest you to try the troubleshooting steps listed in fix problems with Game bar
on Windows 10 and check if it works.

Hope it helps.

Brink · Apr 4, 2019

Turn On or Off Game Bar in Windows 10

Hey mate,

Turning off the Game Bar will stop this for you.

If you like, you could go a step further, and completely disable the Game DVR and Game Bar.

Enable or Disable Game DVR and Game Bar in Windows 10 Windows 10 Gaming Tutorials

Wilfred Mac · Apr 4, 2019

Windows Game Bar not Recording Microphone By Default

Hi Yewtsan,

Incorrect configuration setting is one of the potential reasons why Windows Game Bar is not recording microphone by default. To help you resolve this concern, you may perform the troubleshooting steps provided on the link below:

Troubleshoot Game DVR on Windows 10

You may also try to turn off the Game bar and restart your computer before turning it on again. To do this, you may follow the steps below:

How to disable Game bar

Right-click the Start button.

Click Settings.

Click Gaming.

Click Game bar.

Click the switch below Record game clips. Screenshots, and broadcast using Game bar so that it turns
Off.

Kindly update us with the results.

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