How to Get Rid of Xbox Party Overlay on PC Easily

Gaming on a PC opens up a whole new world compared to being limited to a console. You get access to more games, better graphics, and all kinds of customization options. But sometimes those console roots show through, like when you get the Xbox party overlay appearing on your PC.

The Xbox party overlay can be useful on Xbox, but on PC it ends up covering part of your screen. It blocks your view in-game and gets in the way. So you probably want to get rid of it and enjoy an unobstructed full-screen experience.

Fortunately, it’s easy to disable the Xbox party overlay on PC with just a few quick steps. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the different methods so you can ditch the overlay and get back to flawless PC gaming. Let’s jump in!

4 Ways to Xbox Party overlay on PC

1. Disable Overlay via Xbox App Settings

The easiest way to get rid of the Xbox party overlay is to disable it directly from the Xbox app’s settings:

Step 1: Open the Xbox App

• Open the Xbox app on your Windows 10 or 11 PC. You can find it in the Start Menu or search for ‘Xbox’ and click the app icon.

Step 2: Click on Settings

• In the Xbox app, click on your profile icon in the top right corner.
• In the dropdown menu, select ‘Settings’.

Step 3: Go to the Privacy section

• In the settings sidebar on the left, click on ‘Privacy’.

Step 4: Toggle off Party Overlay

• Under ‘Party & Game invites’, toggle the switch off for ‘Show my multiplayer game invites and party notifications’.
• This will disable the party overlay from appearing when in an Xbox party chat.

And that’s it! The next time you join or start a party, you should no longer see the overlay widget appear on your PC screen. You can always re-enable it from the same settings if needed.

2. Use Task Manager to End Task

You can use Task Manager in Windows to forcibly end the Xbox party overlay process. This prevents it from starting up when you join a party.

Follow these steps:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Click More details at the bottom to expand Task Manager.
3. Select the Processes tab.
4. Scroll down and look for gamebarpresencewriter.exe.
5. Right click on gamebarpresencewriter.exe and choose End task.
6. Confirm that you want to end the process.

This will immediately terminate the Xbox party overlay if it’s currently running. And it will prevent it from launching next time you’re in a party.

The downside to this method is you have to repeat it each time you reboot your PC. Ending the task does not permanently disable the overlay. But it’s a quick way to get rid of it as needed.

3. Disable in Registry Editor

The most permanent solution is to disable the Xbox party overlay using the Windows Registry Editor. This prevents the overlay process from even starting up.

Here are the steps:

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter to launch Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GameDVR
4. On the right side, double click on the AppCaptureEnabled DWORD.
5. In the Value data field, change the 1 to a 0.
6. Click OK to save the changes.

This registry tweak tells Windows not to launch the Game Bar processes, including the Xbox party overlay. It will remain disabled even after rebooting.

The only catch is you have to reverse the change if you ever want to re-enable the overlay. Just change the 0 back to a 1 in the registry.

4. Try Disabling Game Mode

Another option is to switch off Game Mode in Windows. Game Mode can trigger the Xbox overlay, so turning it off prevents that.

Here’s how to toggle Game Mode:

1. Open the Start Menu and click the Gear icon to open Settings.
2. Choose Gaming.
3. Switch the Game Mode toggle to Off.

With Game Mode disabled, the Xbox overlay should not initiate when you jump into a game. This doesn’t directly modify the overlay, but prevents the integration with Game Mode that can trigger it.

Give that a shot if the overlay is still popping up even after using the other methods. Turning off Game Mode provides another layer of protection against the annoying party chat box.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you’re still seeing the Xbox party overlay after trying the steps above, here are some troubleshooting tips:

• Restart your PC and test if the overlay appears. This will reload all the settings.
• Check for any recent Windows updates that could be resetting your changes.
• Temporarily disable antivirus software, which can sometimes interfere.
• Uninstall and reinstall the Xbox app and be sure to disable the overlay.
• Double check that the Xbox app setting is toggled off and Game Mode is disabled.
• Reset all Xbox app settings to default then customize again.
• Update your graphics drivers in case it’s a GPU conflict.

With a bit of trial and error, you should be able to nail down the cause and get the overlay permanently removed from your PC.

In Summary

Having the Xbox party overlay constantly popping up over your games is annoying. But thankfully getting rid of it on PC is straightforward once you know the different options.

Toggling the overlay setting in the Xbox app works for quickly disabling it. For a more permanent solution, end the overlay task in Task Manager or disable it through the registry. And you can switch off Game Mode as an extra preventive measure.

With the party overlay out of the way, you can enjoy the full immersive experience of PC gaming without distractions. No more wasted time trying to figure out how to turn off the Xbox overlay on PC!

FAQs About Disabling the Xbox Party Overlay on PC

How do I stop the Xbox overlay from popping up?

The easiest way is to toggle the overlay setting to off in the Xbox app settings. You can also end the overlay task in Task Manager or disable it in the registry.

Will turning off overlay disable Xbox party chat?

No, you can still use Xbox party chat with the overlay disabled. The chat features will work normally.

Can you permanently disable the Xbox overlay?

Yes, using Registry Editor to toggle the GameDVR setting will disable the overlay even after reboots.

What triggers the Xbox overlay on PC?

The overlay is launched by the Game Bar processes in Windows. Using Game Mode can also trigger it.

Is it safe to disable the Xbox overlay?

Yes, disabling the overlay only affects that one feature. It won’t cause problems or breaks other Xbox integration.

How do I re-enable the Xbox overlay if needed?

You can toggle it back on in the Xbox app settings. Or change the registry value back to 1 to re-enable the Game Bar processes.

Will disabling Game Mode prevent the overlay?

It should in most cases. Game Mode integration can trigger the overlay, so turning it off blocks that.

Why does my antivirus block the Xbox overlay?

Some antivirus programs detect Game Bar processes as suspicious and block them. You may need to add exclusions.

I disabled overlay but it still pops up?

Try restarting your PC, updating graphics drivers, reinstalling the Xbox app, and checking for conflicts.

Can you remove the Xbox app entirely?

Yes, you can uninstall the Xbox app if desired. This will completely eliminate any possibility of the overlay.