Microsoft Edge for Game Bar shows "Something went wrong" and won't load

Question

Microsoft Edge for Game Bar shows "Something went wrong" and won't load

AliEx 20

Screenshot 2026-08-05 024615

Hello,

I'm having a problem with Microsoft Edge for Game Bar. It always shows the message:

"Something went wrong. Select Refresh to start a new session."

Clicking Refresh doesn't help, and the widget never loads.

I've already tried the following:

Clearing the Microsoft Edge for Game Bar cache
Repairing the app
Uninstalling and reinstalling Microsoft Edge for Game Bar
Restarting my PC

Unfortunately, none of these steps fixed the issue.

System information:

Windows 11 Pro – OS Build 26200.8973
Microsoft Edge: Version 151.0.4129.59
Game Bar: Version 7.326.7271.0

I've attached a screenshot of the error.

Has anyone else experienced this issue? Is there any way to fix it?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Bilboyou2 0 Reputation points

2026-08-05T04:01:10.5633333+00:00

This is happening to me too have you found a way to fix it?
Neth F 0 Reputation points

2026-08-05T12:57:28.1266667+00:00

I have been having this same issue since the past couple days after an update I think. I have tried uninstalling, reinstalling, repairing, nothing seems to work and I was waiting to see if others posted the same issue. This is most likely something on their end and we can't do anything to fix it, just have to wait for an update resolving it. Hopefully soon as this is my favourite feature.
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-06T07:17:05.55+00:00

Hi all,

Please review my below suggestion and, if you haven't already, try creating a new local Windows user account and testing whether Microsoft Edge for Game Bar works there. This can help determine whether the issue is related to your current Windows profile or affects the system more broadly.

Please keep me updated on the results and I'll be happy to help further.
Nelson (t-bone) 5 Reputation points

2026-08-06T16:01:15.6133333+00:00

Same here, for some days now. IIRC past week was ok. Used to happens sometimes, I close the widget, open it again and it would work. Now, nothing works (terminating Gamebar, resetting). I didn't try to reset Edge and I won't. This things should work properly without me having to reconfigure the whole entire thing every time it bugs.
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-07T08:50:36.31+00:00

Hi Nelson (t-bone),

May I know if you have given the in-place upgrade a try yet? If not yet, kindly help check my latest below comment for further guidance.
Nelson (t-bone) 5 Reputation points

2026-08-07T15:55:18.5+00:00

Hi Clary-N, latest MS Edge update to Version 151.0.4129.72 solved the problem on both PCs here, I didn't have to reinstall nor reset nor disable extensions, nothing, just the update solved it. I suggest for the future that the team review the software before orienting us to disassembly half our PC's configurations when there is a widespread bug like this.

Thank you for your support.
εхçlυsιvε ρลgε Tabacco ツჩჩტ 30 Reputation points

2026-08-08T14:02:58.1266667+00:00

Hey everyone! I see I'm not the only one experiencing this issue (whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is up to you lol). Today, Edge started working again without any intervention.
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-13T06:44:56.02+00:00

Hi Nelson (t-bone),

I'm glad to hear that updating to Edge version 151.0.4129.72 resolved the issue on both of your PCs.

I also appreciate you sharing your feedback regarding the troubleshooting process. Reports like yours help provide valuable context when investigating issues that may affect multiple users.

Thank you for taking the time to share the outcome.

Kind regards.
OVO 0 Reputation points

2026-08-24T18:52:08.54+00:00

i updated to lastest edge and im having the same issue how do i fix?
Nelson (t-bone) 5 Reputation points

2026-08-24T19:11:48.28+00:00

Hi OVO, when it does that, what I do is close it (by clicking on the X, not in the icon on the top bar) and then open again (on the icon at the top bar). It somehow refreshes itself and works. Try that please.
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-25T07:26:15.38+00:00

Hi OVO,

Please give the Nelson's suggestion a try to see if it works in your case and keep me updated on how it goes.
OVO 0 Reputation points

2026-08-28T19:34:19.84+00:00

hi i have tried and its still not working
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-29T08:48:43.9133333+00:00
Hi OVO,

Thank you for the update. Since Nelson's suggestion did not resolve the issue, have you had a chance to try the in-place repair upgrade yet?

As forum moderators, we do not have access to your device, account or Microsoft's internal support systems, so our ability to investigate is limited to the information shared in the thread.

If you have already tried the in-place upgrade and the issue still persists, I recommend contacting Microsoft Support for further investigation, as they have access to additional diagnostic tools that are not available in the community forum.

You can contact Microsoft Support by following these steps:

Go to Contact Microsoft Support and sign in with your Microsoft account.

Type "Chat Support" and select Get help.

Scroll down and select Contact support.

Under Products and services, choose Windows.

Under Category, select Technical support, then click Confirm.

Select Chat with a support agent in your web browser.

Please let me know whether you've already tried the in-place upgrade and what happened during the process.
alik 0 Reputation points

2026-08-31T19:18:05.7233333+00:00

Microsoft Edge for Game Bar displays the message “Something went wrong” and does not load. I am using version 152.0.4191.53 (Official Build) (64-bit). I have tried everything listed above in the thread, but nothing helped. Please help me resolve this issue.
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-31T23:26:42.8066667+00:00

Hi alik,

Thanks for the update. Since you've already tried all the troubleshooting steps in this thread and the issue persists, I recommend contacting Microsoft Support for further investigation. They can perform deeper diagnostics and determine whether this is a known issue or something specific to your environment.

When creating the support case, please include your Edge for Game Bar version (152.0.4191.53 (Official Build) (64-bit)), a screenshot of the error and the troubleshooting steps you've already completed.

I appreciate your patience and hope the support team can provide further insight into the issue.

Kind regards.
alik 0 Reputation points

2026-09-03T08:45:28.3833333+00:00

Hello,

I am still experiencing the same issue with Microsoft Edge in Xbox Game Bar. Microsoft Edge does not load and displays the message “Something went wrong”.

I have already tried all the troubleshooting steps suggested earlier in this thread, but none of them resolved the problem.

I have also:

updated Windows;

updated Xbox Game Bar;

updated Microsoft Edge.

My current versions are:

Microsoft Edge: Version 152.0.4191.53 (Official Build) (64-bit) Windows: Windows 11 Pro 25H2

In addition, when trying to use the chat/streaming function, I receive the following error:

“Chat stream request error: 500 - {"error": "Request headers must contain only ASCII characters"}.”

The problem persists even after updating Windows, Xbox Game Bar, and Microsoft Edge to the latest versions.

Please investigate this issue and help me resolve it. It appears that there may be a problem with Microsoft Edge integration in Xbox Game Bar or with the request headers generated by the application.

Thank you
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-04T06:24:30.3+00:00

Hi alik,

Thank you for providing those additional details. I can see you've already completed the troubleshooting steps that would normally be recommended, and the fact that you're also receiving the error "Request headers must contain only ASCII characters" suggests this may be something that requires further investigation by the product team.

As this is a user-to-user support forum, I don't have access to internal diagnostics, bug reports or the ability to investigate service-side issues. Since the problem persists on the latest versions of Windows, Xbox Game Bar and Microsoft Edge, I still recommend working with Microsoft Support so they can collect diagnostic data and determine whether this is a known issue or a bug affecting Edge integration within Xbox Game Bar.

When contacting support, I'd suggest sharing the "Something went wrong" error, the 500 request header error, your current version information and a summary of all troubleshooting already completed to help avoid repeating the same steps.

I understand this isn't the resolution you were hoping for, but at this point a support investigation would be the most appropriate next step.

I hope you're able to get a definitive answer and resolution soon.

Thank you for your understanding.

Kind regards.

1 answer

Your answer

Bilboyou2 0 Reputation points

2026-08-05T04:01:10.5633333+00:00

This is happening to me too have you found a way to fix it?
Neth F 0 Reputation points

2026-08-05T12:57:28.1266667+00:00

I have been having this same issue since the past couple days after an update I think. I have tried uninstalling, reinstalling, repairing, nothing seems to work and I was waiting to see if others posted the same issue. This is most likely something on their end and we can't do anything to fix it, just have to wait for an update resolving it. Hopefully soon as this is my favourite feature.
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-06T07:17:05.55+00:00

Hi all,

Please review my below suggestion and, if you haven't already, try creating a new local Windows user account and testing whether Microsoft Edge for Game Bar works there. This can help determine whether the issue is related to your current Windows profile or affects the system more broadly.

Please keep me updated on the results and I'll be happy to help further.
Nelson (t-bone) 5 Reputation points

2026-08-06T16:01:15.6133333+00:00

Same here, for some days now. IIRC past week was ok. Used to happens sometimes, I close the widget, open it again and it would work. Now, nothing works (terminating Gamebar, resetting). I didn't try to reset Edge and I won't. This things should work properly without me having to reconfigure the whole entire thing every time it bugs.
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-07T08:50:36.31+00:00

Hi Nelson (t-bone),

May I know if you have given the in-place upgrade a try yet? If not yet, kindly help check my latest below comment for further guidance.
Nelson (t-bone) 5 Reputation points

2026-08-07T15:55:18.5+00:00

Hi Clary-N, latest MS Edge update to Version 151.0.4129.72 solved the problem on both PCs here, I didn't have to reinstall nor reset nor disable extensions, nothing, just the update solved it. I suggest for the future that the team review the software before orienting us to disassembly half our PC's configurations when there is a widespread bug like this.

Thank you for your support.
εхçlυsιvε ρลgε Tabacco ツჩჩტ 30 Reputation points

2026-08-08T14:02:58.1266667+00:00

Hey everyone! I see I'm not the only one experiencing this issue (whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is up to you lol). Today, Edge started working again without any intervention.
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-13T06:44:56.02+00:00

Hi Nelson (t-bone),

I'm glad to hear that updating to Edge version 151.0.4129.72 resolved the issue on both of your PCs.

I also appreciate you sharing your feedback regarding the troubleshooting process. Reports like yours help provide valuable context when investigating issues that may affect multiple users.

Thank you for taking the time to share the outcome.

Kind regards.
OVO 0 Reputation points

2026-08-24T18:52:08.54+00:00

i updated to lastest edge and im having the same issue how do i fix?
Nelson (t-bone) 5 Reputation points

2026-08-24T19:11:48.28+00:00

Hi OVO, when it does that, what I do is close it (by clicking on the X, not in the icon on the top bar) and then open again (on the icon at the top bar). It somehow refreshes itself and works. Try that please.
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-25T07:26:15.38+00:00

Hi OVO,

Please give the Nelson's suggestion a try to see if it works in your case and keep me updated on how it goes.
OVO 0 Reputation points

2026-08-28T19:34:19.84+00:00

hi i have tried and its still not working
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-29T08:48:43.9133333+00:00

Hi OVO,

Thank you for the update. Since Nelson's suggestion did not resolve the issue, have you had a chance to try the in-place repair upgrade yet?

As forum moderators, we do not have access to your device, account or Microsoft's internal support systems, so our ability to investigate is limited to the information shared in the thread.

If you have already tried the in-place upgrade and the issue still persists, I recommend contacting Microsoft Support for further investigation, as they have access to additional diagnostic tools that are not available in the community forum.

You can contact Microsoft Support by following these steps:

Go to Contact Microsoft Support and sign in with your Microsoft account.

Type "Chat Support" and select Get help.

Scroll down and select Contact support.

Under Products and services, choose Windows.

Under Category, select Technical support, then click Confirm.

Select Chat with a support agent in your web browser.

Please let me know whether you've already tried the in-place upgrade and what happened during the process.
alik 0 Reputation points

2026-08-31T19:18:05.7233333+00:00

Microsoft Edge for Game Bar displays the message “Something went wrong” and does not load. I am using version 152.0.4191.53 (Official Build) (64-bit). I have tried everything listed above in the thread, but nothing helped. Please help me resolve this issue.
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-31T23:26:42.8066667+00:00

Hi alik,

Thanks for the update. Since you've already tried all the troubleshooting steps in this thread and the issue persists, I recommend contacting Microsoft Support for further investigation. They can perform deeper diagnostics and determine whether this is a known issue or something specific to your environment.

When creating the support case, please include your Edge for Game Bar version (152.0.4191.53 (Official Build) (64-bit)), a screenshot of the error and the troubleshooting steps you've already completed.

I appreciate your patience and hope the support team can provide further insight into the issue.

Kind regards.
alik 0 Reputation points

2026-09-03T08:45:28.3833333+00:00

Hello,

I am still experiencing the same issue with Microsoft Edge in Xbox Game Bar. Microsoft Edge does not load and displays the message “Something went wrong”.

I have already tried all the troubleshooting steps suggested earlier in this thread, but none of them resolved the problem.

I have also:

updated Windows;

updated Xbox Game Bar;

updated Microsoft Edge.

My current versions are:

Microsoft Edge: Version 152.0.4191.53 (Official Build) (64-bit) Windows: Windows 11 Pro 25H2

In addition, when trying to use the chat/streaming function, I receive the following error:

“Chat stream request error: 500 - {"error": "Request headers must contain only ASCII characters"}.”

The problem persists even after updating Windows, Xbox Game Bar, and Microsoft Edge to the latest versions.

Please investigate this issue and help me resolve it. It appears that there may be a problem with Microsoft Edge integration in Xbox Game Bar or with the request headers generated by the application.

Thank you
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-04T06:24:30.3+00:00

Hi alik,

Thank you for providing those additional details. I can see you've already completed the troubleshooting steps that would normally be recommended, and the fact that you're also receiving the error "Request headers must contain only ASCII characters" suggests this may be something that requires further investigation by the product team.

As this is a user-to-user support forum, I don't have access to internal diagnostics, bug reports or the ability to investigate service-side issues. Since the problem persists on the latest versions of Windows, Xbox Game Bar and Microsoft Edge, I still recommend working with Microsoft Support so they can collect diagnostic data and determine whether this is a known issue or a bug affecting Edge integration within Xbox Game Bar.

When contacting support, I'd suggest sharing the "Something went wrong" error, the 500 request header error, your current version information and a summary of all troubleshooting already completed to help avoid repeating the same steps.

I understand this isn't the resolution you were hoping for, but at this point a support investigation would be the most appropriate next step.

I hope you're able to get a definitive answer and resolution soon.

Thank you for your understanding.

Kind regards.

Answer 1

Clary-N 15,375 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi AliEx,

Thank you for the detailed information and for sharing the screenshot. I can see that you've already tried several common troubleshooting steps, including clearing the cache, repairing the app, reinstalling Microsoft Edge for Game Bar and restarting your PC.

As a next step, I'd recommend temporarily disabling all Microsoft Edge extensions to rule out whether an extension is preventing the widget from loading correctly. To do this, open Microsoft Edge, navigate to edge://extensions, disable all installed extensions, then restart Edge and test Microsoft Edge for Game Bar again.

I'd also suggest reinstalling Microsoft Edge itself, even if Edge appears to be working normally. Download and install the latest version from the official Microsoft Edge website, restart your PC once the installation is complete and then check whether the Game Bar widget loads as expected.

Additionally, could you let me know whether other Xbox Game Bar widgets, such as Performance, Capture or Audio, are working normally? This will help determine whether the issue is isolated to the Edge widget or if it may be related to Xbox Game Bar more broadly.

I look forward to your update and the results of these tests.

If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

AliEx 20 Reputation points

2026-08-05T11:28:21.3666667+00:00

Hi @Clary-N

Thank you for your suggestions.

I disabled all Microsoft Edge extensions and tested Microsoft Edge for Game Bar again, but the issue still occurs.

I also reinstalled the latest version of Microsoft Edge from the official Microsoft website and restarted my PC. Unfortunately, that didn't resolve the problem either.

I checked the other Xbox Game Bar widgets, including Performance, Capture, and Audio, and they are all working normally. The issue only affects Microsoft Edge for Game Bar.

Do you have any other suggestions, or is there anything else I can try to help identify the cause?

Thanks again for your help!
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-06T07:17:13.88+00:00
Hi AliEx,

Thank you for the update and for testing those steps.

Since the issue persists after disabling all Edge extensions and reinstalling Microsoft Edge, while the other Xbox Game Bar widgets are working normally, I'd like to determine whether the issue may be related to your current Windows user profile.

As a next step, please create a new local Windows user account and test Microsoft Edge for Game Bar from that account:

Open Settings > Accounts > Other users.

Select Add account.

Choose I don't have this person's sign-in information.

Select Add a user without a Microsoft account.

Create a temporary local account and complete the setup.

Sign out of your current account and sign in to the new account.

Open Xbox Game Bar and check whether Microsoft Edge for Game Bar loads correctly.

If the widget works in the new account, that would suggest the issue is specific to your current Windows profile. If the same problem occurs there as well, it may indicate a system-wide issue affecting the widget itself.

I look forward to your update and the results of this test.
AliEx 20 Reputation points

2026-08-06T11:45:39.28+00:00

Hi @Clary-N

Thank you for your suggestion.

I created a new local Windows user account and tested Microsoft Edge for Game Bar there. Unfortunately, the same issue still occurs, so it doesn't appear to be related to my Windows user profile.

I also have another observation. Since Microsoft Edge for Game Bar uses Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime, I tried reinstalling WebView2. However, the installer displays the following message:

"Installation failed. Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime is already installed on the system."

Do you think this issue could be related to WebView2? Would it be worth completely uninstalling and reinstalling Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime, or do you have any other suggestions?

Thank you again for your help.
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-07T08:49:14.6166667+00:00

Hi AliEx,

Thank you for testing in a new local user account and for sharing the results.

Since the issue occurs in both your original profile and a newly created Windows account, this suggests the problem is not related to profile-specific settings. Additionally, because Microsoft Edge and WebView2 are already installed and other Xbox Game Bar widgets appear to be functioning normally, the issue may be related to underlying Windows components used by the widget.

As a next step, I recommend performing an in-place repair upgrade of Windows 11. This process reinstalls Windows while keeping your personal files, applications, and settings intact, and can repair system components that may be affecting Xbox Game Bar or Microsoft Edge for Game Bar.

You can do this by downloading the latest Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft, mounting the ISO, running setup.exe and choosing the option to keep your files and apps when prompted.

*Disclaimer: Let’s try performing an in-place install or in-place upgrade which will refresh your Windows files and operating system without removing files or applications. That being said, we always recommend that if you have important data, you should back it up before making large system changes. If you want to back up your data first, please do so.

Once the repair upgrade is complete, please test Microsoft Edge for Game Bar again and let me know whether the issue persists.
AliEx 20 Reputation points

2026-08-07T20:42:03.79+00:00

Hi @Clary-N

Thank you for all your help and for taking the time to guide me through the troubleshooting process.

I can now confirm that the issue has been resolved after updating Microsoft Edge to Version 151.0.4129.72. Microsoft Edge for Game Bar is now working correctly.

It appears that the previous version of Microsoft Edge was causing the problem, as no other changes were required after installing the latest update.

Also, thank you, @Nelson (t-bone) , for letting us know that the latest Microsoft Edge update resolved the issue. Your comment encouraged me to update Edge, and it fixed the problem on my PC as well.

Thank you both for your support!
Clary-N 15,375 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-13T06:43:21.59+00:00

Hi AliEx,

I'm glad to hear the latest Edge update resolved the issue and that Microsoft Edge for Game Bar is working correctly now.

Thank you for taking the time to share the outcome. If you encounter any other issues, feel free to reach back.

Kind regards.