Xbox App Party Chat Not Working? Try These Easy Fixes

If your Xbox app party chat isn't working, it can be super frustrating, especially if you can't pinpoint the issue. Unfortunately, there's not one solution that works for everyone, but there are a number of fixes you can try. In this article, we cover 15 solutions to fix when the Xbox app party chat isn't working on Windows, iOS, and Android. Keep reading to learn more!

Ways to Fix Xbox App Party Chat Not Working

Make sure your microphone is connected properly.
Check Xbox's status to ensure party chat is working properly.
Change your Windows Firewall rules to allow the Xbox app through.
Disable and enable the Xbox app permissions on your iPhone or Android.

1

Check your microphone connection.

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If your microphone has a switch or button to turn it on or to mute it, make sure your device is powered on and unmuted. If your mic has a physical volume dial or gain dial, make sure it's turned up (though don't turn your gain dial too high). Also, make sure your microphone is plugged in fully. If you're using a wireless headset, try reconnecting it via Bluetooth.^{[1]
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2

Check Xbox's status.

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Make sure Xbox doesn't have any status interruptions. Go to the Xbox status page and make sure that everything has green checkmarks and is up and running properly. The main category you should look out for is Friends & social activity, but any status interruption could prevent party chat from working.^{[2]
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3

Change Windows firewall rules.

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Create a firewall rule for Game Bar. It's possible that Windows Defender Firewall is blocking party chat in Game Bar. To fix it, follow these steps:
- Type "windows defender firewall" into the taskbar search bar and click Windows Defender Firewall in the Start menu. It will say "Control Panel" under it.
- Click Advanced Settings in the left-hand sidebar.
- Click Inbound Rules in the left-hand sidebar.
- Click New Rule… in the right-hand sidebar.
- Click Program (selected by default) and click Next.
- Select This program path (selected by default).
- Copy and paste the following path into the text field: %ProgramFiles%\WindowsApps\Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay_5.822.6271.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\GameBar.exe.
- Click Next.
- Check Allow the connection (selected by default) and click Next.
- Make sure all three checkboxes are selected and click Next.
- Give the rule a name. A descriptive name like "Xbox Party Chat Fix" is best.
- Add a description if you want, but it's optional.
- Click Finish.^{[3]
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  - If Xbox party chat still doesn't work after creating the rule, restart your computer.

4

Disable and enable permissions on iPhone or Android.

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Permissions issues may prevent the Xbox party chat from working. Some users have found that if you disable all your Xbox app permissions and then re-enable them, party chat will start working. Simply open your Settings app, toggle off all app permissions, then turn them back on.^{[4]
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5

Reset and repair Game Bar.

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Repair Game Bar to fix issues with the app. If party chat isn't working, Game Bar may need to be repaired. Here's how:
- Press ⊞ Win+I to open Settings.
- Click System.
- Scroll down and click System components.
- Click the three dots next to Game Bar.
- Click Advanced options.
- Set "Background component permissions" to Always.
- Scroll down and click Repair.
- Click Reset when the repair is done. Click Reset again to run the reset.^{[5]
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6

Check your Game Bar party audio settings.

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Make sure you're not muted and that your volume isn’t turned down. First, ensure that you're in a party—you won't be able to change your party audio settings unless you're in one. When you're in a party, the Xbox party widget will appear on your screen.
- Make sure your microphone or audio isn't muted in the Xbox party widget. If the microphone or speaker icons have a line through them, click them to disable mute.
- Check your volume settings by clicking the Party Settings button in the Xbox party widget. Make sure your party volume is turned up enough.
- In the Party Settings menu, make sure the correct input and output devices are selected.
- If you're using push-to-talk, make sure to press the button you selected so everyone can hear you.^{[6]
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7

Change your Xbox account privacy settings.

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Make sure your privacy settings are selected correctly. If your privacy settings restrict voice chat, you won't be able to use Xbox party chat. Here's how you can fix it:
- Go to xbox.com and sign in if not already signed in.
- Click your gamerpic in the upper-right corner.
- Click More options > Xbox settings > Privacy & online safety.
- Click the Privacy tab.
- Next to "Others can communicate with voice, text, or invites," select Everyone.
- Click Submit to save your settings.^{[7]
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8

Check your Windows volume settings.

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Make sure your input and output volume are turned up. To check your output volume (the volume of the sound you hear through your speakers or headphones), click the volume button in the bottom-right corner and drag the volume slider to the right. To check your input volume (your microphone volume), type "sound settings" in the taskbar search bar and click Sound settings. Then, under input, drag the volume slider to the right.^{[8]
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9

Remove other audio accessories.

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Unplug other headphones or microphones from your computer. If you have multiple headsets or microphones plugged into your computer, your audio may be diverted to those devices. If changing your input and output devices doesn't resolve this issue, unplug the devices you're not using.^{[9]
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10

Run the Windows audio troubleshooter.

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Fix audio problems with the audio troubleshooter. Windows has a built-in audio troubleshooter you can use to fix audio problems with your software. Here's how to use it:
- Type "troubleshoot" into the taskbar search bar and click Troubleshoot settings in the Start menu that pops up.
- Click Other troubleshooters.
- Click Run next to "Audio" at the top of the menu. It's the first option at the top of the Settings window.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to run the audio troubleshooter.^{[10]
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11

Check app permissions.

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Ensure that the Xbox app has microphone permissions. If your microphone permissions are disabled, the Xbox app won't be able to use your microphone at all. Here's how to fix it:
- Press ⊞ Win+I to open your Settings.
- Click Privacy & security.
- Under "App permissions," click Microphone.
- Make sure "Microphone access," "Let apps access your microphone," and "Let desktop apps access your microphone" are all toggled on.
- Toggle on the Xbox app if it's toggled off.^{[11]
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12

Check for a Windows update.

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Make sure your computer is fully updated. Sometimes, bugs with Windows can cause random things to break, including party chat in the Xbox app. Here's how to update Windows:
- Type "windows update" in the taskbar search bar and click Check for updates in the Start menu that pops up.
- Click Check for updates.
- If there's an update available, click Download & install.^{[12]
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13

Restart your computer.

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Reboot your computer to fix random glitches. Sometimes, restarting your computer can fix all sorts of random issues, including your Xbox app party chat not working. For best results, choose Restart from the power menu instead of just shutting your PC down and turning it back on with the button on your computer. If you have Fast Startup enabled (which is enabled by default in most modern Windows computers), shutting down your computer won't actually refresh anything.^{[13]
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14

Wait for a mobile update.

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iPhone and Android updates might break the Xbox app. If you're experiencing issues with Xbox party chat in the mobile Xbox app, you might need to wait for an OS update to fix it. In the past, users have reported that phone updates (specifically iOS updates) have broken Xbox party chat. Unfortunately, there's no good workaround for this except to wait and use Xbox party chat on your computer.^{[14]
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15

Report the issue to Microsoft.

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If nothing else fixes your issue, report the issue to Microsoft via the Windows Feedback Hub, which is an app on your computer.^{[15]
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