Before you begin
Use the official store or publisher launcher for each game. Check the game’s current system requirements, storage requirement, age rating and purchase terms before installing. A “free” listing can include purchases, advertising or limited content, and availability can change; an old list of free games is not a reliable current catalogue.
Keep your account secure and check which account owns the game. The Microsoft Store, Xbox app and third-party launchers have their own libraries and update controls. Owning a console edition does not automatically grant a PC edition unless the game’s licensing specifically includes it.
Work through the checks
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Choose the installation location
Check free space on the intended drive, allowing for downloads, unpacking and later updates. Select the location through the launcher’s supported settings. If moving an existing installation, use its move/library-management function and verify the game afterwards. Keep saved-game backups separately because uninstalling or moving a game does not guarantee that every local save will be preserved.
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Update the game and its launcher
Review updates in the launcher or Microsoft Store as appropriate. Store app updates and Windows Update are separate systems, so one being current does not prove the other is. If a game fails to start, use its verify or repair option and check the publisher’s known issues. Avoid downloading missing DLL files from unofficial websites.
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Check DirectX and graphics support
Windows includes modern DirectX components and distributes relevant updates through supported Windows servicing. Run
dxdiagto inspect the version and display information when support asks. A reported DirectX version does not mean the GPU supports every feature level or every game’s requirements. Older games may include official legacy runtime installers; use their supported installer rather than a random all-in-one package. -
Use Game Mode as a measured setting
Review Settings → Gaming → Game Mode in Windows 11. It is intended to help Windows handle gaming workloads, but results depend on the system and game. Compare the same scene and settings if investigating a problem. Do not promise a fixed FPS gain or copy benchmark percentages from unrelated older PCs. For broader performance checks, use our low-FPS guide.
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Make a short recording test
Open Game Bar with Windows + G in a supported game or app. Use its capture controls, or the usual Windows + Alt + R shortcut, to start and stop a clip where supported. Check whether the microphone is included before recording. Play back a short test to confirm video, game sound and voice are what you intended. Game Bar is not a universal recorder for every desktop surface.
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Balance capture quality and performance
Review Settings → Gaming → Captures and the available recording options. Higher quality, longer background capture and additional overlays can use more storage and processing resources. Compare game performance with recording disabled, then enable only what you need. Monitor free disk space and remove unwanted clips deliberately. Before sharing, check the recording for private messages, account details and other people’s voices.
What the results tell you
The game is missing from the library
Check the account, platform entitlement and publisher’s purchase history. Reinstalling Windows is not the first step.
Game works, recording stutters
Compare capture settings, available storage and system load. The game and the encoder are separate workloads.
Only one game crashes
Verify its files, mods and known issues before changing system-wide settings or assuming hardware failure.
Common questions
Does Game Mode always increase FPS?
No. Measure your own workload. It is a Windows feature, not a substitute for hardware that meets the game’s requirements.
Can I use an old “27 free games” list?
Use it only as a historical list. Check each game’s current official listing for availability, cost and requirements.
Can I record protected video or every app?
Capture availability depends on the app, content protection and tool. Use a supported recording method and respect the content and privacy permissions involved.
When to contact ElitePCS
Send the game and launcher names, exact error, GPU/driver details and whether the issue also happens with recording disabled. Include the capture settings when the problem is specific to clips.
Contact ElitePCS support. Include your order number, the exact symptom and the checks you have completed. Keep passwords, licence keys and recovery keys out of screenshots.
Technical references: Microsoft Game Bar · Microsoft Store updates · Microsoft DirectX installation. Reviewed 27 September 2026.