How to chat with friends using Xbox on Windows 10

Connecting with friends on different platforms just got easier. By using the Xbox Game Bar application in Windows 10, you can chat by text or voice during playing sessions through In-game Overlay.

How to access the Xbox friends list in Windows 10

Xbox Game Bar gives you access to various chat tools, streaming features, performance statistics and even Spotify. You do not need to use Alt + Tab between applications.

To chat with a friend using Xbox on Windows 10, press Win+ Ganytime to display the Xbox Game Bar. This overlay works while you are playing a game and it also works if you only use Windows desktop applications.

If it does not appear, make sure to use correct shortcut by opening the Start menu> Settings> Gaming> Game Bar and confirm that shortcut Open Game Bar is set to Win + G .

When the Xbox Game Bar is open, click the Overlays button (it looks like three horizontal lines). Then select Xbox Social (Beta) to open the list of Xbox friends. You can add friends from this list by clicking the button to the right of Search or Add Players .

Access the Xbox friends list in Windows 10

How to chat with your Xbox friends in Windows 10

When your Xbox friends list is open, you can double click on any name to open the chat window. From this chat window, you can start a voice call by clicking on the headset icon. You can also add friends to the conversation by clicking the plus symbol ( + ).

Chat with your Xbox friends in Windows 10

Now, quite a few Xbox and PC games can now play cross-platform, so this integrated chatting method with Xbox friends on Windows 10 is especially useful. Whether you play on Xbox or not, you can chat with your Xbox friends from any Windows 10 PC.