--- title: "Disable Game DVR and Game Bar: the registry values and what they cost you" description: "GameDVR_Enabled 0, AllowGameDVR 0 and GameDVR_FSEBehaviorMode 2: the registry values that disable Game DVR and Game Bar, what you gain and what stops working." url: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-game-dvr author: Frost LIVE, Founder of Frozen Tweaks published: 2026-08-30 updated: 2026-10-08 category: "Windows" source: Frozen Tweaks (https://frozentweaks.com) --- # Disable Game DVR and Game Bar: the registry values and what they cost you **Short answer:** Disabling Game DVR sets GameDVR_Enabled to 0 under HKCU\System\GameConfigStore and AppCaptureEnabled to 0 under HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GameDVR, and GameDVR_FSEBehaviorMode to 2 to turn off Fullscreen Optimizations. It stops Windows holding GPU encoder resources for background recording, which recovers a small amount of GPU time and removes a common source of stutter on lower-end cards. ## In the app - Switch: Disable Game DVR & Game Bar (Force Real Fullscreen) (Windows, Free, Standard) - Undo: Yes. Switching it off sets a standard Windows value, which may not be exactly how you had it. - Game profiles that switch it on: Apex Legends, ARC Raiders, Battlefield 6 and 18 more - Catalog row: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks#t-1006 ## What it does Game DVR keeps a rolling buffer of your gameplay so the 'record that' shortcut can work retroactively. That buffer costs GPU encoder time continuously, whether or not you ever save a clip. The Fullscreen Optimizations value is separate and often more valuable: it stops Windows silently converting exclusive fullscreen into a borderless-windowed composition, which adds a presentation step and latency. ## When it helps - Frees the GPU hardware encoder, which matters most on lower-end and laptop GPUs. - Removes a documented cause of periodic stutter in fullscreen games. - Forcing true fullscreen shortens the present path, reducing input latency. ## When it hurts - The Xbox Game Bar recording shortcut stops working. If you actually use it to clip gameplay, do not disable this. - Some games use Game Bar for widgets or achievements overlays. - Disabling Fullscreen Optimizations can cause slow alt-tabbing in a few older titles. - It also writes AllowAutoGameMode as 0, a Game Mode value. If you want Game Mode on, check it in Settings > Gaming > Game Mode afterwards. ## What it writes Read from the app's source. "Switching it off" is what the app writes when you turn the tweak off again. Registry values: | Key | Value | With the tweak | Switching it off | What it does | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `HKCU\System\GameConfigStore` | `GameDVR_Enabled` | `0` | 1 | Turns off the per-user Game DVR capture pipeline. | | `HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GameDVR` | `AppCaptureEnabled` | `0` | 1 | Stops background app capture. | | `HKCU\System\GameConfigStore` | `GameDVR_FSEBehaviorMode` | `2` | Not set (the value is deleted; Windows decides) | Disables Fullscreen Optimizations, forcing true exclusive fullscreen for lower latency. | | `HKCU\System\GameConfigStore` | `GameDVR_HonorUserFSEBehaviorMode` | `1` | Not set (the value is deleted; Windows decides) | Makes Windows respect the fullscreen value above. | | `HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\GameBar` | `ShowStartupPanel` | `0` | Not set (the value is deleted; Windows decides) | Stops the Game Bar tips panel appearing when a game starts. | | `HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\GameBar` | `AllowAutoGameMode` | `0` | Not set (the value is deleted; Windows decides) | One of the values Windows reads for Game Mode. 0 asks Windows not to switch Game Mode on. | | `HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\GameBar` | `Enabled` | `0` | 1 | A Game Bar value the tweak turns off together with the ones above. | Source: Tweaks/gamedvr.hpp in the app's source, app 2.0.0, checked 2026-10-08. ## The same change by hand Run in a Command Prompt opened as administrator. Make a restore point first. ```bat reg add "HKCU\System\GameConfigStore" /v "GameDVR_Enabled" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f reg add "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GameDVR" /v "AppCaptureEnabled" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f reg add "HKCU\System\GameConfigStore" /v "GameDVR_FSEBehaviorMode" /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f reg add "HKCU\System\GameConfigStore" /v "GameDVR_HonorUserFSEBehaviorMode" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f reg add "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\GameBar" /v "ShowStartupPanel" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f reg add "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\GameBar" /v "AllowAutoGameMode" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f reg add "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\GameBar" /v "Enabled" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f ``` Put it back: ```bat reg add "HKCU\System\GameConfigStore" /v "GameDVR_Enabled" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f reg add "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GameDVR" /v "AppCaptureEnabled" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f reg delete "HKCU\System\GameConfigStore" /v "GameDVR_FSEBehaviorMode" /f reg delete "HKCU\System\GameConfigStore" /v "GameDVR_HonorUserFSEBehaviorMode" /f reg delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\GameBar" /v "ShowStartupPanel" /f reg delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\GameBar" /v "AllowAutoGameMode" /f reg add "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\GameBar" /v "Enabled" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f ``` See what it is set to now: ```bat reg query "HKCU\System\GameConfigStore" /v "GameDVR_Enabled" ``` ## How to undo it Re-enable capture in Settings > Gaming > Captures, or set GameDVR_Enabled and AppCaptureEnabled back to 1 and delete GameDVR_FSEBehaviorMode. Switching it off in Frozen Tweaks does that, deletes the other fullscreen and Game Bar values it set and turns the Game Bar value back on, which may not be exactly how you had it. ## Verdict Worth doing for almost everyone who does not use Game Bar to record. If you clip your own gameplay, use an external recorder instead and keep this disabled. ## Related guides - [Windows 11 Gaming Optimization: What Still Works in 2026](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/windows-11-gaming-optimization) - [How to Reduce Input Lag on PC: The Whole Latency Chain](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/reduce-input-lag) - [How to Increase FPS on PC: The Complete 2026 Guide](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/how-to-increase-fps-on-pc) - [Fortnite FPS Boost: Performance Mode and Best Settings](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/fortnite-fps-boost) ## More tweak explainers - [Cortana](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-cortana) - [Windows visual effects](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/reduce-visual-effects) - [Windows Update: notify only](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/windows-update-notify-only) --- Written by Frost LIVE, founder of Frozen Tweaks. Canonical version: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-game-dvr