Disable Game DVR and Game Bar: the registry values and what they cost you

Frost LIVEWindowsFreeUndo: YesUpdated Oct 8, 2026View as Markdown

Short answer

Updated Oct 8, 2026

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

Disable Game DVR & Game Bar (Force Real Fullscreen)FREE

Registry

HKCUSystem\GameConfigStore

GameDVR_Enabled10

What the switch writes. Your current value may differ. 6 more changes below.

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, and when it hurts

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

Exactly what the switch changes, read from the app's source. Switching it off is what the app writes when you turn the tweak off again.

Registry values the switch writes.
Key and value	With the tweak	Switching it off
HKCUSystem\GameConfigStoreGameDVR_EnabledTurns off the per-user Game DVR capture pipeline.	0	1
HKCUSOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GameDVRAppCaptureEnabledStops background app capture.	0	1
HKCUSystem\GameConfigStoreGameDVR_FSEBehaviorModeDisables Fullscreen Optimizations, forcing true exclusive fullscreen for lower latency.	2	Not setThe value is deleted. Windows decides.
HKCUSystem\GameConfigStoreGameDVR_HonorUserFSEBehaviorModeMakes Windows respect the fullscreen value above.	1	Not setThe value is deleted. Windows decides.
HKCUSOFTWARE\Microsoft\GameBarShowStartupPanelStops the Game Bar tips panel appearing when a game starts.	0	Not setThe value is deleted. Windows decides.
HKCUSOFTWARE\Microsoft\GameBarAllowAutoGameModeOne of the values Windows reads for Game Mode. 0 asks Windows not to switch Game Mode on.	0	Not setThe value is deleted. Windows decides.
HKCUSOFTWARE\Microsoft\GameBarEnabledA Game Bar value the tweak turns off together with the ones above.	0	1

From the app's source (gamedvr.hpp), app 2.0.0, checked Oct 8, 2026.

The same change by hand

You do not need the app for this one. These commands make the changes from the table above. Run them in a Command Prompt opened as administrator, and make a restore point first.

Make the change · CMD

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 · CMD

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 · CMD

reg query "HKCU\System\GameConfigStore" /v "GameDVR_Enabled"

How to undo it

In the app: Yes

Switching it off sets a standard Windows value, which may not be exactly how you had 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.

Changing several settings at once? The app's Make a restore point button, on every plan, makes a Windows restore point before you start.

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.

In the app