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Xbox App Stuck on Preparing: Use These 6 Quick Solutions

The Xbox app is an essential gaming platform for PC

6 min. read

Updated onFebruary 22, 2024

updated onFebruary 22, 2024

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The Xbox app has recently become a fad, owing to the wide variety of games available and the ability to play them seamlessly across devices with the Game Pass. But several users have reported that the Xbox app is stuck at the preparing screen when downloading a game with no progress for hours.

We have investigated some triggers of this problem and will offer some of the most powerful solutions in this guide.

What causes the Xbox app to get stuck at preparing screen in Windows 11?

When dealing with such problems, you can’t easily identify the underlying cause unless you have made any changes in the recent past, right after which the error was first encountered.

In this case, revert to the previous settings or state to eliminate the problem. Here are some other possible reasons:

We have listed the relevant fix for each in the following section. Execute them in the same sequence to eliminate the Xbox stuck at the preparing screen error.

What do I do if the Xbox app is stuck at the preparing screen?

Before getting to any software and system tweaking, go through the following checks:

If you have already performed these simple procedures, let’s start fixing this problem with the solutions below.

1. Terminate all EA processes

After terminating the processes, check if the progress moves past the preparing screen on the Xbox app in Windows 11.

2. Update Windows 11

3. Run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter

The built-in troubleshooters offered by Microsoft help resolve a bunch of errors in Windows 11 with minimal effort or supervision from your end. Hence, whenever you encounter an error, check if a troubleshooter is available, and run it.

4. Repair/reset the Xbox app

If the downloads are stuck on the preparing screen due to issues with the Xbox app, repairing or resetting the app could help. It’s recommended that you first try to repair it and reset the app if that doesn’t work.

When you repair an app, all its files are checked, and the problematic ones are replaced. Also, the registry entries are examined for any anomalies.

5. Reset the Microsoft Store cache

6. Uninstall conflicting apps

If you started encountering the download stuck on preparing screen error in Xbox after installing an app, uninstall it immediately and check if that fixes the issue. Certain apps are known to conflict with the functioning of the others installed on the system.

To identify the ones to uninstall, list the apps installed when you first encountered the issue.

Startuninstalling the appsone at a time, and check if the problem is eliminated after each. Once you identify and remove the conflicting one, reinstall the others removed during the process.

That’s all there is to eliminate issues that cause the games to get stuck at preparing screen on the Xbox app in Windows 11. Also,find out how to get the remote install feature working on Xbox.

Some of our readers also fixed this problem by changing the Windows region from Settings to the United States andresetting the Microsoft Store servicebefore downloading and installing the Xbox app, so you should try that too.

Another issue often reported by users is thatWindows 11 doesn’t recognize the Xbox controllers, so learn how to fix it. Our tips will help you in that regard.

This issue is similar to the one covered in ourXbox App not working guide, so don’t miss that one for more information.

Tell us which fix worked along with your favorite games on Xbox in the comments section below.

Xbox App Stuck on Preparing: Use These 6 Quick Solutions#

What causes the Xbox app to get stuck at preparing screen in Windows 11?#

What do I do if the Xbox app is stuck at the preparing screen?#

1. Terminate all EA processes#

2. Update Windows 11#

3. Run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter#

4. Repair/reset the Xbox app#

5. Reset the Microsoft Store cache#

6. Uninstall conflicting apps#