Problem: Xbox App / PC Game Pass downloads stuck at 0% (or 0 B/s) on Windows—seemingly “random,” often after nothing changed

Published: 2026-01-27 00:25 (local time)

Quick Summary

Many Windows PC players can’t install or update Game Pass / Xbox app games: the download sits at 0% or 0 B/s indefinitely.
It’s widely reported across communities and keeps resurfacing; fixes are inconsistent and often temporary.
Research points to a mix of Gaming Services / Microsoft Store components, network stack quirks (notably IPv6), and corrupted install metadata.
Workarounds exist that frequently help (IPv6 toggle, resetting Store/Xbox components, reinstalling Gaming Services), but there’s no single guaranteed cure.
If you’re hitting this repeatedly, the “repair install” (in-place upgrade) of Windows is a last-resort workaround many report as effective.

What’s happening

On Windows 10/11, the Xbox app (used for PC Game Pass and many Microsoft Store-based game installs) can fail to download or update games. The most common symptom: a game begins “Preparing” or “Downloading,” then stalls at 0% or 0 B/s for long periods. Some players report the issue occurs only for updates (even small patches), while others can’t install anything at all.

This problem is actively being reported right now (for example, posts dated January 26, 2026 describe Xbox PC game updates stuck at 0%). The community discussion also shows the issue has persisted for years in waves, suggesting it’s not tied to one game but to the Windows/Xbox app delivery pipeline and its dependencies.

Who is affected: Primarily Windows PC users installing through the Xbox app / Microsoft Store delivery system (PC Game Pass, Xbox Play Anywhere PC installs, and Store-delivered titles).

When it started: Reports have existed for years, but new posts in late January 2026 indicate it’s still impacting players now, including those attempting small updates that should be quick.

Likely causes (what research suggests)

Gaming Services (Microsoft.GamingServices) corruption or mismatch

Multiple Microsoft community and Microsoft Q&A answers focus on uninstalling and reinstalling Gaming Services via PowerShell and then reinstalling it from the Store product page—suggesting it’s a frequent root dependency when installs/downloads break.
Network stack edge cases (IPv6 frequently implicated)

Many players report that disabling IPv6 immediately changes downloads from stalled/0 B/s to full speed, including very recent confirmations (January 2026). This points to a routing/DNS/handshake problem in some environments rather than raw bandwidth.
Microsoft Store / Xbox app cache and entitlement handshake issues

“Repair/reset” steps sometimes work, which supports the idea that cached metadata, store licensing/entitlements, or stuck background services can block downloads even when everything “looks” signed in.
Broken install metadata on a specific title (updates stuck, installs fine elsewhere)

Some game-specific threads suggest folder moves/cancel-retry tricks can “unstick” a particular game’s update pipeline—implying stale manifests or partial updates can wedge the process.

Solutions & Workarounds

1) Disable IPv6 (often the fastest “unstick”)

Who it helps: Windows 10/11, Xbox app / PC Game Pass downloads stuck at 0% or 0 B/s.

Open Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center.
Click Change adapter settings.
Right-click your active adapter (Ethernet/Wi‑Fi) > Properties.
Uncheck Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6).
Click OK, then reboot your PC.
Retry the download/update in the Xbox app.

Risks / tradeoffs: Rarely, some networks/services benefit from IPv6; disabling it can reduce performance or break niche setups. You can re-enable later.

Stop and contact support when: Disabling IPv6 changes nothing after a reboot and multiple retries; move on to Gaming Services repair below.

2) Reinstall Gaming Services via PowerShell (most “official-ish” heavy hitter)

Who it helps: Xbox app installs/updates failing due to Gaming Services corruption.

Close the Xbox app and Microsoft Store.
Open Windows PowerShell as Administrator.
Run: get-appxpackage Microsoft.GamingServices | remove-AppxPackage -allusers
Then run: start ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=9MWPM2CQNLHN
Install Gaming Services from that Store page.
Restart your PC.
Open Xbox app and retry the download/update.

Risks / tradeoffs: You’re removing a core dependency; installs may be temporarily unavailable until it’s reinstalled. Requires admin rights.

Stop and contact support when: Gaming Services fails to reinstall, errors repeatedly in the Store, or immediately breaks again after reboot.

3) Reset the Microsoft Store cache (WSReset) and repair Xbox app

Who it helps: Stalls caused by Store cache, stuck downloads, or app-side glitches.

Press Win + R, type wsreset.exe, press Enter.
Wait for the Store reset to complete (Store may open automatically).
Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
Find Xbox > Advanced options > run Repair. If needed, run Reset.
Repeat for Microsoft Store (Repair/Reset).
Reboot and retry.

Risks / tradeoffs: Reset can sign you out and clear app data/preferences.

Stop and contact support when: Store/Xbox repeatedly hangs, can’t sign in, or downloads remain stuck across multiple titles.

4) Kill and restart stuck services (quick “kick” without reinstalling)

Who it helps: Updates that stall after previously working; systems where background services are wedged.

Open Task Manager > Processes.
End task for: Xbox, Microsoft Store, Gaming Services (if present), and GamingServicesUI (if present).
Reopen the Xbox app and retry.

Risks / tradeoffs: Low risk; may interrupt an in-progress download.

Stop and contact support when: This never changes behavior and the issue persists after reboots.

5) If one specific game update is stuck: “cancel, restart, retry” plus install-folder sanity check

Who it helps: A single title that won’t update while others do.

Cancel the update/download in the Xbox app.
Reboot your PC.
Retry the update and wait several minutes (some users report the “real” download size appears after a delay).
If it still sticks: uninstall and reinstall that specific game (painful, but sometimes the only way to clear broken manifests).

Risks / tradeoffs: Reinstalling can be large/time-consuming; ensure cloud saves are synced where supported.

Stop and contact support when: Multiple titles fail, not just one.

6) Last resort: In-place Windows repair install (keeps files/apps)

Who it helps: Persistent, multi-game failures where Gaming Services and Store resets don’t work.

Use Microsoft’s Windows installation media and choose an in-place upgrade/repair that keeps apps and files.
After completion, update Windows fully, then reinstall/repair Xbox app and Gaming Services if prompted.

Risks / tradeoffs: Takes time; there is always risk with OS-level repairs (back up important data first).

Stop and contact support when: You’re not comfortable doing OS repair steps, or you see disk errors/system corruption messages.

Prevention (so it doesn’t come back)

Keep Windows fully updated (including Microsoft Store updates) before big game installs.
Avoid interrupting installs/updates repeatedly; partial installs are more likely to wedge manifests.
If IPv6-off fixes you consistently, keep it off temporarily and re-test after major Windows/Xbox app updates.
Periodically verify you have stable DNS and router firmware (especially if multiple Microsoft services behave oddly).

FAQ

Q: Is this an Xbox Live outage?
A: Usually no. This symptom is often local to the Windows delivery stack (Xbox app/Store/Gaming Services) or your network path.

Q: Why does disabling IPv6 help?
A: Research suggests some environments hit routing/DNS/handshake quirks over IPv6 that cause downloads to stall, even though general internet works.

Q: Do I need to reinstall the Xbox app?
A: Not always. Try IPv6 toggle, WSReset, and Gaming Services reinstall first; full reinstall is a later step.

Q: Does this affect Steam/Epic downloads too?
A: Often no—many reports note browsers and other launchers download fine, which points to Xbox app/Store-specific plumbing.

Q: When should I stop troubleshooting and contact support?
A: If Gaming Services won’t reinstall, the Microsoft Store is broken system-wide, or you’ve done resets/reboots and multiple titles still stall at 0%.

Q: Could it be my disk?
A: Possibly, but many cases are network/services related. If Windows reports disk errors or you see repeated corruption warnings, check drive health and Windows event logs.

Q: Is there a guaranteed fix?
A: No—community evidence shows multiple fixes help different people. The most consistently reported are IPv6 disabling and Gaming Services reinstall.