How To Prevent Microsoft GameInput or Gaming Service Crashes on Your Windows PC

How I finally stopped the Game Input Service from crashing my Windows machine

So, I got hit with these weird crashes—especially in Windows 10 and 11—related to the Game Input Service. It was pretty annoying because my PC would randomly freeze or give me errors whenever I tried to start gaming or run any app that touches input devices. After a lot of trial and error, I found out that this service was the culprit. The frustrating part? It kept coming back after Windows updates or restarts.

Getting rid of the Game Input Service once and for all

First, you basically need to remove or disable the Microsoft Game Input service. If it’s not outright in Apps & Features, it might be hidden in your system, or Windows might reinstall it automatically. I’ve seen cases where it’s listed under Gaming or even as a “Microsoft Store App.” But the simplest way? Use PowerShell or Command Prompt with admin rights, just to be sure.

So, I opened up PowerShell as administrator—right-click the Start menu, pick Windows PowerShell (Admin). You can also search for powershell in the Start menu, then right-click and “Run as administrator” if that’s easier. Once inside, I ran some commands like:

Get-Service -Name *GameInput*  
Stop-Service -Name "GameInputService" -Force  
sc.exe delete "GameInputService"

This should stop it immediately. But beware—sometimes, Windows re-creates the service after updates, or if it finds the files still lurking around.

Also, if you prefer, you might see the Microsoft Game Input listed in Apps & Features. Just locate it and hit Uninstall. It’s usually straightforward, but sometimes it leaves stuff behind because of how Windows manages certain services and apps. So don’t be surprised if the crash persists until further cleanup.

Cleaning up leftover files & registry entries

This was the part where I hit some dead-ends, but after digging around, doing a manual cleanup helped a lot. I went into File Explorer (hit Windows + E) and navigated to C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86). Look for folders like Microsoft\Game or Microsoft\GameInput. Sometimes they’re buried deep inside subfolders. If you find them, deleting those folders helps prevent Windows from trying to reinstall the service automatically. If you’re hesitant, just rename them to something like Microsoft\GameInput_old to disable them temporarily—better safe than sorry.

Remember, if you’re deleting stuff in Program Files, make sure to run File Explorer as administrator. Right-click the icon and choose Run as administrator.

Now, if it’s still being “sneaky,” you might need to check the registry. Use Win + R, type regedit, and hit Enter. Then, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services. Look for any entries related to GameInput. Be very careful here—delete only if you’re comfortable editing the registry, and consider backing it up first. I’ve seen registry entries stubbornly linger, so it’s worth cleaning out those remnants to stop reinstallation or crashes.

Why bother? Is it worth removing?

In my experience, if you’re not using advanced input features or fancy peripherals relying on this service, removing it can really reduce crashes and input lag. I read that some Windows updates install or enable it by default, and it causes stability issues sometimes. Also, it’s buried in settings under Privacy & security > Xbox Game Bar > Misc — honestly, took me ages to find that menu. So, if you’re annoyed by weird crashes, this fix might save your day.

Just keep in mind, some game peripherals or apps like Logitech G Hub, Razer Synapse, or others might depend on it. If you notice those acting up afterward, you might need to reinstall or re-enable the service. It’s a bit of a balancing act, but if your system’s crashing a lot, disabling this bit helped me a bunch.

Anyway, hope this helps someone else. It took me way too long to figure out, and honestly, I was surprised how hidden and persistent this service can be. Good luck fixing your PC, and hopefully, it stops crashing so you can actually play without constantly fighting stability issues!