Microsoft is rolling out this new Xbox Game Bar feature called Edge Assist, a browser overlay designed specifically for in-game use. Basically, it pops up like a little window on top of your game so you can search guides, control music, or even chat with friends without alt-tabbing out. Sounds neat, but it’s still pretty early days — part of a public preview. If it’s working, it can make multitasking while gaming way less annoying, especially if you’re tired of constantly switching apps or missing out on chat or music controls during loot hunts or boss fights. But of course, with any new Windows feature, there are quirks and bugs. Sometimes it just refuses to load, or crashes unexpectedly. That’s why it helps to know a few tricks to get it running smoothly, right?
How to Use a Native Browser In-Game?
If you want to give Edge Assist a shot, here’s what usually needs to be done. It’s kinda weird because you’re fiddling with your browser and settings just to get game overlays working, but that’s modern Windows for you. Typically, you’ll need the right version of Edge and make sure it’s set as your default browser — because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary. Once you’ve got that sorted, enabling the feature on your system is pretty straightforward. Expect it to work primarily with keyboard and mouse for now, but Microsoft’s already talking about adding controller support and support on handheld devices. Oh, and if it’s not working immediately, sometimes rebooting your system or relaunching the Game Bar helps. Plus, keep an eye out for updates — this feature is still evolving.
How to Enable Edge Assist in Xbox Game Bar?
Make sure you’re on the right Edge Channel
- Download and install the Microsoft Edge Insider Beta from the official site. Sorry, Dev and Canary channels usually can’t handle this feature just yet, so stick with Beta.
- To check if you’re on the Beta, go to edge://version in your browser and verify it’s the Beta build.
Having the correct edge version is important because the preview features are only turned on there. On some setups, you might say, “Yeah, I’ve got Beta, ” but it still won’t work. Might be worth reinstalling, just in case.
Set Microsoft Edge as your default browser
- Head over to Settings > Apps > Default apps.
- Scroll down to Web browser and pick Microsoft Edge.
- This step is super important — if your system defaults to Chrome or Firefox, Edge Assist might stay dead in the water.
Yeah, seems simple, but Windows can be stubborn about default browser settings. Double-check after setting it that clicking links in the Game Bar opens Edge.
Enable Game Assist in Edge Settings
- Open Microsoft Edge Beta, go to Settings > Appearance.
- Look for the Game Assist (Preview) toggle and switch it on.
- This lets Edge know you want to use it as a kind of in-game browser overlay.
Note: If you don’t see the toggle, maybe update Edge first. Sometimes it’s just a matter of a restart or relaunching Edge after an update. On some machines, toggling requires a full restart of Windows to fully activate.
Launch a game and test it out
- After all that, launch your favorite game.
- Press Win + G to open the Xbox Game Bar.
- Click on the Edge Assist overlay icon (if available) or look for a browser option within the Game Bar panel.
Expect it to open a small browser window on top of your game. Keep in mind: presently, it only reacts to mouse/keyboard, so controller users are out of luck for now. Microsoft announced plans to fix that pretty soon, maybe with support for controllers or dedicated in-game UI modes. Also, sometimes the overlay just won’t pop up right away; a restart or gaming session restart can help.
Common Issues and how to troubleshoot them
- If Edge isn’t your default browser, Game Assist will get stuck trying to load but never actually display anything. You might see an endless “Refresh” prompt. That’s when you need to recheck your default settings.
- Sometimes it shuts down after a period of inactivity or a system reboot, so don’t be surprised if it suddenly disappears after 10-15 min of no input.
- The “game-aware” feature that shows related content based on what you’re playing is still under development, so don’t get your hopes up just yet.
Also, keep an eye on updates, since this stuff is still getting polished. On some setups, doing a full Windows update or reinstalling the Edge Beta can clear up weird glitches.
Basically, don’t expect everything to be flawless — this is still early preview stuff. But when it works, it actually feels pretty slick. Just gotta maintain patience and keep your system updated.