You pick a game in the Xbox app, select Install, and nothing happens. Or the download reaches 100 percent and then stops with an error such as 0x80073D26, 0x80070424, or “Something unexpected slot88 happened.” When the Windows 10 Xbox app can’t install games, PC Game Pass and purchased titles stay out of reach.
The Xbox app depends on several Windows parts working together: the Microsoft Store, the Gaming Services app, Windows Update, and the Xbox Identity Provider for signing in. If any of these is outdated or damaged, installs fail.
The install folder also matters. Xbox games use protected folders, and drives formatted with exFAT or FAT32 cannot hold them.
Most problems are solved by updating or reinstalling Gaming Services.
Possible Causes
Installs fail for these reasons:
- Gaming Services is outdated, missing, or damaged.
- Windows 10 is missing required updates.
- The chosen drive is not formatted as NTFS or is nearly full.
- The Xbox app and Microsoft Store are signed in with different accounts.
Antivirus software that blocks protected folders can also stop installs at the final step.
The exact error code is worth noting. Codes such as 0x80073D26 and 0x80073CF0 often point to Gaming Services, while 0x80070070 means there is not enough disk space, so searching the code saves time.
Quick Fixes to Try First
Update the basics.
- Open Windows Update and install all available updates, then restart.
- Open the Microsoft Store, select Library, and update Xbox, Gaming Services, and Xbox Identity Provider.
- Make sure the Xbox app and Microsoft Store use the same Microsoft account.
- In the Xbox app, open Settings > General and choose an NTFS drive with enough free space.
- Restart the PC and try the install again.
Check free space for the full game plus some extra, since updates unpack during installation.
Check the date, time, and time zone in Settings > Time & Language as well. If the clock is wrong, the Store and Xbox app can fail to verify licences, and installs stop before they really begin.
Advanced Steps for Stubborn Cases
Reinstall Gaming Services.
- Right-click Start and open Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- Type get-appxpackage Microsoft.GamingServices | remove-AppxPackage -allusers and press Enter.
- Restart the PC.
- Open the Microsoft Store and install Gaming Services again.
- Open Settings > Apps, select Xbox, choose Advanced options, and select Repair, then Reset if needed.
Also run wsreset.exe from the Run box to clear the Microsoft Store cache.
If one game still refuses to install, open the Xbox app’s Settings > General and change the default install folder to a fresh folder on the same NTFS drive. A damaged folder from an earlier attempt can block every later try.
Before You Go Further: Keep Your Files Safe
Do not delete the WindowsApps folder or change its permissions manually. Download Gaming Services only from the Microsoft Store.
Conclusion
When the Xbox app will not install games, update Windows, check the install drive, and reinstall Gaming Services. These steps fix most Game Pass download errors.