How to Fix Xbox App Error 0x406 on Windows?

Several Windows users have been unable to access their Microsoft Store purchases (especially games) via the Xbox App. They get the “We can’t sign you right now. Try again later” error followed by the error code 0x406 whenever they try to sign in with their user account. This is not a server issue since the problem is confirmed to only happen locally. The issue is exclusive to Windows 10.

What’s causing the Xbox App Error 0X406?

We investigated this particular issue by looking at various user reports and the repair strategies that are commonly being used to fix problems of this kind. As it turns out, several potential culprits will facilitate this error code. Here are several scenarios that you might find yourself in:

If you’re currently struggling to resolve the Xbox App Error Code 0x406, this article will provide you with several different repair strategies. Down below, you’ll find a collection of methods that other users in a similar situation have successfully deployed to resolve the problem.

For the best results, we advise you to follow the potential fixes below in the same order that we arranged them in since we ordered them by efficiency and severity. Eventually, you will discover a method that will resolve the issue, regardless of the issue that’s causing issue.

Let’s begin!

Method 1: Resetting the Xbox App

In most cases, this particular issue will occur due to a fairly common Xbox app bug. It’s commonly reported to occur after an unexpected machine shutdown while the application was running. Fortunately, the fix for this glitch is very simple to perform.

Several affected users have reported that the issue was resolved after they used they reset the app using the GUI and restarted the machine. This procedure will not make you lose your purchases or installed applications, but you’ll need to log-in again at the next startup.

Here’s a quick guide on resetting the Xbox app on Windows 10:

1.  Press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box. next, type ‘ms-settings:appsfeatures’ inside the text box and press Enter to open the App & Features menu.

   

2. Inside the Apps & features menu, move to the right pane and scroll down through the list of applications until you locate the Xbox app. Once you see it, click on it once, then click on Advanced Options.

   

3. Inside the Advanced Options menu of the Xbox application, scroll down to the Rest tab and click on Reset to initiate the process.
4. Once you’re asked to confirm, click on Reset once again to reset the app.

   

5. After the operation is complete, restart your computer and see if the issue is resolved at the next startup.

If you’re still encountering the Xbox App Error Code 0x406, move down to the next method below.

Method 2: Reinstalling Windows Store and Xbox App

Since the issue is mostly caused by two UWP (Universal Windows Platform) applications, you should be able to take care of the issue promptly by reinstalling the two packages. Several users that were also encountering this issue have managed to fix it by running a series of commands in an elevated Powershell window capable of resetting the two applications.

After doing this and restarting their system, most affected users have reported that the problem was fixed and they were able to access their Xbox purchases without encountering the Xbox App Error Code 0x406.

Here’s a quick guide on opening an elevated Powershell prompt and running a series of commands that will uninstall and re-register the Xbox App and Windows store:

1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box. Next, type ‘powershell’ inside the newly appeared text box and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open up an elevated Powershell window. When you’re prompted by the UAC (User Account Control), click Yes to grant admin access to the terminal.

   

2. Once you’re inside the elevated Powershell window, type the following command and press Enter after each one to remove the installation packages associated with Windows Store and Xbox App:

   Get-AppxPackage *windowsstore* | Remove-AppxPackage
   Get-AppxPackage *xboxapp* | Remove-AppxPackage

3. After both commands are processed successfully, restart your computer and wait for the next startup to complete.
4. Follow step 1 again to open up another elevated Powershell window, then type or paste the following command and press Enter to re-register all UWP applications:

   Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers| Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}

5. Restart your computer once again and see if the issue is resolved at the next system startup.

If you’re still encountering the Xbox App Error Code 0x406 error even after you followed the steps above, move down to the next method below.

Method 3: Creating a new user profile

As it turns out, you might also be able to resolve this issue by creating a new Windows profile and sign in with your Xbox Live credentials once you are logged in with the new profile. This will fill the issue in instances where the problem is being caused by corruption inside the Windows profile.

But keep in mind that going this route might undo some user preferences that you previously established. If you decide to try this repair strategy, follow the methods below to create a new user profile:

1. Open a new Run dialog box by pressing Windows key + R. Inside the newly appeared window, type ‘ms-settings:otherusers’ inside the text box and press Enter to open up the Family & other people tab of the Settings app.
    

   

2.  Once you’re inside the Family & other users tab, move over to the right-hand pane and scroll to the Other users tab. When you get there, click on Add someone else to this PC.
3. Next, continue by adding your email and phone that is associated with your Microsoft account. If you want to create a local account instead, click on “I don’t have this person’s sign-in information”.
4. At the next screen, start by typing your credentials or click on Add a user without a Microsoft account (if you want to create a local account). But keep in mind that if you decide to create a local account, some online features will no longer work.
5. Set up a username and a password for the new account. You will then be prompted to assign a security question. You should do it to secure your account and set up a password recovery method.
6. After the new account has been created, restart your computer and log in with the newly created account when you’re prompted at the next startup.
7. Now that you are logged in with your new user profile, open the Xbox App and attempt to sign in with your account.

If you’re still encountering the Xbox App Error Code 0x406 error, move down to the next method below.

Method 4: Enabling the Tokenbroker service (if applicable)

As it turns out, this issue can also occur in situations where a manual user intervention or a maintenance app have modified the default behavior of the TokenBroker service. Keep in mind that the TokenBroken service is an integral part of all log-in Microsoft services on Windows 10. This includes the Store, the Mail app, and the Xbox app.

Having this service disabled by default with no possibility of being called into action pretty much guarantees that you will see the Xbox App Error Code 0x406 error when you attempt to sign in with your account.

If this scenario is applicable or you suspect that the TokenBroker might be disabled on your account, follow the steps below to revert it to the default behavior by setting its startup type to Automatic:

1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box. Then, type ‘services.msc’ inside the text box and press Enter to open up the Services screen.

   

2. Once you’re inside the Services screen, scroll down through the list of installed applications and locate the Time Broker service. Once you see it, right-click on it and choose Properties from the newly appeared context menu.

   

3. Once you’re inside the Properties screen of Time Broker, select the General tab and change the Startup type to Automatic, then click on Apply to save the changes.

   

4. Restart your computer and see if the issue is resolved at the next system startup.

If the same Xbox App Error Code 0x406 is still occurring, move down to the next method below.

Method 5: Installing Xbox Identity provider

Another possible scenario in which this issue will occur is if you lost the key identification component of Xbox. Without this, you will not be able to connect your PC games to the Xbox live system. Furthermore, you will not be able to get past the sign-in screen on the Xbox app since the connection will not be allowed.

Several users that were finding themselves in the same scenario have reported that they managed to resolve the issue by installing Xbox Identity Provide – An official system app that lets PC players connect to Xbox Live.

If you think this scenario might apply to you, follow the instructions below to install and use the Xbox Identity Provider:

1. Visit this link (here) and download the latest version of Xbox Identity Provider. Click on Get to download the UWP application.
2. Wait for the product to be installed, then restart your computer.

   

3. At the next system startup, open the Xbox app and try to connect once again to see if the issue is now resolved.

If the same issue is still occurring, move down to the next method below.

Method 6: Perform a repair install

In case you’ve performed all the steps above to no avail, chances are you’re system is suffering from an underlying corruption issue that is preventing the Xbox app from establishing communications with the servers. In this case, other apps may be affected as well.

If you’re in a scenario like this, the most effective way of dealing with the issue is to reset all Windows components. The quickest way of doing this is to perform a clean install. But keep in mind that this procedure will make you lose any personal data including applications, user preferences, and media.

A superior procedure would be a repair install (in-place repair). This operation will also reset all Windows components (just like a clean install) but the difference is you will be allowed to keep any of your data (applications, games, images, videos, documents and any other type of personal media.

If you decide to go for a repair install, follow this step-by-step article (here) for instructions on doing it regardless of your Windows 10 version and license.