Fix: Xbox App Game Installation Gets Stuck On “Preparing 0%”

Players within the Xbox ecosystem are reporting a weird issue where every game or app they try to install gets stuck at ‘Preparing (0%)‘. Affected users are reporting that this issue is occurring with every app or game that they attempt to install via the Xbox app.

After investigating this issue thoroughly, we determined that there are actually several different scenarios that might be responsible for producing this error code. Here’s a short list of scenarios that might end up producing the ‘Preparing (0%)’:

Now that we have already gone over every potential scenario that might be causing this error, let’s go over some of the fixes that other users dealing with the same ‘Preparing (0%)’ have successfully used to fix the problem with Game App.

Install every pending Windows Update

If you’re dealing with this issue, the first thing you should do is ensure that you’re working with the latest Windows Updates available. Keep in mind that you might experience this issue is a scenario in which your Windows 11 installation is missing a key Windows 11 security update that Windows Store needs in order to install GamePass items. 

If you have pending updates that you keep postponing, take the time to install each one. After you do this, you should be allowed to complete the downloads you’re initiating through the Xbox app. 

Follow the instructions below for the complete guide on installing every pending Windows 11 or Windows 10 update in order to ensure that every infrastructure update needed is in place:

1. Start by pressing Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box.
2. Next, type ‘ms-settings:windowsupdate’ inside the text box and press Enter to open up the Windows Update page of the Settings menu.
   

   

3. Inside the Windows Update screen, move over to the menu on the right and click on Check for Updates.

   

   Note: This type of scan will search to see if there are any new Windows 11 updates available. 

4. If WU determines you’re due to install any new updates, hit the Install Now button and wait until every pending Windows update is installed.
   

   

5. Wait until every pending Windows 11 update is installed, then reboot your PC before attempting to install the game that was failing from the Xbox app. 
   Note: If you have a lot of pending updates waiting to be installed, you might be forced to restart before the WU component gets the chance to install everything that is due. In case this happens to you too, reboot as instructed, but make sure to return to the Windows Update screen the next time your PC boots up. 
6. Finally, attempt to install the game once again and see if the problem is now fixed. 

If you’re still dealing with the same ‘Preparing (0%)’ error, move down to the next potential fix below.

Reset the Windows Store Cache

Another culprit that might be responsible for preventing you from downloading the game might be corrupted data that is currently residing inside the Windows Store cache. 

This is typically reported in situations where there’s been an unexpected system interruption while the game was installed in the first place. 

If you’re looking for a quick fix, you should start by doing a Windows Store cache reset.

To do this, press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box. Next, type ‘wsreset.exe’ and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to effectively reset the Windows store cache. 

Note: If you’re prompted by the User Account Control, click Yes to grant admin access. 

Once the wsreset procedure is complete, attempt to initiate the game download once again and see if the problem is now fixed.

In case you’re still unable to install the game (even aver performing the wsreset procedure), follow the instructions below to manually clear the ca he folder of the Windows Store:

1. Start by ensuring that the Windows Store component is completely closed. 
2. Next, press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box.
3. Inside the Run box, type ‘%APPDATA%’ inside the text box and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open up the hidden AppData folder.
   

   

4. Inside the AppData folder, navigate to the following location:

   C:\Users\User_name\AppData\Local\Packages \Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\ 

5. Next, right-click on LocalCache and choose Delete from the menu that just appeared.
   

   

   Note: This folder will automatically be regenerated by the Store component the next time you launch the application, so deleting this folder will not cause any underlying effects.

6. Once the LocalCache folder has been deleted, launch the Microsoft Store once again and attempt to install the game that was getting stuck at Preparing 0% once again.

If the same kind of problem is still occurring, move down to the next potential fix below.

Enable delivery optimization

As it turns out, one lesser-known cause that will surely trigger this behavior on Windows 10 and Windows 11 is a scenario in which the Delivery Optimization feature is actually turned off.

Turning this feature on will allow downloads from other PCs which will likely improve your download attempts through the Xbox App.

Several users dealing with the same kind of problem have reported that turning on Delivery Optimization allowed them to finally get past the Preparing 0% error and even improved their usual download speeds.

Here’s how to turn on Delivery Optimization:

1. Press Windows key + I to open up the Settings menu of your Windows computer.
2. Once you’re inside the Settings menu, click on Windows Update from the side menu on the left.

   

   Note: If the side menu on the left is not visible by default, click on the action button to bring it forward.

3. Once you’re inside the Windows Update tab, move over to the menu on the left, scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click on Advanced Options.

   

4. Once you’re inside the Advanced Options menu, scroll down to Additional Options and click on Delivery Optimization.
   

   

5. From the dedicated Delivery Optimization menu, start by checking the box associated with Allow downloads from other PCs. 
6. Next, from under Allow downloads from select Devices on the internet and my local network.

   

7. Once this change is done, reboot your PC to enforce it, then return to the Xbox App and see if the problem is now fixed.

If you’re still unable to download Xbox App games as you’re stuck with the “Preparing 0%” screen, move down to the next potential fix below.

Change the Startup type of Windows Update to Automatic

As it turns out, Windows Update is a key dependency for the Xbox app since the same download protocol used for Windows Updates is also used for downloading games via the Xbox app.

Because of this, you need to make sure that the Windows Update service is enabled and configured to Automatic.

Several users that we’re dealing with the same kind of problem have reported that they were finally able to download games via the Xbox app after accessing the Services screen and modifying the default behavior of the Windows Update service.

Here’s how to do this:

1. Press Windows key + R to open up the Services screen. Next, type ‘services.msc’ inside the text box and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open up the Services screen with admin access.

   

2. Inside the Services screen, move over to the right-hand section and scroll down through the services until you find Windows Update.
3. Once you find the Windows Update entry, right-click on it and choose Properties from the context menu that just appeared.

   

4. Inside the Properties screen, access the General tab and change the Startup type to Automatic.

   

5. Once you do this, click on Start to ensure that the service is started.
6. Launch the Xbox App once again and see if the download protocol is now fixed.

In case the same problem is still occurring, move down to the next potential fix below.

Repair or reset the Xbox App

As it turns out, ain inconsistency affecting the temporary files accumulated by the Xbox app or an application integrity problem can also lead to this issue.

Note: Microsoft Store and the Xbox App are still in preview mode on Windows 11, so you should take into consideration that bugs and glitches are to be expected

Several Windows 11 users that we’re also unable to install GamePass games confirmed that they manage to fix the issue by repairing or resetting Xbox app from the Installed Apps menu.

Here’s how to do this from a Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer:

1. Start by making sure that the Xbox App is closed and not running in the background. 
2. Press Windows key + I to open up the Settings menu of Windows 11. 
3. Inside the Settings screen, click on Apps from the vertical menu on the left, then click on Installed apps from the menu on the right.
   

   

4. Note: In case you don’t see the side menu by default, click on the action button (top-left corner of the screen). 
5. Inside the Installed apps menu, use the search function at the top to search for ‘xbox‘. 
6. Next, click on the action icon and click on Advanced Options menu.
   

   

7. Inside the Advanced Options menu of the Xbox app, scroll down to the Reset tab, then click on the Repair button.
   

   

8. At the confirmation prompt, click Repair once again to confirm the operation, then wait for the operation to complete.
   
9. Once the repair procedure of the Microsoft Store is complete, restart your PC and see if the issue is now fixed.
10. In case the same problem is still occurring, repeat the steps above but go for a reset procedure instead of by clicking on the Reset button.
    

    

If you tried both resetting and restarting your PC and you’re still getting this error, move down to the next method below.

Reinstall the Xbox GamePass app

As it turns out, this problem can also be caused by a UWP (Universal Windows Platform) inconsistency.

Some users that were also encountering this issue have managed to fix the issue by running a series of elevated Powershell commands that will reset the Xbox GamePass app.

After doing this and restarting their system, you should find the issue fixed as the downloads should start working without remaining stuck at 0%.

Here’s how to open an elevated Powershell prompt and run a series of commands that will uninstall and re-register the Xbox App:

1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box.
2. From the menu that just appeared, type ‘powershell’ inside the newly appeared text box and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open up an elevated Powershell window.

   

3. At the UAC (User Account Control), click Yes to grant admin access to the terminal.
4. Inside the elevated Powershell window, type the following command and press Enter after each one to remove the installation packages associated with the Xbox App:

   Get-AppxPackage *xboxapp* | Remove-AppxPackage

5. Restart your computer and wait for the next startup to complete.
6. Follow step 1 again to open up another elevated Powershell window, then type or paste the following command and press Enter to re-register the Xbox App UWP application:

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

7. Restart your computer one final time and see if the issue is now fixed.

Use a VPN when you start the download

As it turns out, this particular issue can occur due to a Level 3 Node that your ISP (Internet Service Provider) uses.

Unfortunately, if you find yourself in this scenario, there’s no direct route you can use to bypass the occurrence of the Preparing 0% error.

What you can do (and what a lot of other users did successfully) is to enable a VPN right before you start the download. This will allow you to bypass the Level 3 ISP node and access the download server normally.

If this scenario is applicable to your particular case, try installing a VPN client and see if that allows you to complete the GamePass download.

Note: Start by trying out a free VPN client since you don’t know for sure whether this fix will be effective.

Here are some VPN services that include a free plan or free trials:

• Windscribe
• ExpressVPN
• NordVPN
• ProtonVPN

In case you already tried using a VPN or it didn’t make a difference in your particular case, move down to the next confirmed fix below.

Disable IPV6

If you’re experiencing this issue only when trying to initiate downloads via the Xbox app, chances are you’re seeing this error due to a network inconsistency facilitated by IPv6. 

Several affected users dealing with the same kind of issue have confirmed that they finally managed to fix the issue by accessing the Advanced Network settings related to the active home/work network and disabling IPv6. 

Note: Going this route might interfere with certain applications that run exclusively on this newer protocol. Only consider enforcing this method temporarily. 

If you want to give this method a try, follow the instructions below to disable IPv6:

1. Start by pressing Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box.
2. From the next screen, type ‘ncpa.cpl’ inside the text box and press Enter to open up the Network Connections tab.
3. In case you’re prompted by the UAC (User Account Control) prompt, click Yes to grant admin access. 

   

4. Inside the Network Connections tab, right-click on the network that is currently active and choose Properties from the context menu. 

   

5. From the Properties menu, access the Networking tab.
6. Next, go under  The connection use the following items , and uncheck the box associated with Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP / IPv6).

   

7. Finally, click Ok to save the changes, then reboot your computer and see if you are able to download games via the Xbox App.

If the same problem is still occurring, move down to the next potential fix below.

Reinstall Microsoft Gaming Services

If you’re on Windows 11, another scenario that might be applicable in your case is a classic setup where a key dependency (Gaming Services) is glitched to the point where it doesn’t respond when it’s called by the Xbox App.

If this scenario is applicable, you should be able to fix the issue by opening a Powershell window and running a series of commands that will effectively reinstall the Microsoft Gaming Services.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run dialog box. Next, type ‘powershell’ inside the text box, then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open up an elevated Powershell prompt.

   

2. At the User Account Control (UAC) window, click Yes to grant admin access.
3. Once you’re inside the elevated Powershell command, run the following commands in the same order as below by pasting and pressing Enter after each one:

   Get-AppxPackage *gamingservices* -allusers | remove-appxpackage -allusers
   Remove-Item -Path "HKLM:\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\GamingServices" -recurse
   Remove-Item -Path "HKLM:\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\GamingServicesNet" -recurse

4. Close the Powershell window and reboot your Windows computer.
5. Once the next startup is complete, launch the Xbox app once again and see if the problem is now fixed.

If the same kind of issue is still occurring, move down to the next potential fix below.

Disable everything EA related

As it turns out, this particular issue can also occur due to a conflict with a series of EA Play services that will end up inhibiting the Xbox app download.

Several users dealing with the same kind of a conflict have reported that once they opened up Task Manager and ended every task related to EA Play, the Xbox app downloads finally kicked off.

If you have EA Play and the associated dependencies installed, press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open up Task Manager.

Note: If the minimalist interface opens by default, click on More Details to expand to the Expert UI.

From the Processes tab end every task related to EA Play, then restart the Xbox App and see if the issue is now fixed.

If the problem is still not resolved, move down to the next potential fix below.

Download the game via Microsoft Store instead (workaround)

If none of the methods above have allowed you to download the game via the Xbox app, you might be able to avoid the issue entirely by changing your approach. 

Some Windows 11 users have confirmed that the same download issue no longer occurs if they go to their Microsoft Store library and attempt to download the game from there instead of relying on the Xbox app.

This is not a proper fix since the problem obstructing your Xbox App download will remain, but it might allow you to download the game and start playing.

Follow the instructions below to install the game that’s stuck at “Preparing 0%” from My Library (in Microsoft Store): 

1. Open Microsoft Store and make sure you’ve signed in with the account that holds ownership to the game that refuses to install.
2. Next, click on the Library icon from the bottom-left corner of the screen).
   

   

3. Once you’re inside the Library menu, scroll down through the list of Library items and locate the game that is failing to install from the Xbox App. 
4. Once you manage to locate the correct game listing, click on the Install button associated with the base game.
   

   

5. Wait to see if the game is downloaded normally. If it does, return to the My Library screen and install all the additional expansions (if applicable) before launching the game.  

If the problem is still not fixed yet, move down to the next potential fix below.

Clean install or Repair install

If none of the methods above have proven to be effective in your case, you can conclude that you’re dealing with a corrupted Windows 11 installation that cannot be resolved conventionally. 

In this case, you always have the option to clean install. But before you go this route, keep in mind that this option will end up erasing any personal data, games, applications, and documents that are currently stored on the OS drive (unless you back up the data in advance). 

A better solution (if you want to save time and make it easier for you) is to go for a repair install (in-place repair) procedure instead.  

Note: Doing a repair install will allow you to keep all your currently installed games, applications, documents, and other types of personal media.