Turn off the performance overlay in the top right corner

The stats box in the top right of your screen is Windows' performance overlay, which shows CPU, GPU, RAM, and frame rate information. You can turn it off through Settings in about two minutes. The exact steps depend on whether you're using the Xbox Game Bar overlay or a third-party tool like MSI Afterburner.

Most often, the overlay comes from the Xbox Game Bar, which is built into Windows 10 and Windows 11. If you see the stats when you're gaming or using full-screen apps, that's usually the source. The quickest fix is to disable the overlay in Game Bar settings, or turn off Game Bar entirely if you don't use it.

Key Takeaways

  • The Xbox Game Bar overlay is the most common source of the stats display and can be turned off in Windows Settings under Gaming.
  • You can disable just the performance overlay while keeping Game Bar active, or turn off Game Bar completely.
  • If you're using MSI Afterburner or another third-party monitoring tool, you'll need to close that program or disable its overlay in its own settings.
  • Restarting your game or app after changing settings ensures the overlay stays off.

Disable the Xbox Game Bar overlay in Windows 10

Open Settings by pressing Windows key + I. Go to Gaming in the left menu, then select Game Bar. Toggle off the switch next to "Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using Game Bar." This disables the entire Game Bar feature.

If you want to keep Game Bar but just hide the stats, stay in Gaming settings and click Performance instead. Toggle off "Show performance overlay." This keeps Game Bar available if you need to record or take screenshots, but removes the stats display from your screen.

Disable the Xbox Game Bar overlay in Windows 11

Press Windows key + I to open Settings. Click Gaming in the left sidebar. Select Game Bar, then toggle off "Open Game Bar using this button" or "Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using Game Bar" depending on which option you see.

To hide only the performance stats without turning off Game Bar, go back to Gaming and click Performance. Toggle off "Show performance overlay." Your stats will disappear the next time you open a game or full-screen app.

Close third-party monitoring tools

If you're running MSI Afterburner, NVIDIA GeForce Experience, or another monitoring program, the overlay might come from there instead. Look in your system tray (the icons in the bottom right of your taskbar) for these programs and right-click to close them.

If you want to keep the program running but hide the overlay, open its settings. Most monitoring tools have an option to disable the on-screen display or overlay. In MSI Afterburner, for example, right-click the program icon and look for "On-Screen Display Settings" or similar. Uncheck the box that enables the overlay.

Restart your game or app to confirm the change

After you've turned off the overlay in Settings, close and reopen any game or full-screen process you were using. The stats should no longer appear in the top right corner. If the overlay is still there, the source may be a different program than you thought.

If you're still seeing stats after disabling Game Bar and closing other monitoring tools, check your taskbar for any other performance monitoring software you may have installed. Some antivirus programs and system utilities also display overlays.

Turn Game Bar back on if you need it later

If you decide you want the Game Bar overlay again, return to Settings > Gaming > Game Bar and toggle the switch back on. You can also re-enable just the performance stats by going to Gaming > Performance and toggling "Show performance overlay" back on.

Game Bar is useful for recording gameplay, taking screenshots, or checking your system performance while gaming. Turning it off won't affect your gaming performance or any other Windows features—it only removes the overlay display.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off Game Bar affect my gaming performance?

No. Disabling Game Bar or its overlay does not change how your games run. The overlay itself uses very little system resources, so removing it won't make your games faster or slower.

What if the stats come back after I restart my PC?

Check that you toggled the setting all the way off and that it saved. Some programs also set the overlay to turn on automatically at startup. If Game Bar is off but stats still appear, a different monitoring tool is likely running—check your system tray and installed programs.

Can I hide the overlay just for certain games?

Game Bar settings explore to all games and apps on your PC. If you want the overlay for some games but not others, you'll need to toggle the setting on and off each time, or use a third-party tool that lets you set per-game rules.

Is it safe to turn off Game Bar completely?

Yes. Game Bar is optional software built into Windows. Turning it off does not affect system stability or security. You can turn it back on anytime through Settings.

What if I don't see a Gaming section in Settings?

Make sure you're in the main Settings app (Windows key + I), not Control Panel. If Gaming still doesn't appear, you may be on an older version of Windows. Update Windows through Settings > Update & Security > Check for updates.