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“Xbox app download settings” can mean two different things on a Windows PC: where Xbox games are installed, or how Windows handles download bandwidth and peer sharing. To change the game location, open the Xbox app, select your profile picture, then go to Settings > General and use the default game-installation control. To change network behavior, use Windows Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization. These controls are separate, so changing one does not automatically change the other.
First, identify which download setting you mean
The Xbox app does not use one universal “download settings” page. Storage and network delivery are controlled in different places, and choosing the wrong menu can leave the original problem unchanged.
| If you want to… | Use this location | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Choose the drive or folder for new Xbox games | Xbox app > profile picture > Settings > General | The default installation destination for future game installs |
| Choose a location separately for each game | Xbox app’s installation prompt, when available | Lets you select a destination during each installation |
| Review download bandwidth limits | Windows Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization | Windows’ delivery bandwidth behavior for updates, Store apps and other Microsoft products |
| Control downloads from or uploads to other PCs | Windows Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization | Peer-to-peer delivery choices; it does not block direct downloads from Microsoft |
The Xbox app route below comes from a Microsoft Q&A answer posted on November 23, 2023. It is useful practical guidance, but it is community guidance rather than a current, version-locked product manual. Menu names and the exact placement of controls can differ between Xbox app releases and Windows editions.
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Use the Xbox app’s General settings
- Open the Xbox app on your Windows PC and sign in if the app requests it.
- Select your profile picture. Depending on the app version, this is near the upper-right area of the window.
- Open Settings, then select General.
- Look for a control whose wording is similar to “Change where this app installs games by default”. The 2023 Microsoft Q&A answer uses that wording; your current build may use a shorter or slightly different label.
- Choose the drive and folder offered by the app, then confirm the selection. A folder such as
XBoxGamesorXboxGamescan be used as an example, but that name is not a universal requirement. - Start a small installation or open an upcoming install dialog to verify that the selected destination is now shown. Existing games normally remain where they are; this setting is primarily for future installations.
If the destination selector does not appear, scroll through the complete General page and check whether the app has an installation or storage subsection. Updates can move this control, and some accounts or app versions may expose fewer options than the documented example.
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Choose between a default location and a prompt every time
The same Microsoft Q&A answer describes an option similar to “Ask me for install options on every install.” The choice is a trade-off between speed and control:
| Choice | Best for | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Use one default destination | People who usually install games on the same drive | New installations use the selected location automatically, with fewer decisions during setup |
| Ask for install options each time | People who divide games between drives or need to manage free space carefully | The install flow gives you a chance to select a destination for each game, when the app supports that prompt |
If you turn off the per-install prompt, the app uses the default destination without asking each time. If you want a choice for every game, leave the prompt enabled. Treat the quoted label as an example rather than guaranteed current wording; look for an equivalent checkbox or toggle in your build.
Pick a destination that Windows and the Xbox app can use
The selector normally lists available drives and folders rather than accepting an arbitrary path typed into a text box. Before choosing one, check the practical conditions that can prevent an installation from starting:
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- Free space: Confirm that the drive has room for the game and for updates. A game’s displayed download size is not always its final installed footprint.
- Drive availability: An external drive must be connected before installation and remain connected while the game is being used. A drive that changes its letter can make an existing installation appear missing.
- File-system and permissions: Use a normal local Windows volume that your account can access. A protected, disconnected or read-only location can cause installation errors.
- Folder ownership: Let the Xbox app create or select the destination folder where possible instead of manually changing permissions on protected system directories.
- Performance: A faster internal or external drive generally makes installation and loading more convenient, but changing the folder does not increase the internet speed of the download itself.
Creating a dedicated folder is optional. The Microsoft Q&A example suggests an XboxGames folder on the target drive; use a clear folder name if you want to keep game files separate from documents, but do not assume that exact name is required by every release.
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Fix “folder is in use” or destination errors
A Microsoft Q&A question specifically concerned an error saying the default install location could not be changed while the folder was in use. If you see a similar message, work through these checks in order.
Close software that may be using the folder
- Close any running game and the Xbox app window.
- Close File Explorer windows opened to the target folder.
- Stop file-copy, backup, synchronization or antivirus scans that are actively examining that location.
- Wait briefly, reopen the Xbox app and try the General setting again.
Do not delete a folder merely because the app reports that it is busy. The message indicates that another process may have an open handle; removing files can damage an existing installation.
Check the drive and folder itself
- Open the target drive in File Explorer and confirm that it is online and writable.
- Make sure the drive letter has not changed since the folder was created.
- Test creating a harmless temporary text file in the intended parent folder, then remove that test file. If Windows will not let you create it, resolve the drive or permission problem before returning to Xbox settings.
- If the folder belongs to an older installation, select a new, empty destination offered by the Xbox app rather than trying to reuse a partially configured path.
Restart Windows before trying again
A restart releases file handles left by a game, Explorer or another service. After restarting, connect the destination drive, open only the Xbox app and repeat profile picture > Settings > General. If the selector is still unavailable, the limitation may be specific to the current app version or account configuration rather than a folder that is actually open.
Move or repair games that are already installed
Changing the default destination is not the same as moving an existing game. The default controls future installations; they do not automatically relocate every game already on the PC.
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Xbox Wire described move and repair features for eligible games and users in an Xbox app for Windows feature announcement dated November 18, 2021. Those features were presented as available to eligible users or through specific app features, so they should not be treated as a guarantee that every current game has identical controls.
When a game supports management actions, open the game’s menu in the Xbox app and look for options such as Manage, Move or Repair. The exact commands, eligibility and destination choices can vary by game and app version. If no move command is shown, changing the default location will not move that installation; uninstalling and reinstalling to the new destination may be the supported route, provided your saves are synchronized or otherwise backed up.
Change bandwidth and peer-download behavior in Windows
Open Delivery Optimization
- Open Windows Settings.
- Select Windows Update.
- Choose Advanced options.
- Open Delivery Optimization.
Microsoft describes Delivery Optimization as a Windows service used for Windows updates, Microsoft Store apps and other Microsoft products. Its controls are separate from the Xbox app’s storage destination.
Review bandwidth limits
In Delivery Optimization, review the available download and upload bandwidth controls if Windows appears to be using a configured cap. The exact page layout and labels depend on your Windows version. Remove or adjust a limit only when you understand the effect on your connection; an unrestricted setting can consume more bandwidth on a metered or shared connection.
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Changing Delivery Optimization does not promise a faster Xbox game download. Speed can also be limited by the game service, your internet plan, Wi-Fi conditions, congestion, VPN or security software, and other devices using the connection. Delivery Optimization settings are relevant to Windows-managed delivery traffic, not a universal speed override for every Xbox transfer.
Review downloads from other PCs
Windows also exposes a choice about obtaining or sending download pieces from other PCs. If you do not want peer sharing, turn that feature off in Delivery Optimization. Microsoft Support states that disabling peer downloads does not prevent downloads directly from Microsoft; it removes the peer-to-peer part of the delivery process.
Peer settings can affect bandwidth use and privacy preferences, but they are not a storage-location setting. If your only goal is to install games on another drive, leave Delivery Optimization alone and use the Xbox app’s General settings instead.
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When a download seems locked at 10 Mb/s
Searches for Xbox app settings often mention a download “locked at 10mb/s.” First determine whether the figure is a configured limit or simply the current transfer rate. A displayed rate can fluctuate and may be shown in megabits per second (Mb/s), while file sizes are commonly expressed in gigabytes (GB); those units are not interchangeable.
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- Check Delivery Optimization for an explicit bandwidth limit and review both download and upload-related controls.
- Check whether the Windows connection is marked metered or subject to a router, Wi-Fi access point or household bandwidth policy.
- Pause other large downloads, cloud synchronization and streaming activity, then test again.
- Compare a wired connection or a different network only as a diagnostic step; do not infer that the Xbox app’s install folder is responsible for a network rate.
- If no Windows limit is configured, the remaining bottleneck may be outside the setting you can change in the Xbox app. Microsoft’s documentation does not promise that changing Delivery Optimization will raise every Xbox download speed.
Do not repeatedly change the storage destination to solve a speed problem. A different drive can affect available space and installation performance, but it does not remove a network cap.
What happens when you close the app?
Closing the Xbox app is not a reliable way to stop every download. Microsoft Learn’s Delivery Optimization FAQ notes that, depending on the app, closing an app may not stop a download. If a transfer continues, check the Xbox app’s own queue or pause control and review Windows Delivery Optimization activity rather than assuming the window being closed ended all network traffic.
This distinction matters when troubleshooting bandwidth: a background transfer can continue even though the visible Xbox window is no longer open. It also means that restarting the app may not immediately release all download activity.
A practical decision guide
| Your symptom or goal | Start here | Do not change first |
|---|---|---|
| New games are filling the system drive | Xbox app > profile picture > Settings > General; set a different default destination | Delivery Optimization bandwidth settings |
| You want a different drive for only one game | Enable or retain the per-install prompt, or use the game’s management options if available | Windows network settings |
| Downloads appear capped or consume too much bandwidth | Windows Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization | Changing the game-install folder |
| You do not want downloads shared with other PCs | Turn off peer-download options in Delivery Optimization | Uninstalling games or changing drive letters |
| The destination cannot be changed because a folder is in use | Close games, Xbox, Explorer and file-sync activity; restart Windows and test the drive | Deleting the folder or changing unrelated bandwidth controls |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Confusing storage with speed: The Xbox app’s destination selector determines where files are installed; Delivery Optimization handles Windows delivery behavior.
- Assuming a new default moves old games: Existing installations require a supported move command or a reinstall.
- Treating a 2023 community answer as permanent UI documentation: Use the profile-picture route as a documented example and expect labels to vary.
- Deleting a busy folder: Release the process using it first; deletion can damage files.
- Expecting peer-download changes to guarantee faster downloads: Turning peer sharing off still allows direct Microsoft downloads, but it does not create additional bandwidth.
- Assuming closing the window stops all traffic: Delivery Optimization behavior can continue in the background depending on the app.
Verification checklist
After changing a setting, verify the result against the setting you actually intended to change:
Quick Recap
- For storage, start an installation and confirm the destination shown by the Xbox app before committing to a large download.
- For per-install control, check whether the install flow asks for a location instead of silently using the default.
- For bandwidth, revisit Delivery Optimization and confirm that any limit or peer-sharing choice is displayed as intended.
- For an external drive, keep it connected and confirm that Windows assigns the same drive letter when you next launch the game.
- If the problem remains, record the exact menu labels and error text from your app version; those details distinguish a folder, permission, app-version or network issue.
Key points
- Set the default Xbox game location from the Xbox app’s profile menu under Settings > General.
- Use the per-install prompt when you need to choose a drive for each game.
- Use Windows Delivery Optimization for bandwidth and peer-sharing controls, not for changing the game folder.
- Changing the default does not automatically relocate existing games.
- UI labels can differ from the wording in the November 23, 2023 Microsoft Q&A guidance, so follow the equivalent control in your current app.
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