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Connecting with your friends across different platforms is getting easier every day. By using the Xbox Game Bar app in Windows 10, you can chat by text or voice during play sessions through the in-game overlay.

How to Access Your Xbox Friends List in Windows 10

The Xbox Game Bar gives you access to various chat tools, streaming features, performance statistics, and even Spotify. You don't have to Alt+Tab between apps.

To chat with your Xbox friends on Windows 10, press the Windows key+G at any time to bring up the Xbox Game Bar. This overlay works while you're playing a game, and it also works if you're just using Windows desktop applications.

If it doesn't appear, make sure the keyboard shortcut is correct by opening the Start Menu > Settings > Gaming > Game Bar and confirming that the "Open Game Bar" shortcut is set to "Win+G."

Once the Xbox Game Bar is open, click the Overlays button on the bar that looks like three horizontal lines. Then select "Xbox Social (Beta)" to open up your Xbox friends list. You can add friends from this list by clicking the button right of "Search or Add Players."

Windows 10 Xbox Game Bar

Related: 6 Great Features in Windows 10's New Game Bar

How to Chat with Xbox Friends in Windows 10

Once your Xbox friends list is open, you can double click on any name to open a chat window. From this chat window, you can start a voice call by clicking the headset icon. You can also add additional friends to the chat by clicking the plus (+) icon.

Windows 10 Xbox Chat Windows

Now that quite a few Xbox and PC games now have cross-platform play, this built-in method of chatting with your Xbox friends while on Windows 10 is especially useful. Whether or not you play on Xbox, you can chat with your Xbox friends from any Windows 10 PC.