If error 0x80004005 appears when you sign in to the Xbox app on Windows or launch a game through it, start with the Xbox and Microsoft Store apps, then check sign-in state, Windows time settings, and Xbox services. These are troubleshooting suggestions from a Microsoft Q&A moderator, not guaranteed fixes; the error code alone does not identify one cause.
First, check where the error appears
This guide is for the Xbox app or a game launched through it on a Windows PC. Error 0x80004005 also appears in a separate Windows activation context. If it appears in Windows Activation settings rather than Xbox, use Microsoft’s Windows activation error guidance and its Activation troubleshooter; Xbox app steps are not established as a remedy for activation errors.
The Xbox-specific guidance cited here comes from a Microsoft Q&A response dated June 4, 2026. The Microsoft External Staff moderator described the code as “usually related to Xbox/Microsoft account sign-in components on Windows.” That is a general observation, not a diagnosis of every occurrence.
Try these seven steps for the Xbox app
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Repair the relevant apps, then reset only if needed
In Windows, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select an app, open Advanced options, and choose Repair if available. Try this for Xbox, Gaming Services, Xbox Identity Provider, and Microsoft Store. If repair does not help, you can choose Reset for the affected app. Reset is a more disruptive option that may clear that app’s local data or state; use it deliberately rather than resetting everything automatically.
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Clear the Microsoft Store cache
Open Start, type
wsreset.exe, and run it. This resets the Store cache. Wait for the process to finish, then try the Xbox sign-in or game launch again. -
Sign out of both apps and sign back in
Sign out of the Xbox app and Microsoft Store. Restart Windows, open both apps, and sign back in with the Microsoft account you intend to use for Xbox. This checks whether the two apps are using the expected account after a fresh session.
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Set Windows time automatically
Open Settings > Time & language > Date & time and turn on the automatic options for setting the time and time zone, where available. An incorrect clock or time zone can interfere with account sign-in.
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Restart Xbox services
Press Windows key + R, enter
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Reinstall Gaming Services only if earlier steps fail
This is the more advanced option: the moderator’s commands remove the Gaming Services package for all users, then open its Microsoft Store listing. Use an administrator PowerShell window. Because the removal affects all users on the PC, close games and the Xbox app first and do not run it as an initial step.
- Right-click Start and choose Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin), depending on the option shown.
- Run:
get-appxpackage Microsoft.GamingServices | remove-AppxPackage -allusers - Then run:
start ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=9MWPM2CQNLHN - Follow the Microsoft Store listing to install Gaming Services, then restart Windows and check the Xbox app again.
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Pin down which app or game triggers it
If the error remains, note whether it occurs during Xbox app sign-in, with one particular game, or in another Microsoft app. That distinction gives Microsoft or Xbox support a more useful starting point than the code by itself. The cited guidance does not establish that the cause is an internet connection, an account restriction, or a service outage, and it does not provide a current service-status finding.
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How disruptive are the steps?
| Action | Scope | Practical caution |
|---|---|---|
| Repair or reset an app | Local state for the selected app | Try Repair first; Reset can change local app state. |
Run wsreset.exe or sign back in |
Microsoft Store cache or app sessions | Have the intended Microsoft account ready for reauthentication. |
| Restart services | Windows services, if present and available | Only restart the listed Xbox/Gaming Services entries. |
| Reinstall Gaming Services | Removes the Gaming Services package for all users before opening the Store listing | Save for last; it requires an administrator terminal. |
If the code is in Windows Activation
Use Microsoft’s activation troubleshooting page when 0x80004005 is shown in Activation settings. Microsoft directs affected users to the Activation troubleshooter and says a device reset might be needed if that does not resolve the issue. That is a separate path from troubleshooting Xbox app sign-in.
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