Monitoring your live laptop or PC performance directly on the desktop is extremely useful when gaming, editing, streaming, or doing any heavy work. Windows 11 and Windows 10 already include a built-in tool—Xbox Game Bar Performance Widget—that can display live CPU, GPU, VRAM, RAM, and FPS on your desktop without installing any third-party software. In this article, you’ll learn how to permanently keep this widget always visible on your screen, how to position it anywhere you like, how to remove it later, and how to use it for real-time performance tracking.
How the Built-in Game Bar Performance Widget Works
The Xbox Game Bar includes a lightweight performance monitor that can stay on top of all windows. This widget updates instantly, showing how your system behaves during gameplay or multitasking. The best part is that once pinned, it continues to show live system stats even after the Game Bar is closed.
Step 1: Open Xbox Game Bar
Press Win + G on your keyboard. This opens the Xbox Game Bar overlay. If you don’t see the Performance widget immediately, click the Performance icon (graph icon) from the top menu.
Step 2: Enable the Full Performance Panel
Once the Performance widget appears, it shows:
• CPU usage
• GPU usage
• VRAM usage
• RAM usage
• FPS (Frames Per Second)
To unlock FPS monitoring the first time, you may be asked to grant Game Bar access. Approve the permission and restart the PC if required.
Step 3: (Important) Move the Widget to Your Desired Desktop Location
Before pinning the widget, you must position it exactly where you want it to appear permanently. Click and drag the widget to any corner of your desktop—top right, bottom left, or wherever it is most comfortable for your workflow or gaming display.
Important: Once you pin the widget, it will stay in that location until you manually reposition it again.
Step 4: Pin the Widget to Keep It Always Visible
Now click the Pin icon (📌) on the top of the Performance widget.
After pinning:
• The widget stays visible even after closing Xbox Game Bar
• It remains always on top of all windows
• You will see real-time CPU, GPU, VRAM, RAM, and FPS at all times while gaming or working
You can now press Win + G to close the Game Bar—the widget stays on screen.
Step 5: Customize Performance Details
Click the Settings (⚙️) option inside the widget to enable or disable metrics. You can choose to show:
• CPU load
• GPU load
• VRAM usage
• RAM usage
• FPS overlay
• Graph performance view
This allows you to keep only the information you need.
Step 6: Resize the Widget (Optional)
Grab the edges of the widget to increase or decrease its size. A larger widget is useful for gaming; a compact one works best for productivity.
How to Remove or Hide the Performance Widget (Very Easy)
If you no longer want to see the performance overlay on your desktop, removing it takes just a second:
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Press Win + G to open Xbox Game Bar again.
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Go to the Performance widget that is currently pinned.
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Click the Pin icon (📌) again to unpin it.
Once unpinned, it will instantly disappear from your desktop.
If you want to fully close the widget temporarily, just:
• Press Win + G → Click outside any widget → Game Bar closes and the widget hides.
If you ever need it again, simply return to Win + G → Performance widget → Pin.
Why This Method Is Better Than Third-Party Apps
• 100% safe and trusted (Microsoft built-in tool)
• No background bloat
• No performance penalty
• Works on Windows 10 and Windows 11
• Simple, efficient, and customizable
• Stays permanently on screen when pinned
• Can be removed instantly with one click
Final Thoughts
With just a few clicks, you can keep live laptop or PC performance—CPU, GPU, RAM, VRAM, and FPS—visible on your desktop at all times without installing any extra software. This is perfect for gamers, laptop users, content creators, or anyone who wants accurate real-time performance monitoring. Remember to position the widget first, then pin it, and if you ever want to remove it, simply unpin it using Win + G.
