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XblPCSandbox.exe is a command-line tool that manages the XBOX services sandbox on PC. Use it to:
  • Show the current sandbox.
  • Switch to a development sandbox or back to RETAIL.
  • Relaunch system apps (Microsoft Store and XBOX App) in sandbox mode.

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Getting started

After installing the Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK), open a GDK command prompt and run the tool from there. You can find the GDK command prompts performing the following actions:
  1. Open the Start menu and search for Microsoft GDK Command Prompts.
  2. Open the shortcut from the Microsoft GDK Command Prompts folder (select the latest GDK version installed)
This tool is also provided as part of the GDK and XboxLiveTools.zip; see Development tools for XBOX services.
Setting the sandbox requires elevated privileges (Run as administrator). If you run the tool without elevated privileges, it will attempt to rerun in an elevated state. Reading the sandbox (/get) and showing help (/?) don’t require elevation.

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Command and options reference

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Getting the current sandbox

Displays the current XBOX services sandbox. If no sandbox is set, the device is in RETAIL.

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Setting the sandbox

Sets the XBOX services sandbox for the device. For example: XblPCSandbox /set XDKS.1 When setting the sandbox, the tool:
  1. Displays the current sandbox before the switch.
  2. Shows a progress spinner while the switch is in progress.
  3. Restarts the XBOX Live Auth Manager service.
  4. Relaunches the following system apps in sandbox mode—but only if they’re already open:
    • Microsoft Store
    • XBOX App
  5. Displays the new sandbox after the switch, so you can immediately confirm it was applied.
If a system app is not open at the time of the switch, it is not launched automatically.
The tool automatically corrects the casing of sandbox names. For example, typing xdks.1 will be corrected to XDKS.1. This reduces errors caused by case sensitivity, since sandbox names are in uppercase.

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Setting the sandbox without relaunching apps

Sets the sandbox without relaunching system apps. You can later relaunch them using:

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Switching back to RETAIL

or
Resets the device to the default consumer sandbox. Restarts the XBOX Live Auth Manager and relaunches any open system apps (Microsoft Store and XBOX App) back to normal mode.
You need to switch back to RETAIL to update the XBOX App or Gaming Services from the Microsoft Store. These apps can’t receive updates while in a development sandbox.

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Launching system apps in sandbox mode

Relaunches the Microsoft Store and XBOX App in sandbox mode—but only if they’re already open. This is useful after switching sandboxes with the /noApps option.

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Showing help

Shows help information for all available commands and options. The help text also includes troubleshooting suggestions and a link to the Troubleshooting sign-in and sandbox errors documentation.

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Providing feedback

Opens the Feedback Hub directly so you can report issues or provide feedback about the sandbox switching experience.

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See also

Last modified on August 20, 2026

Related topics

XBOX services sandboxes overviewGDK features not in SteamworksDevelopment tools for XBOX servicesTools for XBOX servicesLive services tools for XBOX and PlayFab