I can launch the game, but receive a 'You must sign in to continue' or 'Can't sync with Xbox Live' message on the title screen.

This error usually appears when you are not logged into the Xbox Live services. While this is not required when playing on Steam, it is required to play Age of Empires: Definitive Edition on the Microsoft Store and to unlock any achievements on your profile.

First, work through these steps to ensure you are connected to the Xbox Live servers:

🛠 Make sure you are connected to the internet.

You will not be able to access multiplayer aspects of the game via the Microsoft Store if you are offline.

🛠 Sign in to your Xbox Live account via the Xbox app.

You can download and install the Xbox App app via the Microsoft Store. Once downloaded, log in to the app using the Xbox Live credentials where you purchased the game. (Note: If you don’t have a free Xbox live account, you can create a free Xbox Live game account. Make sure to link your new Xbox Live account to the Microsoft account you used to purchase Age of Empires: Definitive Edition.)

If your issue continues, check your firewall software (if you have any) settings:

🛠 Ensure that TCP Port 8888 and UDP Port 9999, as well as Port 3478 (UDP & TCP) and Port 5222 (UDP & TCP) are open and forwarded, then repeat the steps above.

If you are still encountering issues, take a moment to re-register your Microsoft Store:

1. Create a system restore point first.
2. Press the Windows key and type PowerShell.
3. Right click the PowerShell app and select “Run as administrator.”
4. Type the following command and hit Enter:

   Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

5. A command window will briefly open followed by a Microsoft Store message.
6. Close Windows PowerShell and restart your computer.

You can also run the System File Checker utility tool to identify corrupted Windows system files and replace them:

1. Create a system restore point first.
2. Press the Windows key and type cmd.
3. Right click the Command Prompt app and select “Run as administrator.”
4. Type this sfc /scannow in the command prompt admin window and hit Enter.
5. Once the tool finishes, you can close the command prompt and restart your computer.

If all of the above solutions fail to address the problem, visit the Troubleshoot issues with the Xbox app for Windows for additional troubleshooting tips and support.