How to delete your Xbox / Microsoft Gaming account
Xbox accounts are Microsoft accounts (formerly Xbox Live), connecting Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Game Pass, the Xbox app on PC, and Microsoft Store gaming purchases. Microsoft stores your Gamertag, real name and address, full purchase history, Achievements, Xbox Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate subscription records, gameclips and screenshots, friends and clubs, and the parental-control relationships you set up for kids.
Delete your Xbox / Microsoft Gaming account, step by step
- 1Go to account.live.com/closeaccount.aspx
- 2Sign in with the Microsoft account you want to close (the same one used for Xbox)
- 3Review the checklist Microsoft shows (devices, subscriptions, balance, family roles)
- 4Pick a reason and click 'Next'
- 5Click 'Mark account for closure'
- 6Account is queued for permanent deletion after a 60-day grace period
What actually happens when you delete
Gets removed
- ✓Your Microsoft account (which controls Xbox, Outlook, OneDrive, Skype, Office)
- ✓Gamertag, Xbox profile, Achievements, and Gamerscore
- ✓Every digital game, DLC, and Game Pass benefit
- ✓Friends list, clubs, parties, and Xbox messages
- ✓Outlook.com email, OneDrive files, Skype contacts, and Microsoft Store balance
Stays behind
- ✗Physical Xbox discs still play without sign-in
- ✗Game saves on local console storage (unless you also wipe the console)
- ✗Records Microsoft retains for billing, tax, and audit (typically 7 years)
- ✗Cached Achievements on third-party tools like TrueAchievements
- ✗Messages and Skype chats persist in recipients' inboxes
Before you delete
Closing the Microsoft account deletes EVERYTHING — Xbox library, Game Pass progress, Outlook.com email, OneDrive files, Skype, LinkedIn (if linked), Office 365 personal subscriptions. If you only want to ditch Xbox, do not close the Microsoft account; instead remove your Gamertag and sign out of every Xbox console. Cancel Xbox Game Pass FIRST. Settle any Microsoft Store gift card balance before closure because it's forfeited.
Download your data from Xbox / Microsoft Gaming first
Most platforms only honor a data-export request while the account is still active. Do this before you delete.
- 1Sign in to account.microsoft.com/privacy
- 2Scroll to 'Export your data'
- 3Choose categories (Browsing history, Search history, App and service usage, Location, etc.)
- 4Click 'Create new archive'
- 5Microsoft emails a download link when ready, usually within a few days
Want to take a break instead? Deactivate
Deactivation hides your profile without permanently destroying it. Logging back in restores everything.
- 1To stop using Xbox without losing your Microsoft account: change your Gamertag to something throwaway, remove yourself from any Xbox Family, and sign out of every console
- 2Cancel Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
- 3Your Microsoft account stays active for email and Office
If deletion fails — or you live in the EU, UK, or California
You have a legal right to request erasure of your personal data under GDPR (EU/UK) and CCPA (California). Use these official channels if the self-service flow doesn't work.
Xbox / Microsoft Gaming deletion FAQs
Will closing my Microsoft account also delete my Outlook email and OneDrive?+
Yes. The Microsoft account is a single identity across Xbox, Outlook.com, OneDrive, Skype, Microsoft 365 personal, and the Microsoft Store. Closing one closes all. Forward important emails and download all OneDrive files BEFORE you start.
How can I delete just Xbox without losing everything else?+
You can't fully 'delete Xbox' separately. The closest path is to change your Gamertag to something disposable, sign out of every Xbox console, cancel Game Pass, and remove yourself from any Xbox Family. The Xbox profile becomes dormant while your Microsoft account stays active for email and Office.
What happens to my Xbox Achievements and Gamerscore?+
Erased with the account. There is no way to transfer Achievements to a different Microsoft account. Third-party trackers like TrueAchievements may retain cached records of your public achievement history.
Can I get a refund for unused Game Pass when I close my account?+
Microsoft generally does not refund prorated subscription time on account closure. Cancel Game Pass first and let it lapse at the end of the billing period, then close the account.
How long is the 60-day grace period?+
Microsoft disables the account immediately but holds it for 60 days before permanent deletion. Logging in during that window cancels closure. After day 60 the account, Gamertag, and all associated services are unrecoverable.
What about parental control / Xbox Family Group?+
If you're the family organizer, transfer that role to another adult or the family group is dissolved. Child accounts in your family need to be transferred to another organizer's family before you close, or the kids' accounts can have issues.
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