Hey there! If you‘re looking to cancel your Xbox Game Pass subscription, you‘ve come to the right place.
In this guide, I‘ll walk you through how to easily cancel Game Pass in just a few quick steps. I‘ll cover:
- What Xbox Game Pass is
- The benefits (and downsides) of the service
- How to cancel through your Xbox console
- How to cancel online from a web browser
- What happens after you cancel
- Helpful tips for a smooth transition
By the end, you‘ll know exactly how to cancel your subscription directly from your Xbox or the web. Let‘s get started!
What is Xbox Game Pass?
For anyone unfamiliar, Xbox Game Pass is a Netflix-style subscription service from Microsoft.
For one monthly fee, you get unlimited access to a library of over 100 Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Xbox Series X/S games. This includes every first-party Xbox exclusive on the same day it releases.
Here are some of the key things to know about Game Pass:
- Cost: $9.99 per month in the US. Often discounted for first-time subscribers.
- Games: Over 100 titles across various genres, including new releases.
- Platforms: Download and play games on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and cloud gaming.
- Ownership: You access games while subscribed but don‘t permanently own them.
- New Games: Blockbuster hits like Halo Infinite launch on Game Pass the same day.
Microsoft is constantly adding new games while rotating some out each month. According to the company, Game Pass has:
- Added over 70 games in the last 6 months alone.
- Over 50 more games planned for the next 12 months.
- New additions every two weeks on average.
So you‘re always getting something fresh and exciting to play as part of the subscription!
Here are a few other Game Pass membership perks:
- Play multiplayer online.
- Download games to your console so they‘re playable offline.
- Get discounts up to 20% on downloadable content.
- Special members-only sales and partner offers.
- 30% discount to buy games permanently while subscribed.
Add it all up, and Game Pass provides incredible value. For the cost of buying just 1-2 new games, you get unlimited access to over 100 of the best Xbox titles.
But while Game Pass is a terrific deal, you may eventually decide to cancel.
Reasons to Cancel Xbox Game Pass
Game Pass gives you far more entertainment than you pay for in the monthly fee. But there are some valid reasons you might want to cancel:
- Cost – If you need to cut back on monthly expenses, $9.99/month adds up.
- Changing Needs – You might not play enough to justify it anymore.
- Overwhelming Catalog – Too many game choices can make it hard to focus on anything.
- Rotation – Your favorite games eventually leave Game Pass.
- Backlog – The subscription may tempt you into downloading more games than you‘ll actually play.
The great thing about Game Pass is you can always resubscribe later quickly if you change your mind. All your save data and achievements stay in the cloud.
But if for any reason you want to cancel, the steps are quick and easy. Now let‘s dive into how to cancel your Xbox Game Pass subscription.
Step-by-Step Guide to Canceling Xbox Game Pass on Your Console
The simplest way to cancel Game Pass is directly on your Xbox console. Here‘s a step-by-step walkthrough:
Step 1) Access Your Xbox Profile and Subscriptions
From your Xbox dashboard, press the Xbox button on your controller to open the side menu. Navigate to your profile icon in the top left corner:
This will open your profile screen. From here, select "My subscriptions" on the left sidebar:
This shows all your current Xbox subscriptions.
Step 2) Locate Your Game Pass Membership
Under the "Subscriptions" section, look for the box labeled "Xbox Game Pass."
Select the "Xbox Game Pass" box to go to your membership details page.
Step 3) Select "Cancel Subscription"
On the details page, click on the button labeled "Cancel subscription" near the bottom:
This will prompt a confirmation popup to cancel.
Step 4) Confirm Cancellation
On the cancellation confirmation pop-up, select "Confirm cancellation" to finish canceling:
That‘s it! After confirming, your Game Pass subscription will be canceled and stop auto-renewing at the end of your current membership period.
The entire process takes less than a minute once you access the subscriptions section of your Xbox profile.
Now let‘s go over how to cancel online from a web browser.
Step-by-Step Guide to Canceling Xbox Game Pass Online
If you don‘t have access to your Xbox, you can easily cancel Game Pass through the Microsoft account website:
Step 1) Go to Your Microsoft Account
On any web browser, navigate to the Microsoft login page at account.microsoft.com. Sign in with your Microsoft username and password:
Step 2) Access Your Microsoft Subscriptions
Once logged in, click your profile icon in the top right corner:
In the menu, select "Subscriptions" to go to your subscriptions page.
Step 3) Locate Your Game Pass Subscription
On the subscriptions page, scroll down until you see the "Xbox Game Pass" membership box. Click the "Manage" link inside it:
This opens the Game Pass membership details page.
Step 4) Choose "Cancel Subscription"
On the details page, click the "Cancel subscription" button near the bottom and follow the prompts to confirm cancellation:
After confirming, your Game Pass subscription will stop renewing at the end of the current billing period.
Just a few quick clicks online to cancel without your Xbox on hand!
What Happens After Canceling Xbox Game Pass?
Once canceled, here‘s what you can expect:
- You‘ll immediately lose access to any Game Pass games you‘ve downloaded.
- You won‘t be able to download or play any new games through the service.
- You‘ll stop being charged the $9.99 monthly fee after your current membership period ends.
- Any Xbox One games you purchased outright will still be playable.
- Your game saves and achievement progress will be saved in the cloud if you resubscribe later.
So in summary, canceling ends your ability to play Game Pass titles until you renew your membership. But you‘ll keep any permanently owned games and saves.
Make sure you finish or save your progress in any Game Pass games you want to keep before the cancellation takes effect!
Helpful Tips for a Smooth Game Pass Cancellation
Follow these tips to make the transition away from Game Pass as seamless as possible:
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Cancel a few days before your next monthly billing date. You‘ll maximize the period you already paid for.
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Check the exact date your membership expires under account subscriptions.
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Finish any Game Pass games or save your progress before expiration.
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Disable "recurring billing" under Microsoft account payment settings so you don‘t get accidentally charged again.
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Transfer save files to external storage if you want to pick up progress again later.
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Hold off on buying long Game Pass prepaid cards. Only redeem codes when ready to use the subscription.
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Refer to Microsoft‘s Xbox Game Pass FAQ page for additional helpful details.
Following these tips will make sure you don‘t lose anything important when you cancel and prevent any unwanted charges.
Canceling Game Pass – Closing Thoughts
To quickly recap, cancelling your Xbox Game Pass subscription is straightforward:
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Cancel through your console by going to account Subscriptions in your Xbox profile.
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Cancel online via your Microsoft account Subscriptions page.
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You‘ll immediately lose access to Game Pass games and benefits.
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Your subscription won‘t renew at the end of the billing period.
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Xbox games you purchased separately will still be playable.
So don‘t hesitate to give Game Pass a try since you can always easily cancel online or on your Xbox. The service makes it simple to come and go.
Whether you need to cut costs for a bit or just want a break from Game Pass, you now know exactly how to cancel your subscription quickly and hassle-free.
Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to help walk through anything related to Xbox Game Pass in more detail.
