How to Cancel Your Xbox Subscription
You can cancel your Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Live Gold, or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate through your Microsoft account settings on any device with internet access. The process takes about five minutes and stops your subscription when ready — you will not be charged again, though you lose access to the service right away. If you cancel mid-month, you do not get a refund for the unused portion.
The steps are the same whether you signed up on console, on the web, or through the Xbox app. You do not need to contact Microsoft support unless something goes wrong during the cancellation.
Key Takeaways
- You can cancel any Xbox subscription by signing into your Microsoft account at account.microsoft.com and removing the subscription from your payment methods.
- Cancellation takes effect when ready, and you lose access to Game Pass games and online multiplayer the moment you confirm the cancellation.
- You will not be charged again after you cancel, but Microsoft does not refund unused days in your current billing cycle.
- If you want to pause your subscription instead of canceling it, Xbox Game Pass offers a suspend option that holds your subscription for up to three months.
Cancel Through Your Microsoft Account Online
The fastest way to cancel is through the Microsoft account website. Go to account.microsoft.com, sign in with the email and password you use for Xbox, and look for "Subscriptions" in the left menu. Click on the subscription you want to cancel — it will show the name (Game Pass, Game Pass Ultimate, or Xbox Live Gold), the renewal date, and the price.
Click "Manage" next to the subscription. On the next page, click "Cancel subscription" at the bottom. Microsoft will ask you why you are canceling — you can pick a reason or skip this step. Confirm the cancellation when prompted. You will see a message saying your subscription has been canceled, and you will receive a confirmation email at the address on your account.
After cancellation, you can still sign into your Xbox account, but you will not be able to play Game Pass games or use online multiplayer if you had Xbox Live Gold. Any games you own outright (games you bought, not games included with Game Pass) will still be playable.
Cancel From Your Xbox Console
You can also cancel directly from your Xbox Series X, Series S, Xbox One, or Xbox 360. Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide, then go to "Profile & system" and select "Settings." Choose "Account" and then "Subscriptions." Find the subscription you want to cancel and select it.
Choose "Manage subscription" and then "Cancel subscription." Confirm your choice. The cancellation will process when ready, and you will receive a confirmation email. This method works the same way as canceling online — you lose access right away and will not be charged again.
Cancel Through the Xbox App on Windows or Mobile
If you use the Xbox app on Windows 10 or Windows 11, open the app and select your profile icon in the top right corner. Go to "Settings" and then "Account." Select "Subscriptions" and find the subscription you want to cancel. Click "Manage" and then "Cancel subscription."
On mobile (iPhone or Android), open the Xbox app, tap your profile icon, go to "Settings," and select "Subscriptions." Tap the subscription you want to cancel, then tap "Manage subscription" and "Cancel subscription." Confirm when prompted. Mobile cancellation works the same as the other methods — the subscription stops when ready.
What Happens After You Cancel
Once you cancel, you lose access to Game Pass games within minutes. If you had Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you also lose access to Xbox Live Gold (online multiplayer), cloud saves, and Games with Gold. Games you purchased outright remain on your account and are still playable.
You will not be charged again. If you cancel on the 15th of the month and your renewal date was the 20th, you do not owe anything for those five remaining days. Your account stays active — you can sign in, see your friends list, and access your purchased games. You can restart any subscription at any time by going back to your Microsoft account and selecting "Renew" or purchasing the subscription again.
Suspend Your Subscription Instead of Canceling
If you want to keep your subscription but do not want to use it right now, Xbox Game Pass lets you suspend it for up to three months instead of canceling. When you suspend, you are not charged during the suspension period, and your subscription picks up again when the suspension ends.
To suspend, go to account.microsoft.com, find your Game Pass subscription, click "Manage," and look for "Suspend subscription" (this option appears only for Game Pass, not for Xbox Live Gold alone). Choose how long you want to suspend — one, two, or three months — and confirm. When the suspension ends, your subscription will renew at the regular price unless you cancel it before the suspension period ends.
If Your Cancellation Does Not Go Through
If you see an error message when you try to cancel, try signing out and signing back in to your Microsoft account. Clear your browser cache if you are using the web version. If you are canceling from console, make sure you are signed into the account that owns the subscription.
If you are still charged after canceling, check your Microsoft account to confirm the cancellation went through — sometimes the page does not refresh properly. If the subscription still shows as active, try canceling again. If you are charged after a successful cancellation, contact Microsoft Support through account.microsoft.com/contact or through the Xbox Support website to request a refund.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I get a refund if I cancel mid-month?
No. Microsoft does not refund unused days in your current billing cycle. If you cancel on the 10th and your renewal date is the 25th, you lose access when ready but keep paying through the 25th. You will not be charged again after that date.
Can I cancel without losing my games?
Games you purchased stay on your account forever. Games included with Game Pass disappear from your library when you cancel, though if you restart Game Pass later, they become playable again. Games with Gold (free games you claimed while subscribed) also disappear when you cancel Xbox Live Gold.
What if I cancel but want to restart my subscription later?
You can restart at any time by going to account.microsoft.com, finding the subscription, and selecting "Renew" or purchasing it again. There is no penalty for canceling and restarting. You will be charged the regular price when you restart.
Will canceling delete my Xbox account?
No. Canceling a subscription does not delete your account. Your profile, friends list, achievements, and purchased games all stay on your account. You can sign in anytime, and you can restart any subscription whenever you want.
Can I cancel one subscription but keep another?
Yes. If you have both Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass Ultimate, you can cancel one and keep the other. Go to your subscriptions list and cancel only the one you want to remove. The other will keep renewing on its regular schedule.