You can cancel Xbox Game Pass through your Microsoft account settings in about two minutes, and your access ends on your next billing date

Xbox Game Pass is a subscription that renews automatically each month or year, depending on which plan you chose. To stop paying, you log into your Microsoft account, find the subscription in your settings, and select cancel. Microsoft will not charge you again, but you keep access until the end of your current billing period. After that date, you lose the ability to play games in the Game Pass library unless you rejoin.

The exact steps depend on whether you subscribed through Xbox, a web browser, or a third-party platform like PlayStation or Nintendo Switch. Each route has a different cancellation page, but all of them let you cancel without calling anyone or explaining why.

Key Takeaways

  • Cancel through your Microsoft account settings on a web browser, the Xbox app on Windows, or the Xbox console itself — all three reach the same subscription page.
  • Your Game Pass access continues until the end of your current billing cycle, so cancelling on day one of a month-long subscription means you still have access for the full month.
  • If you subscribed through PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, or Apple, you must cancel through that platform's subscription settings, not through Microsoft.
  • You can rejoin Game Pass at any time after cancellation, and Microsoft does not penalize you for leaving and returning.

Cancel through a web browser or Windows

The fastest route is to go to account.microsoft.com in any web browser, sign in with the email and password you use for Xbox, and look for "Subscriptions" in the left menu. Click on it, find "Xbox Game Pass" in the list, and select "Manage." On the next page, click "Cancel subscription" at the bottom. Microsoft will ask you to confirm and may offer you a discount to stay — you can ignore this and proceed with cancellation.

If you use Windows and have the Xbox app installed, you can also cancel there. Open the Xbox app, go to your profile in the top right, select "Settings," then "Account," then "Subscriptions." Find Xbox Game Pass and click "Manage." The rest of the steps are identical to the web browser route.

Cancel on an Xbox console

On Xbox Series X, Series S, Xbox One, or older models, press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide menu. Go to "Profile & system," then "Settings," then "Account," then "Subscriptions." Select Xbox Game Pass, choose "Manage," and click "Cancel subscription." Confirm the cancellation when prompted.

The console route takes slightly longer because you are navigating with a controller, but it reaches the same cancellation page as the web browser and Windows app.

Cancel if you subscribed through PlayStation, Nintendo, or Apple

If you signed up for Xbox Game Pass through PlayStation Network, Nintendo Switch Online, or Apple's App Store, you cannot cancel through Microsoft. Instead, you must cancel through the platform where you subscribed.

On PlayStation, go to Settings, then "Users and Accounts," then "Account," then "Payment and Subscriptions," then "Subscriptions." Find Xbox Game Pass and select "Cancel Subscription." On Nintendo Switch, go to Settings, then "User Settings," then "Manage Subscriptions," find Xbox Game Pass, and select "Cancel." On Apple, open Settings, tap your name, select "Subscriptions," find Xbox Game Pass, and tap "Cancel Subscription."

What happens after you cancel

Once you confirm cancellation, Microsoft sends you an email confirming the date your subscription ends. You can still play Game Pass games and use Game Pass features until that date arrives. After it passes, you lose access to the entire Game Pass library. Any games you downloaded remain on your console or computer, but you cannot launch them without an active subscription.

If you have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (which includes Xbox Live Gold and cloud gaming), cancelling Game Pass Ultimate removes all three benefits on the same date. If you want to keep Xbox Live Gold for online multiplayer, you would need to buy it separately after Game Pass Ultimate ends.

Rejoining Game Pass after cancellation

You can rejoin Game Pass at any time after your subscription ends. Microsoft does not charge a penalty for cancelling and returning, and you do not lose your saved games or achievements. If you cancelled partway through a promotional offer (like three months for ten dollars), that offer is usually gone when you rejoin — you would pay the standard monthly or yearly price instead.

Some promotional offers return to former subscribers after a few months of being cancelled. If you cancelled recently and see a "welcome back" offer in your Microsoft account, that is a one-time deal you can use to rejoin at a discount.

If you cannot find the cancel button

If you are logged into your Microsoft account but do not see Xbox Game Pass listed under Subscriptions, it may mean the subscription is already cancelled, or it is tied to a different Microsoft account. Check that you are signed in with the email address you used to buy Game Pass. If you have multiple Microsoft accounts, Game Pass might be on a different one.

If you subscribed through a family member's account or a shared console, ask them to log in and cancel from their account. If you subscribed through a third-party platform and cannot find the cancel option there, contact that platform's support — Microsoft cannot cancel subscriptions that were sold through other companies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I get a refund if I cancel in the middle of a billing cycle?

No. Microsoft does not issue refunds for partial months or years. If you cancel on the fifteenth of a month-long subscription, you still have access until the end of that month, but you do not get money back for the unused days. Plan your cancellation for a date close to your next billing date if you want to minimize unused time.

Will I lose my saved games if my Game Pass subscription ends?

Your saved games stay on your console or computer. You cannot play Game Pass games without an active subscription, but if you rejoin later, your saves are still there. Games you own outright (not through Game Pass) remain playable after your subscription ends.

Can I pause my subscription instead of cancelling?

Microsoft does not offer a pause feature for Game Pass. Your only options are to keep paying or to cancel. If you think you might rejoin soon, cancelling is the same as pausing — you can come back whenever you want without penalty.

What if I subscribed through a gift card or prepaid code?

If you activated Game Pass using a prepaid code or gift card, you do not have an automatic renewal to cancel. Your subscription straightforward ends when the code expires. You do not need to do anything unless you want to prevent Microsoft from charging you if a payment method is on file.

Does cancelling Game Pass affect my Xbox Live Gold or Game Pass Ultimate?

If you have Game Pass for Console or Game Pass for PC only, cancelling does not affect Xbox Live Gold. If you have Game Pass Ultimate, cancelling it removes Xbox Live Gold, cloud gaming, and Game Pass all on the same date. You would need to buy Xbox Live Gold separately if you want to keep playing online.