You can cancel Xbox Live through your Microsoft account settings or Xbox console in about five minutes

Xbox Live (now called Xbox Game Pass Core) renews automatically each month or year depending on your plan. To stop the charges, you need to turn off auto-renewal in your Microsoft account before the next billing date. Microsoft will not refund the current billing period, but you keep access to the service until that period ends.

The fastest route is online through your Microsoft account. You can also cancel directly from your Xbox console if you prefer not to use a computer or phone browser. Either way, the process takes the same steps and produces the same result.

Key Takeaways

  • Auto-renewal turns off in your Microsoft account settings, not in the Xbox app or on your console's main menu.
  • You will keep access to Xbox Game Pass Core until your current billing period ends, even after you cancel.
  • Microsoft does not refund money for the current month or year, only stops future charges.
  • If you want to pause rather than cancel, you can suspend your subscription for up to three months instead.

Cancel through your Microsoft account online

Go to account.microsoft.com and sign in with the email and password you use for Xbox. Click your profile picture or name in the top right corner, then select View account. Look for a section called Subscriptions or Services & subscriptions — the exact label varies by region.

Find Xbox Game Pass Core in the list. Click on it and you will see the renewal date and the amount you are charged. Click Manage or Turn off auto-renewal. Microsoft will ask you to confirm. After you confirm, the subscription stops renewing, but you keep playing until the current period ends.

Check your email for a confirmation message from Microsoft. Keep this email in case you need to prove you cancelled, especially if a charge appears after the renewal date you expected.

Cancel directly from your Xbox console

Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide. Go to Profile & system, then Settings. Select Account, then Subscriptions. Find Xbox Game Pass Core and select it.

Choose Manage subscription or Turn off auto-renewal. The console will show your renewal date and current price. Confirm the cancellation. Your subscription stops renewing after the current period ends, and you will receive a confirmation email at the address linked to your Microsoft account.

What happens to your games and account after cancellation

You lose access to Xbox Game Pass games the moment your subscription ends — you cannot play them without an active subscription. Games you bought outright (not through Game Pass) remain yours and stay on your console. Your saved game files, achievements, and profile stay in your Microsoft account even after the subscription ends.

If you resubscribe later, you can read your saved games again and pick up where you left off. Your friends list and account history do not disappear.

Suspend your subscription instead of cancelling

If you want to keep your subscription but do not want to be charged right now, you can suspend it for one, two, or three months. During the suspension, you cannot play Game Pass games, but the subscription does not cancel — it straightforward pauses.

To suspend, go to your Microsoft account subscriptions page (the same place you would cancel) and look for Suspend subscription instead of Turn off auto-renewal. Choose how many months you want to pause. When the suspension ends, your subscription automatically resumes and you are charged again. This option is useful if you know you will want the service back in a few months.

If a charge appears after you cancelled

Check the date you cancelled against the renewal date shown in your subscription settings. Microsoft charges on the renewal date, not the cancellation date. If you cancelled on the 15th but your renewal date was the 10th, you may have already been charged for the next period before you cancelled.

If you were charged after your renewal date should have passed, contact Microsoft Support through support.microsoft.com. Have your confirmation email from the cancellation ready. Microsoft can sometimes issue a refund if the charge was an error, but this is not may provide. Refunds usually take five to ten business days to appear in your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a refund for the current month if I cancel today?

No. Microsoft does not refund the current billing period. You keep access until that period ends, then the subscription stops renewing. If you were charged in error or the service was unavailable for most of your billing period, contact Microsoft Support to request an exception.

What is the difference between Xbox Game Pass Core and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate?

Xbox Game Pass Core is the basic online multiplayer subscription (formerly called Xbox Live Gold). Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes Game Pass Core plus access to hundreds of games. Both renew automatically and both cancel the same way through your Microsoft account subscriptions page.

Will I lose my games if I suspend instead of cancel?

Yes. During the suspension, you cannot play any Game Pass games. Your saved files stay in your account, so when the suspension ends and your subscription resumes, you can read them again and continue playing.

Can I cancel if I have a balance on my Microsoft account?

Yes. A balance does not prevent cancellation. If you have credit in your account, Microsoft may explore it to your next charge before the subscription ends. You can still turn off auto-renewal whenever you want.

How do I know if my cancellation went through?

Check your email for a confirmation message from Microsoft. You can also go back to your subscriptions page and verify that auto-renewal is listed as "off" or "suspended". If you see "Turn on auto-renewal" as an option, the cancellation worked.