Removing an account from an Xbox does not delete it. To remove a profile from one console, use Xbox button → Profile & system → Settings → Account → Remove accounts. To permanently delete the Xbox-associated profile, you must close the linked Microsoft account—which also affects Outlook, OneDrive, Microsoft Store purchases, subscriptions, and other Microsoft services.
Choose the action you actually need
| Your goal | Correct action | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Remove your profile from one Xbox | Remove the account on the console | Deletes the local sign-in from that Xbox only |
| Sell, gift, or recycle the Xbox | Reset the console, then remove the device online | Erases local data and removes the hardware association |
| Stop Game Pass or another subscription | Cancel it or turn off recurring billing | Stops future renewal without deleting your account |
| Delete a saved card | Remove the payment method | Removes stored billing details |
| Permanently leave Xbox and Microsoft | Close the Microsoft account | Starts account-wide deletion after a 30- or 60-day reopening period |
How to remove an account from an Xbox console
- Press the Xbox button on your controller.
- Open Profile & system.
- Select Settings.
- Open Account.
- Choose Remove accounts.
- Select the profile and choose Remove to confirm.
Menu names can vary by Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S model, system update, language, and account state. This procedure removes the profile from that console only. It does not close the Microsoft account, delete the gamertag, erase cloud saves, remove purchases, or affect the account on other Xbox consoles. You can generally add the profile again by signing in.
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How to permanently delete your Xbox account
Xbox profiles use a Microsoft account, so permanent deletion means closing the associated Microsoft account. Use Microsoft’s Close account process:
- Sign in and verify that the correct Microsoft account is selected.
- Read Microsoft’s warnings and complete any security verification.
- Choose a 30-day or 60-day reopening period.
- Select a reason for closing the account.
- Select Mark account for closure.
The account is pending closure during the selected period. Signing in and completing Microsoft’s verification process during that window may reopen it. Once the window expires, Microsoft says the account can no longer be reopened and its data and content are permanently deleted.
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If you recently reset all security information, Microsoft may require a 60-day wait before allowing the account to close.
What happens when you close the Microsoft account?
Closing the account affects more than Xbox. Before proceeding, review anything connected to it, including:
- Xbox profile, gamertag, Gamerscore, achievements, and game-related data
- Digital games, downloadable content, purchase history, and account entitlements
- Game Pass, EA Play, Microsoft 365, and other subscriptions
- Cloud saves and other stored Xbox data
- Outlook email and contacts
- OneDrive files
- Microsoft Rewards points
- Family Safety or family-group relationships
- Account balances, credits, payment methods, and billing information
Microsoft states that Xbox gamertags, Gamerscore, profiles, subscriptions, and purchased content are intended to remain available if the account is reopened during the grace period. Do not assume that purchases, achievements, or a gamertag can be transferred to another Microsoft account after closure.
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Before permanently deleting the account
- Confirm that you have selected the correct Microsoft login; a gamertag is not necessarily the account’s email address.
- Review Services & subscriptions in the Microsoft account dashboard and cancel or disable recurring billing for Game Pass, PC Game Pass, EA Play, and other subscriptions billed by Microsoft.
- Download or preserve important Outlook, OneDrive, Microsoft 365, and game-related data.
- Review purchases, balances, rewards, and family-group responsibilities.
- Remove saved payment methods if appropriate.
Subscription cancellation, payment removal, and account closure are separate actions. Removing a card does not cancel a subscription or settle an outstanding balance.
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Sign in to the Microsoft account dashboard, open Services & subscriptions, and manage the relevant Xbox or Microsoft subscription. Cancellation does not delete your Xbox profile, purchases, or Microsoft account. Refund eligibility is separate and depends on Microsoft’s applicable policy and the purchase circumstances.
How to remove a saved credit card
- Sign in to the Microsoft account.
- Open Payment options.
- Find the payment method.
- Select Remove and confirm.
This removes the stored payment method but does not automatically cancel active subscriptions.
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How to remove an Xbox from your Microsoft account
If you are transferring the hardware but keeping your account:
- Sign in to Microsoft’s devices page.
- Find the Xbox and select Show details, if available.
- Choose More actions → Remove.
- Confirm that the device is ready to be removed.
Removing a device and unlinking it from Microsoft Store device limits are separate operations. Online device changes may not immediately remove a local profile or resolve every licensing issue.
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How to prepare an Xbox for sale, gifting, or recycling
- Synchronize or back up anything you want to retain.
- On the console, use its reset option to erase local data and return it to setup.
- Remove the Xbox from your Microsoft account’s device list.
- Unlink it where applicable.
- Confirm that the next owner sees the initial setup screen.
A factory reset erases data on the console; it does not close your Microsoft account. Do not close the account merely because you are selling one Xbox.
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Child and family accounts
Removing a profile from the physical Xbox is different from removing a member from an Xbox family group. Family-group changes may require the organizer account, and parental consent may need to be removed before a member can be removed. Use Microsoft’s instructions for removing family members. Neither action necessarily closes the child’s Microsoft account.
If you cannot sign in
Microsoft requires sign-in and ownership verification to close an account. If you have forgotten the email address, check old Microsoft receipts, email addresses, and the services where the account was used using Microsoft’s account-identification guidance. If you have lost access to a password, phone, or email used for verification, use Microsoft’s sign-in and recovery tools.
Creating a new Microsoft account will not inherit the old account’s gamertag, purchases, achievements, cloud data, or subscriptions. Microsoft Support cannot simply bypass identity validation or provide account details without proving ownership.
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- Gaming Resolution: 1440p; Performance Target: Up to 120 FP.
- HDMI Features: Auto Low Latency Mode, HDMI Variable Refresh Rate, AMD FreeSync.
Important security note
Microsoft’s Sign out everywhere feature can take up to 24 hours and does not sign you out of an Xbox console. If a console may be accessible to someone else, remove the local profile, change security details, review devices, or reset the console as appropriate. See Microsoft’s sign-out guidance.
Can you recover a closed Xbox account?
Only while the Microsoft account is within its selected 30-day or 60-day reopening period. Sign in and complete the requested security-code process. After that period expires, Microsoft says the account is permanently deleted and cannot be reopened.
Quick Recap
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