To enable or disable cross-play, change your Xbox account’s cross-network multiplayer permission, then check the game’s own cross-play setting. On Xbox, the permission is labeled You can join cross-network play. On Windows PC, it is labeled You can play with people outside of Xbox services. Set the relevant permission to Allow or Block in the account’s privacy and online-safety controls.
This account permission does not add cross-play to a game that was not built to support it. A game can also provide a separate in-game switch, and that switch may differ between Xbox consoles, the Xbox PC app, and the Microsoft Store version.
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How Xbox cross-play permissions work
Microsoft treats cross-network play as an Xbox account privilege rather than as one universal console switch. Its technical definition describes the CrossPlay privilege as allowing a player to participate in a gameplay session with real-world users who are not signed in to Xbox services. The permission can cover more than matchmaking: Microsoft lists real-time and turn-based multiplayer, team play, invitations, matchmaking, and joining an ongoing session among the supported uses. Microsoft’s Xbox privilege reference documents the scope.
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- Does the Xbox account allow cross-network participation?
- Does the particular game, edition, and storefront support cross-play and expose a control for it?
Both answers must be yes for cross-play to work. Allowing the account privilege makes participation possible where the title supports it; it does not convert a non-cross-play game into a cross-play game.
What you need before changing the setting
You do not need a special controller, headset, router, or other accessory to change this permission. You need the Xbox account used for multiplayer, a supported Xbox console or Windows PC, and a game whose online service implements cross-network play. The account setting governs permission; the game supplies the actual multiplayer feature and matchmaking rules.
On a PC, pay particular attention to account identity. Windows can have multiple Microsoft identities signed in, while a game may use a separate Xbox profile inside its launcher. Changing the permission for an account that the game is not using will appear to do nothing. Confirm the signed-in profile before troubleshooting the network.
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Use the account’s communication and multiplayer privacy controls. Xbox menu wording can change with console software and account settings, so look for the exact privilege name rather than relying on an old screenshot or a fixed sequence of menu numbers.
- Sign in to the Xbox account that you use for the game.
- Open the account’s Communication & multiplayer privacy controls, or the equivalent online-safety and privacy section.
- Find You can join cross-network play.
- Choose Allow to permit supported cross-network sessions, or Block to prevent the account from joining them.
- Return to the game. If it was already running, quit it completely and launch it again before testing a lobby or invitation.
The Xbox Support pages for cross-play and privacy settings are available at Xbox cross-play support and Xbox online-safety and privacy support. If the labels on your console differ, use the documented privilege name above as the search term in the privacy area.
What Allow does on Xbox
Allow authorizes the account to take part in cross-network activity that the game implements. Depending on the title, that may include being matched with players outside Xbox services, accepting an invitation from another network, joining a session already in progress, or playing a team-based or turn-based mode. The game still decides which of those activities it actually offers.
What Block does on Xbox
Block prevents the account from participating in cross-network sessions covered by that Xbox privilege. It does not necessarily remove every player using a PC from every lobby. “Outside of Xbox services” is an account-service boundary, not a promise that every game will classify every Windows player as a separate platform. A title’s networking service and matchmaking rules determine how players are grouped.
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Enable or disable cross-play on a Windows PC
On Windows, the permission belongs to the Xbox account used by the game. The PC wording is different from the console wording: look for You can play with people outside of Xbox services in the account’s online-safety and privacy controls.
- Identify the Xbox account that the game uses for multiplayer. If several Microsoft or Xbox identities are signed in, changing a different account will not change the game’s permission.
- Open that account’s online-safety and privacy controls.
- Locate You can play with people outside of Xbox services.
- Set it to Allow to enable supported cross-network play, or Block to disable it.
- Close and relaunch the game, then test the multiplayer mode again. A running session may retain the old permission until it reconnects.
The same limitation applies on PC as on Xbox: this is an account-level permission, not a guarantee that every Windows game has cross-play. Microsoft’s PC policy documentation discusses titles that offer cross-platform multiplayer; the title itself remains responsible for implementing and exposing the feature. See Microsoft’s PC Xbox services policy.
Account setting versus a game’s own cross-play switch
A platform permission and an in-game setting operate at different scopes. The account permission can apply across supported Xbox-connected titles, while a game menu normally affects only that title and sometimes only one version of it.
| Control | Scope | Where to find it | Documented label | What it can change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox account permission | Account-wide for covered Xbox services activity | Xbox Communication & multiplayer or online-safety and privacy controls | You can join cross-network play | Whether the account may participate in supported cross-network sessions, including relevant matchmaking, invitations, team play, and ongoing sessions |
| Windows PC account permission | Account-wide for covered Xbox services activity | Xbox account online-safety and privacy controls | You can play with people outside of Xbox services | Whether the account may participate in supported sessions with users outside Xbox services |
| Game-level option | One game, mode, or platform version | The game’s multiplayer, matchmaking, or network settings | Title-specific; wording varies | How that title applies its own cross-play and matchmaking rules |
A title may require the account permission to be allowed and still offer an additional switch such as cross-play on or off. Conversely, a title may rely on the account permission without displaying a separate switch. Do not assume that the presence or absence of a game menu means the Xbox permission is ineffective.
Check the game’s own cross-play controls
After changing the account permission, open the game’s multiplayer or matchmaking settings and look for a cross-play, cross-platform, or cross-network option. The exact control is title-specific, and the available choices can differ by platform and storefront.
Why the platform version matters
Two players can own what appears to be the same game but receive different controls because they are using different PC versions or storefront integrations. A game may expose an in-game switch on a console or one PC release while omitting it from another release.
Example: Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
The official Black Ops 6 cross-play support page describes game-specific cross-play controls and notes that players using the Microsoft Store or Xbox PC app versions do not have access to that title’s in-game cross-play settings. In that situation, changing the Xbox account permission is not equivalent to finding a toggle inside the game. The example also illustrates why instructions copied from another platform version may not match what appears on your PC.
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What cross-play blocking can and cannot guarantee
It can block covered cross-network participation
If the account permission is set to Block, the Xbox service can deny participation in cross-network activity governed by that privilege. That can affect matchmaking, invitations, joining an existing session, and other multiplayer actions when the game routes them through the covered service.
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It cannot force every game into an Xbox-only pool
Games integrate networking and matchmaking differently. Some use Xbox services for identity while applying their own platform groups; others combine several networks under one matchmaking system. Therefore, blocking the permission is not a universal promise that no PC player will appear, nor does it guarantee a specific lobby composition.
It cannot add support to a non-cross-play title
If a game does not support cross-platform multiplayer, setting the account permission to Allow has no effect on that title. You and your friend may still need to use the same supported platform family, edition, or game mode.
Common pitfalls when changing cross-play
- Confusing account scope with game scope: Blocking the Xbox privilege can affect every supported title using it, not just the game you are testing. Use a game-level switch when you want a title-specific change.
- Using the wrong label: Console instructions refer to “You can join cross-network play,” while Windows instructions refer to “You can play with people outside of Xbox services.” They describe the corresponding platform presentation of the privilege.
- Testing an old session: A game already connected to multiplayer may retain its prior authorization. Exit fully, relaunch, and reconnect after changing Allow or Block.
- Assuming a missing toggle is an error: Some games do not expose an in-game switch, and some storefront versions omit controls available on another platform.
- Equating PC with outside Xbox services: A Windows player can be connected through an Xbox-integrated service, while a title can also use separate matchmaking logic. The categories do not always match.
- Copying instructions from another edition: Menus can differ between an Xbox console, the Xbox PC app, and the Microsoft Store release. Verify the edition and storefront before diagnosing a missing setting.
Troubleshooting when the change does not appear
The setting is allowed, but you still cannot join a friend
- Confirm that both players are using accounts with the relevant cross-network permission allowed.
- Check the game’s official multiplayer documentation for cross-play support. The account permission cannot create a feature the title does not implement.
- Look in the game’s own multiplayer settings for an additional switch or a platform-specific restriction.
- Quit and relaunch the game so it requests a fresh multiplayer authorization.
- Verify that the game is signed in to the same Xbox account whose permission you changed.
- Confirm that both players are using compatible editions and modes. A title can support cross-play generally while limiting it to particular versions or playlists.
The game has no cross-play option
That may be intentional. Some titles do not expose an in-game control, and some PC storefront versions omit controls available elsewhere. Use the account-level permission when the title relies on Xbox services, and consult the game’s support documentation for version-specific behavior.
You blocked cross-play but still see players from another platform
First distinguish a PC player from a player outside Xbox services; they are not always the same category. Then check whether the game uses its own matchmaking rules or a separate network service. The Xbox Block setting applies to the cross-network sessions covered by the Xbox privilege, not to every player-identification or lobby rule a game may use.
An invitation or ongoing session fails after you change the setting
Microsoft includes invitations and joining an ongoing session among the activities governed by the privilege. Recheck the permission on the account sending and receiving the invitation, then restart the game on both sides. If the game has its own invite or cross-play restrictions, those rules still apply.
The setting appears correct but the game behaves the same
Check three layers in order: the account permission, the game’s cross-play support, and the current game session. A correct account setting cannot override a title that does not support the feature, and a supported title may still need a fresh launch before it reads the changed authorization.
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Choosing the right setting for common situations
You want to play with a friend on another platform
- Set the Xbox permission to Allow using the Xbox label on console or the PC label on Windows.
- Confirm that the specific game supports cross-play between your two versions.
- Enable the game’s own cross-play option if it provides one.
- Relaunch the game and send or accept the invitation again.
You want to avoid cross-network sessions
- Set the account permission to Block.
- Restart the game before matchmaking.
- If the game still presents a cross-play control, review it as well, because the title may apply additional matchmaking rules.
You want to change only one game
Prefer the game’s own setting when it exists. The Xbox account permission is broader: changing it can affect every supported Xbox-connected title that uses the privilege. A title-specific switch limits the change to that game, but its availability depends on the platform version.
You are switching between Xbox and PC
Use the same Xbox account on both devices and verify the platform-specific wording each time. The labels differ, but the practical decision is the same: Allow participation in supported cross-network sessions or Block it. Then check the game version on each device, since one release may expose controls that another does not.
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Microsoft documents the privilege names and their service meaning, but consumer-facing menu navigation can be revised as Xbox software and account interfaces change. For that reason, use the setting names in this guide as the reliable identifiers and treat the surrounding menu names as labels that may move.
Likewise, a game publisher can change its cross-play implementation, matchmaking pools, or platform-specific controls in an update. If a setting disappears after an update, check the game’s current support page and confirm which storefront or edition you are running before assuming that the Xbox account permission changed.
No separate hardware purchase is required to enable or disable this permission. The meaningful variables are the Xbox account, the platform on which the game is running, and the game’s own cross-network implementation.
The practical rule is simple: Allow the account privilege when you need supported cross-network participation; Block it when you want to deny that participation; and always verify the individual game’s support and controls before interpreting the result.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is cross-play controlled by Xbox or by the game?
Both can matter. Xbox provides an account-level CrossPlay privilege, while each game decides whether it supports cross-platform multiplayer and whether it adds its own switch.
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What is the Xbox setting called?
On Xbox consoles, look for You can join cross-network play in the account’s Communication & multiplayer or equivalent privacy controls. Choose Allow or Block.
What is the Windows PC setting called?
On Windows, look for You can play with people outside of Xbox services in the Xbox account’s online-safety and privacy controls. Choose Allow or Block.
Does Allow make every Xbox game cross-play compatible?
No. Allow only authorizes supported cross-network activity. The game must implement cross-play, and its edition, mode, and storefront may impose additional limits.
Does Block guarantee that no PC player will be in my lobby?
No. “Outside of Xbox services” is not identical to “Windows PC.” A game’s own networking and matchmaking rules determine how players are grouped.
Why can’t I find a cross-play switch in my PC game?
Some titles do not expose an in-game control, and some PC storefront versions omit controls available on other versions. Black Ops 6, for example, documents different control availability for Microsoft Store and Xbox PC app players.
Should I restart the game after changing the permission?
Restarting is a useful troubleshooting step. A running session may retain its earlier authorization until the game reconnects, although the exact behavior is title-dependent.
Can I disable cross-play for just one game?
Use the game’s own cross-play setting when one exists. The Xbox account permission is broader and can affect every supported Xbox-connected title that uses it.
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Set You can join cross-network play to Allow or Block on Xbox, or set You can play with people outside of Xbox services on Windows PC. Then verify the game’s own cross-play support and settings. The account permission enables or denies covered activity; it cannot add cross-play to a game or dictate every lobby’s platform mix.
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