Digital Xbox games bought from Microsoft are refunded through the Request a refund for digital games page on Xbox Support, while physical games go back to the store that sold them.
On this page
Below are the routes for digital games, discs bought from Microsoft Store, pre-orders and Game Pass charges, plus how to track the refund and what to do when it stalls.
How to refund digital Xbox purchases online
One web form handles digital games, add-ons, season passes, virtual currency and in-game purchases bought from Microsoft, whether you play them on an Xbox console or a Windows PC.
- Open the Request a refund for digital games page on Xbox Support and sign in with the Microsoft account that made the purchase.
- Find the game or add-on in the list and select Request a refund.
- Give the reason for your request and select Next.
- Check the details and select Submit.
- Allow up to 72 hours for the request to be processed, then check the Refund status tab for the decision.
Online refund requests are not available in every market. If the form is missing for your region, contact Microsoft Sales support instead.
Which Xbox refund route fits your purchase?
| What you bought | Where to ask | What decides it |
|---|---|---|
| Digital game, add-on, season pass or virtual currency from Microsoft (Xbox or PC) | Request a refund for digital games | Microsoft reviews each request; processing can take up to 72 hours |
| Order or pre-order not yet charged | Order history | Select Cancel item before you are charged or before the item ships |
| Digital pre-order already charged but not yet released | Order history | Cancelling processes as a refund |
| Physical game bought from Microsoft Store | Order history | Seal intact, all media and product keys included, within 30 days of purchase |
| Physical game bought from another retailer | That retailer | The retailer's own return policy; Microsoft does not accept these returns |
| Game Pass recurring charge you did not want | Xbox Game Pass | Cancel within 30 days after payment; once per account, per subscription product |
| Prepaid subscription code from a shop | The shop that sold the code | The retailer's return policy |
| Gift card or service/subscription card | Not returnable | Excluded by the Microsoft Store Terms of Sale |
What you need to know about refunds for Xbox games
The Microsoft Store Terms of Sale treat digital games differently from other digital content. Apps, movies and TV shows are final sales, but Digital Game Products have their own refund request process.
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Digital Game Products go through the Request a Refund page | Covers digital games, Xbox apps (not movies and TV apps), digital gaming bundles, season passes, virtual currency and microtransactions on console or PC |
| Single items from within a bundle cannot be returned | A bundle is refunded or returned as a whole, or not at all |
| Refunds go to the original payment option | Money returns to the card or account balance that paid, generally within 3–5 business days of approval |
| Eligible products can be returned for 30 days from the date of purchase | The standard window for a physical game bought from Microsoft Store; certain physical products have an extended return policy |
| Packaged games must be returned with their seal intact | An opened disc is accepted only if you are unsatisfied with the license agreement or warranty and keep no copies |
| Microsoft will not accept returns of products purchased from another retailer | A disc from a high-street or online shop goes back to that shop |
| Gift cards and service/subscription cards are ineligible | Codes such as Xbox Live cards cannot be returned to Microsoft |
| Clearance items marked Final Sale or Non-Returnable are excluded | Check the product page before buying a discounted physical game |
None of this overrides consumer law where you live. In Australia, the Australian Consumer Law applies on top of Microsoft's policy.
Step-by-step process for refunding a physical Xbox game
A disc bought from Microsoft Store goes back through your Microsoft account. A disc bought from GameStop, a supermarket or any other retailer goes back to that store under its own rules.
- Keep the game sealed, with all media and product keys in the box.
- Open your Order history and sign in with the account used for the order.
- Find the game and select Request a return. If the button is not there, the item is not eligible online, or returns are not offered online in your market.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to get a prepaid shipping label.
- Pack the game in its original packaging and send it with the label before the label expires.
- Wait for Microsoft to receive and check the item; the refund is then generally processed within 3–5 business days to the original payment option.
Microsoft credits the full amount you paid, less the original shipping and handling charges. Those charges are not deducted when you return a game because you are unsatisfied with the license agreement or warranty, and you can choose Store credit instead of a refund to your card.
How to cancel an Xbox game pre-order for a refund
A pre-order paid with money in your Microsoft account is charged right away. With any other payment option, a digital pre-order may be charged up to 10 days before the release date, and a physical pre-order is charged when it ships.
- Sign in to your Order history and find the pre-order.
- Select Cancel item next to it, tick the check box, and select the Cancel item button again.
- If you see Cancel instead, select it and follow the instructions on screen.
- Check your inbox for the cancellation email; look in junk mail if it has not arrived after a few minutes.
- If the pre-order was already billed but the game has not released, the cancellation is processed as a refund.
If neither cancel option shows for an Xbox game, you have been billed or the order has shipped. Use the Xbox refund form for a digital game, or return a shipped disc once it arrives.
How to request a refund for an Xbox Game Pass subscription
Recurring billing is on by default for Game Pass. If a renewal went through that you did not want, you are entitled to a refund of the most recent recurring charge if you cancel within 30 days after payment.
- Go to account.microsoft.com/services and sign in with the account that pays for Game Pass.
- Find the subscription and select Manage.
- Select Cancel (on some plans it reads Upgrade or Cancel) and follow the prompts.
- If cancelling does not offer the refund, use the Request a refund link on the Xbox Game Pass page to send the request to Xbox Support.
- If you see Turn on recurring billing instead of Manage, the plan is already set to expire and will not charge again.
This refund right is limited to one time per Microsoft account, per subscription product. Prepaid Game Pass codes bought in a shop follow that shop's return policy, and a Game Pass plan bought through Google Play or the Apple App Store is refunded by Google or Apple.
How to check your Xbox refund status
- For a digital game, open the Refund status tab on the Xbox refund page, or find the item in your Xbox order history; the entry shows the refund status.
- For a returned disc or a cancelled pre-order, open Order history and find the product; it shows the return or refund status.
- For Game Pass, find the subscription in Order history. No refund entry means the charge was outside the refund window or you only turned off recurring billing.
- Once the status says the refund was issued, check your card or account balance after 3–5 business days; some banks take a few days longer.
What to do if Microsoft doesn't refund your Xbox purchase
The refund says issued but the money has not arrived
Your bank or card provider has not finished processing the credit.
- Wait a few more days; refunds are generally processed within 3–5 business days.
- Confirm the refund went to the original payment option, not a different card.
- If nothing arrives after that, contact Xbox Support with the order details.
The Cancel item option is missing on an order
You have already been billed or the order has shipped.
- For a digital Xbox game, submit the Xbox refund request instead.
- For a shipped disc, wait for it to arrive and then select Request a return in Order history.
A disc is missing from Order history or has no Request a return button
The order was placed while signed out, or the item cannot be returned online in your market.
- If the game is not listed at all, use Guest Order Lookup to find an order placed without signing in.
- If the game is listed but Request a return is missing, contact Microsoft Sales support to arrange the return.
You can't return one game from a bundle
Single items from within a bundle cannot be returned.
- Return or request a refund for the whole bundle together.
- Keep the bundle if you want to keep any part of it.
A charge you do not recognize appeared
A family member's purchase, a recurring subscription, a shipped pre-order or an in-game purchase.
- Open Manage your payments in your Microsoft account dashboard and select Investigate.
- Request a refund for an accidental purchase through the same refund routes above.
- If your card details were stolen, tell your bank the card is compromised rather than only disputing the charge.
You were charged twice for the same game or plan
A retried payment after insufficient funds, or another account using the same card.
- Review the last few months of your order history for two charges of the same amount close together.
- If only one charge shows, open Payment options and select Investigate to find other accounts using your card.
- For a true duplicate, contact Microsoft Store Support with your Microsoft account and order number.
Your pre-order was canceled without your request
The payment method could not be authorized at release, for example an expired card.
- Open the pre-order in Order history and select Change how you pay.
- Add a working payment option and re-order before release.
Xbox game refund FAQ
Can you get a refund for a digital Xbox game?
Yes, digital games bought from Microsoft can be refunded through the Request a refund for digital games page on Xbox Support. Sign in, pick the game, give a reason and submit. Microsoft reviews each request and may take up to 72 hours to decide.
How long does an Xbox refund take?
Microsoft may take 72 hours to process a digital refund request. Once a refund is issued, the money generally reaches the original payment option within 3–5 business days, and some banks take a few days longer to show the credit.
Can I return a physical Xbox game to Microsoft?
Only if you bought it from Microsoft Store. Request the return from Order history within 30 days of purchase, and send it sealed with all media and product keys. Microsoft will not accept returns of games bought from another retailer; take those back to that store.
Can I return an opened Xbox game disc?
Usually not. Microsoft Store requires packaged games to come back with the seal intact. The exception is an opened game you are unsatisfied with because of its license agreement or warranty, returned within the return period, with no copies kept.
Can I get a refund for Xbox in-game currency or DLC?
Add-ons, season passes, virtual currency and microtransactions bought from Microsoft count as Digital Game Products. They go through the same Request a refund for digital games page as full games, on console and on PC.
Can I cancel an Xbox pre-order and get my money back?
Yes. Cancel it from Order history in your Microsoft account. If you have not been charged, nothing is billed. If a pre-order was billed but the game has not been released yet, the cancellation is processed as a refund.
Can I get a refund on Xbox Game Pass?
Yes, for the most recent recurring charge, if you cancel within 30 days after payment. This applies one time per Microsoft account, per subscription product. Prepaid Game Pass codes bought in a shop follow that shop's return policy instead.
Where does an Xbox refund go?
Refunds go back to the original payment option used for the purchase, such as the credit card or Microsoft account balance. For physical returns, Microsoft credits the full amount paid, less the original shipping and handling charges, and you can choose Store credit instead.
Can I return an Xbox gift card?
No. The Microsoft Store Terms of Sale list gift cards and service or subscription cards, such as Xbox Live cards, as ineligible for return or refund unless the law where you live says otherwise.
