How to request an Xbox refund

Did you buy the wrong game or want your money back for an Xbox subscription? Here’s what to do.

Digital buyer’s remorse can happen remarkably quickly. Maybe a game looked much better in the trailer, you bought the wrong edition, or you finally noticed that subscription renewing quietly in the background.

Fortunately, an Xbox purchase isn’t always a one-way ticket. Microsoft accepts refund requests for digital games, apps, add-ons, and certain other eligible purchases, while Xbox subscriptions have their own cancellation and refund process. There are conditions, however, and buying something by accident doesn’t automatically put the money back in your bank account.

You don’t need to search your Xbox dashboard for a hidden refund menu. Digital game refund requests are processed through Xbox Support Online.

1. Go to Xbox Support Request a refund for digital games page and log in.
2. Select the game or other eligible purchase you want to refund.
3. Choose Request a refund.
4. Give Microsoft the reason for the request, then select Following.
5. Check that everything is correct and select Submit.

If Xbox approves the refund and begins processing it, you will also lose access to the digital gaming product.

Now this is where things become less automatic.

Xbox says refunds for digital games are typically issued if the request is made within 14 days of purchase and the player has not accrued a “significant amount” of play time. Microsoft does not specify exactly what is considered significant, so there is no published time count that guarantees your refund will be issued.

The 14-day guideline is also not the absolute end of the road. Xbox allows game refund requests to be submitted within 90 days of purchase, although Microsoft makes clear that not all requests will be accepted and may impose limits on the number, type, or monetary value of refunds given to an individual buyer in a year.

The policy covers Microsoft Store digital game offerings, Xbox apps (excluding movie and TV apps), digital game bundles, durable gaming content, and certain consumable content. Most in-game consumables and virtual currency are no longer refundable once purchased or used.

Pre-orders get their own little escape hatch. Xbox says you can cancel a digital game pre-order through your order history up to 10 days before launch; Once billed, you may need to request a refund.

Microsoft makes this slightly more complicated than it needs to be. Turning off recurring billing stops the next charge, but your subscription remains active until the end of the paid period. If that’s all you’re looking for, you can cancel or downgrade your Xbox Game Pass subscription to prevent future payments.

Getting a refund for the last processed payment has a few additional rules. Per Microsoft’s standard policy, a subscription may be eligible for a refund within 30 days of the original purchase or before the first recurring billing date, whichever comes first. The most recent recurring charges may also be considered if you cancel within 30 days of payment, although Microsoft limits this refund right to one time per account for each Xbox subscription product.

If you are eligible, Microsoft will offer the option to cancel immediately with a refund. But remember that prepaid codes follow the retailer’s return policy, while some countries have additional pro-rated refund rights.

Xbox refunds are not instant. Microsoft says it can take up to 72 hours to process the request itself. If the refund is processed, the money is usually returned to the original payment method within three to five business days, although the bank or payment provider may take longer to send it.

So, if Microsoft is already showing the refund as issued and your balance still appears unchanged, the bank is the next place to check rather than initiating another refund request. Microsoft specifically asks customers to allow a few days for the payment provider to process an issued refund.

A denied request works differently. Xbox says you can appeal by responding to the email with its decision, but you can’t resubmit the exact same refund request through the refund page.