How To Change Email Address on Xbox Account

Change your Xbox account email by adding a new Microsoft account alias, setting it as primary, then removing the old alias.

Your Xbox profile is tied to a Microsoft account. That link is tight: purchases, Game Pass, saves, achievements, and your gamertag all sit under that one sign-in. So when your email needs to change, the goal is simple. Keep the same Microsoft account, then switch the email it uses to sign in and receive mail.

This guide walks you through the clean way to do it, the mistakes that cause lockouts, and the checks that keep your games and subscriptions right where they are.

What Changing Your Xbox Email Means

Most people mean one of two things when they say “change my Xbox email.” The steps depend on which one you want.

Change the sign-in email — You add a new email as an alias on the same Microsoft account, then make it the primary alias.
Change the contact email — You keep sign-in the same, but you update where Microsoft sends receipts, codes, and notices.

In many cases, you can do both in one pass. The part that trips people up is trying to “swap accounts.” You can’t merge two separate Microsoft accounts into one Xbox profile. The safe path is alias-based: one account, new alias.

Changing The Email Address On Your Xbox Account Without Losing Data

Start on a device where you can sign in without drama. A laptop or desktop browser is usually easiest. Make sure you can receive email at the new address before you begin.

Before You Start

Confirm you can sign in — Log in once at Microsoft account alias settings so you know your password works.
Check your account access options — Verify your phone number and backup email are current in your Microsoft account security info.
Update devices that auto-sign in — If your console signs in on power-up, keep it that way until the swap is finished.

Step-By-Step: Add A New Email Alias

Open the alias page — Go to the alias settings page while signed in to the Microsoft account that owns your gamertag.
Add the new email — Choose the option to add email, then enter the email you want to use.
Verify the new email — Microsoft will send a code or link. Complete that step right away so the alias becomes active.

Step-By-Step: Make The New Email Your Primary Alias

Once the new alias is verified, you can set it as primary. That change controls which email appears as the main sign-in name for Microsoft services, including Xbox.

Find the new alias — On the alias list, locate the email you just added.
Set it as primary — Select “Make primary” next to the new alias.
Sign out and sign back in — On your browser and on your Xbox, sign out, then sign in using the new primary email.

Step-By-Step: Remove The Old Email (Only When Ready)

Removing the old alias is optional. Keeping it can be handy if you still receive mail there. If the old email is compromised or you want a clean slate, remove it after you confirm the new one works on all your devices.

Confirm the new email works — Sign in to your Microsoft account and your Xbox profile using the new email.
Check purchases and subscriptions — Open your order history and subscription page to make sure nothing looks missing.
Remove the old alias — On the alias list, select Remove next to the old email.

If Microsoft won’t let you remove an email, it’s often because it is still your primary alias or your only alias. Add a second alias, set a new primary, then remove.

What Changes And What Stays The Same

Switching aliases changes how you sign in, not the identity behind your Xbox profile. Your gamertag, library, and saves stay attached to the same Microsoft account.

Item	Changes After Email Swap	What You’ll Notice
Sign-in email	Yes	You use the new primary alias to log in on console and web.
Gamertag and profile	No	Your gamertag, friends, and achievements remain the same.
Purchases and Game Pass	No	Your library and subscriptions stay with the account.
Receipts and security codes	Maybe	Codes go to your primary alias unless you pick another method.

Common Snags And How To Fix Them

Most email swaps are quick. The problems show up when an account is old, the email is inaccessible, or the console is tied to extra security steps.

I Can’t Access The Old Email

If you can still sign in to your Microsoft account, you can often add a new alias and make it primary even when the old inbox is gone. The challenge is verification. Microsoft may ask you to prove it’s you using a code or a backup method.

Add a phone number — Use SMS verification so you are not stuck waiting on the old inbox.
Use the account regain form — If sign-in is blocked, use Microsoft’s account regain flow and enter accurate account history.
Keep the console signed in — If your Xbox is still signed in, don’t remove it from devices until the new alias is active and verified.

Make Primary Is Missing Or Greyed Out

This is usually a restriction on the type of alias or account. Work and school accounts can have limits. Some aliases also need verification before the button appears.

Verify the alias first — Check that the new email shows as confirmed in the alias list.
Try a different alias type — Adding a new Outlook.com email can work when a third-party email can’t be set as primary for that account.
Switch browsers — A private window or another browser can clear stuck sessions that hide the control.

My Xbox Keeps Signing In With The Old Email

That’s normal right after the swap. Your console often keeps a cached sign-in. A clean sign-out and sign-in forces it to refresh.

Sign out on the console — Go to Profile & system, then sign out from your account.
Restart the console — Power cycle once so the cached token clears.
Sign in with the new email — Use the new primary alias and the same password.

I Changed The Email, Now Two-Step Verification Is Triggering

Security checks can spike after any account identity change. That’s a good thing. It means Microsoft is paying attention to unusual sign-in patterns.

Update your authenticator app — Make sure your authenticator is still linked and working before you remove the old alias.
Refresh trusted devices — Re-approve your Xbox and main phone so they show as trusted for sign-in.
Store backup codes — Save your backup codes somewhere offline so you’re not stuck if your phone is lost.

Changing Email On Child And Family Accounts

If the gamertag belongs to a child account in a Microsoft family group, you still change the email through aliases on that child’s Microsoft account. The parent account can manage some settings, yet the sign-in email is still tied to the child’s own account record.

Sign in as the correct account — Use the child’s Microsoft account credentials when changing aliases.
Keep parent account access info current — Add a parent phone number and a backup method in case the child can’t complete verification.
Check purchase approval settings — After the swap, confirm buy permissions and spending limits still match what you expect.

If you’re doing this for a teen who is about to take over their own login, it can help to add the new alias first, sign in on Xbox with it, then remove the parent-managed email only after a few days of normal use.

After The Swap: Clean-Up Checks That Prevent Headaches

When the new email is primary, take five minutes to run a few checks. These steps catch the issues that show up later, like missing receipts or a stuck device sign-in.

Test sign-in on two devices — Sign in on the web and on your Xbox to confirm the alias is active across services.
Review security info — Confirm your phone, backup email, and authenticator app are current.
Check subscription billing — Confirm Game Pass renewal and payment method details are correct.
Update third-party apps — If you use Discord, Twitch, or game companion apps, re-check account links and permissions.
Save your account notes — Write down the new sign-in email and where you stored backup codes.

When You Should Not Remove The Old Email

Removing an alias is final for many people. If you still use the old inbox, or if it is tied to other logins, it can be smart to keep it on the account as a secondary alias. That way you can still sign in with either email and avoid breaking older sign-in habits.

Keep it if you still get receipts there — You may have old purchase records or service emails landing in that inbox.
Keep it if you share the console — A shared home console can have multiple users who remember the older sign-in.
Remove it if it was compromised — If someone else knows that email and targets it, removing it reduces that attack surface.

Quick Checklist For A Smooth Change

Use this as a final pass before you log out of your old email for good.

Add and verify a new alias — Confirm the new email receives the verification message.
Make the new alias primary — Set it as the first sign-in name on your Microsoft account.
Sign in on Xbox with the new email — Confirm your gamertag and library appear as usual.
Confirm Game Pass and purchases — Check subscriptions and order history.
Update account access methods — Phone number, backup email, authenticator, backup codes.
Remove the old alias only if needed — Do it after a clean sign-in test on web and console.

Once those boxes are checked, you’ve changed the email address on your Xbox account in the safest way: no new account, no lost games, no messy resets.