It’s been a great year for Xbox, with quality first-party and third-party games dropping every month. Your account balance won’t take too kindly to constant purchases, so consider sharing your games instead. Figuring out how to game share Xbox games isn’t straightforward, but it can save you a tidy sum over time.
With our helpful guide on how to game share on Xbox consoles, you can keep growing your game collection.
Key Takeaways
- You can share games between Xbox Series X|S consoles and share them with Xbox One players.
- To share games on Xbox, log into another person’s console and set it as your home Xbox.
- You can share digital games and an Xbox Game Pass subscription between consoles.
- While you cannot share Xbox games with a PC, you can share an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription between an Xbox and a PC.
- Only two players can share a digital library of Xbox games at a time.
Regardless of whether you have the latest Xbox Series X|S or an older Xbox One, the steps to sharing games between players are the same. And yes, you can also game share on Xbox Series S and give your games to an older Xbox One.
Whenever you make a purchase, your Xbox is treated as the “home console” and grants access to all accounts signed into your device. Hop onto another Xbox with your details, and your games will travel with you. Remember to only share games this way with friends and family you trust, as it involves sharing account information.
Here’s how to game share on Xbox Series X:
- First, log into the other user’s Xbox console with your Xbox account.
- Do this by pressing the Xbox button, heading to Profile and System, and selecting the “Add New” option.
- Now you’ll have to make this console your home Xbox. Note that this setting can only be changed five times a year.
- To do so, head to Settings and then select “Personalization” from the General menu.
- Here, go to My home Xbox and pick the “Make this my home Xbox” option.
- This will let you access your library of games and DLC from this console.
- Repeat this process on your console with another person’s account to gain access to their games. You can even split EA Play, Xbox Game Pass, and game purchases across accounts and still access them from both consoles.
Can You Play the Same Game When Sharing Games on Xbox?
No, you cannot play the same game at the same time when game sharing on Xbox. Even if you set up the right account, the game will automatically quit for the first user if a new player starts the same game. This can happen instantly, so remember to be in contact with the person you’re sharing games with to avoid losing any in-game progress.
While you cannot share Xbox games with a PC, you can share your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate account with your PC. This will let you gain access to the subscription’s PC titles. Here’s how you can share games across platforms:
- Log in to the Microsoft store with an account that has an Xbox Game Pass subscription already active.
- Now open the Xbox app and sign in with the other account that doesn’t have Xbox Game Pass.
- Head into Settings and then proceed to the Accounts section.
- Pick “Change my Microsoft Store account” and enter the details of the account that already has Xbox Game Pass.
What are the Limitations of Xbox Game Sharing?
Once you figure out how to game share Xbox games, you’ll soon realize that you can only use this method between two accounts. If you want to share them with a third account, you must stop sharing your library with the other person. It’s not too much of a hassle to do this, so you can still grant access to more people if you want to. Share your digital games with people you can trust, as it involves giving the other person your account details. You can’t share a physical copy of a game this way.
The Bottom Line
Sharing Xbox games is a quick way to save a good chunk of money. While it can be a chore to keep hopping between accounts, doing so between a friend’s Xbox or two will let you split the cost of games or a subscription. It’s a great option for single-player games like Psychonauts 2 and Hellblade 2. But if you want to play Space Marine 2 together, you’re better off getting two copies of the game.