You can change the parental age setting through your Xbox account settings online or on your console

The parental age on Game Pass is tied to your Xbox account and controls which games you can see and download. If the age was set incorrectly when your account was created, or if you want to update it, you can change it yourself through your account settings. The process takes a few minutes and doesn't require contacting Xbox support unless your account has additional restrictions.

The age setting affects content filtering across your entire Xbox account — not just Game Pass. Changing it will show or hide games based on rating systems like ESRB (in North America) or PEGI (in Europe). If you're an adult and your account was set to a child's age, you'll immediately see more games available in your library and in the Game Pass catalog after you update it.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your parental age setting by signing into your Xbox account on the web at account.xbox.com and navigating to your profile settings.
  • The age setting controls which games appear in your Game Pass library and catalog, based on content ratings for your region.
  • Changes take effect immediately, but you may need to restart your console or app to see the updated game library.
  • If your account is a child account linked to a parent account, the parent must change the age setting from their own account.

Changing the age setting on the Xbox website

Go to account.xbox.com and sign in with the email and password for your Xbox account. Once you're logged in, look for your profile icon or name in the top right corner and select it. From the dropdown menu, choose Account settings or Profile.

In your account settings, find the section labeled Privacy & online safety or Profile (the exact name varies by region). Look for a field that says Age, Date of birth, or Birth date. Click on it to edit. Enter your correct birth date in the format shown (usually MM/DD/YYYY in North America). After you enter the new date, click Save or Confirm. The system will ask you to verify your change — you may need to re-enter your password or confirm through an email sent to your account address.

Changing the age setting on your Xbox console

If you prefer to make the change directly on your console, press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide. Navigate to your profile icon and select Profile. Choose Settings, then Account, then Privacy & online safety. Select Xbox privacy, then View details & customize.

From there, look for Age or Birth date and select it to edit. Enter your correct birth date and confirm the change. You may be asked to sign in again or verify through email. After you save, restart your console or close and reopen the Game Pass app to see your updated library.

What happens when you change the age setting

Once your age is updated, the content filter adjusts immediately. If you raised your age from a child setting to an adult setting, games that were previously hidden will now appear in your Game Pass catalog and in search results. Games you already own or have installed won't be removed, but you'll see many more titles available to download.

The change applies to all content on your Xbox account — not just Game Pass. Your profile will also show the updated age to anyone who views your public profile, depending on your privacy settings. If you lowered your age setting, some games may become hidden from your library, though they won't be deleted from your console if you already own them.

If your account is a child account

Child accounts on Xbox are managed by a parent or guardian account. If your account is set up as a child account, you cannot change the age setting yourself — the parent account holder must make the change. The parent should sign into their own account at account.xbox.com, navigate to Family settings or Family group, select the child account from the list, and then edit the age or content restrictions from there.

If you don't know who the parent account holder is, or if you believe your account was set up incorrectly, you can contact Xbox Support through their website. They can verify your identity and help you regain control of your account or adjust the settings.

Troubleshooting: the age setting won't change or isn't taking effect

If you've changed your birth date but the Game Pass catalog still shows the old content filter, try signing out completely and signing back in. On console, restart the system entirely rather than just closing the app. On the web, clear your browser cache or try a different browser. Sometimes the change takes a few minutes to sync across all Xbox services.

If the change still doesn't appear after 30 minutes, check that you actually saved the new birth date — sometimes the confirmation step is easy to miss. Go back to your account settings and verify that the date now shows what you entered. If it reverted to the old date, the save didn't go through. If it shows the correct date but your library hasn't updated, sign out of your console completely (not just switching profiles) and sign back in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my age if I'm under 18?

If your account is a child account, no — only the parent account holder can change it. If your account is a standard adult account, you can change it yourself, but Xbox may ask you to verify your identity or confirm the change through email.

Will changing my age delete my games or Game Pass progress?

No. Games you own or have installed stay on your console. Your Game Pass subscription continues. Only the content filter changes, so you'll see different games available in the catalog, but nothing you already have access to is removed.

How long does it take for the age change to show up in Game Pass?

Usually immediately, but sometimes up to 30 minutes. If you don't see new games in the catalog right away, try signing out and back in, or restarting your console. The change syncs faster on the web than on console.

What if I forgot my password and can't sign into my account to change the age?

Go to account.xbox.com and select Can't sign in? You can reset your password using your email address or phone number. Once you've reset it, sign back in and follow the steps to change your age setting.

Does changing my age affect my Game Pass subscription cost?

No. Your subscription price and membership status don't change based on the age setting. The age only controls which games you can see and download.