Change your Xbox email through your Microsoft account settings
Your Xbox account runs through Microsoft, so you change the email address by logging into your Microsoft account online, not through the Xbox console or app. Go to account.microsoft.com, sign in with your current email and password, select "Your info" or "Account", then find the email section. You can add a new email address there, make it your primary contact email, and remove the old one — but Microsoft requires you to verify the new email before you can remove the old one.
The process takes about five minutes if you have access to both your current email and the new email address you want to use. You will receive a verification code at the new address, and you enter that code to confirm the change. After that, you can sign into Xbox with either email address for a short period, then only the new one will work.
If you cannot access your current email anymore, the process is slower. Microsoft will ask you to verify your identity through other methods — usually a phone number on file or answers to security questions — before letting you change the email. This can take a few hours to a few days depending on how quickly you respond.
Key Takeaways
- You change your Xbox email by going to account.microsoft.com and updating your Microsoft account, not through Xbox settings.
- Microsoft requires you to verify your new email address by entering a code sent to it before the change takes effect.
- If you no longer have access to your old email, Microsoft will ask you to prove your identity through a phone number or security questions before allowing the change.
- After you change your email, both addresses work for a short time, then only the new one will sign you into Xbox.
- You can add multiple email addresses to your Microsoft account, but only one can be the primary contact email for your Xbox.
Step-by-step process on a computer or phone browser
Open a web browser and go to account.microsoft.com. Sign in with the email address and password you currently use for Xbox. Once you are logged in, look for a section called "Your info", "Account", or "Personal info" — the exact name depends on which version of the Microsoft website you see, but it is usually near the top of the page or in a menu on the left side.
Find the email section. You should see your current email address listed. Select the option to add a new email or edit your email. Enter the new email address you want to use. Microsoft will send a verification code to that new address — check the inbox (and spam folder) for an email from Microsoft. Copy the code and paste it into the box on the Microsoft website to confirm you own that email address.
Once the new email is verified, you can set it as your primary email. Then you have the option to remove the old email address from your account. If you want to keep both emails attached to your account, you can do that too — some people do this as a backup in case they lose access to one.
What to do if you cannot access your old email anymore
If your old email account no longer exists or you have lost the password, you cannot receive the verification code Microsoft normally sends. Instead, go to account.microsoft.com and try to sign in. Microsoft will detect that you cannot access the email and will offer alternative ways to prove who you are.
These alternatives usually include a phone number you registered with your account, a recovery email address you set up years ago, or security questions you answered when you created the account. Microsoft will ask you to verify through one of these methods. This process can take longer — sometimes a few hours, sometimes a day or two — because Microsoft reviews your answers to make sure you are really the account owner and not someone trying to break in.
If you do not remember the answers to your security questions or no longer have access to the phone number on file, contact Microsoft Support directly. They can verify your identity through other means, such as asking about your purchase history or previous sign-in locations. This is the slowest route but works if you have no other way to prove ownership.
Changing email on Xbox console or mobile app
You cannot change your email directly from the Xbox console or the Xbox mobile app. These devices let you sign out and sign back in with a different email, but they do not have a settings menu for changing the email attached to your account. The email change must happen on the Microsoft website.
If you want to use a different email on your Xbox console, you can sign out of your current profile, then sign in again with the new email address. However, this does not change the email on your account — it just signs you in with a different email. Your original account still exists with its original email. To actually change the email on your account, you must use the Microsoft website as described above.
What happens to your games and settings after you change your email
Your games, achievements, Game Pass subscription, and all other account data stay with your account. Changing the email does not affect any of this. You will still see all your games, your friends list, your saved games, and your purchase history after the email change goes through.
If you have multiple Xbox profiles on your console, changing the email on one profile does not change the email on the others. Each profile is a separate Microsoft account with its own email address. If you want to change the email on a different profile, you have to go through the same process for that account separately.
Removing an old email address from your account
After you add a new email and verify it, you can remove the old email from your account. Go back to account.microsoft.com, sign in with your new email, go to your account info, and find the email section. You should see both email addresses listed. Select the old email and choose "Remove" or "Delete".
Microsoft requires that your account always have at least one email address, so you cannot remove your only email. If you have only one email on your account right now, you must add and verify a new email before you can remove the old one. Once the new email is verified and set as primary, the old one can be removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my Xbox email on the console itself?
No. You must change it on the Microsoft website at account.microsoft.com. The Xbox console and app do not have an email-change option. You can sign out and sign in with a different email, but that does not change the email on your account.
What if I forget the password to my current email?
You can still change your Xbox email if you have another way to verify your identity with Microsoft — a phone number on file, a recovery email, or answers to security questions. If you have none of these, contact Microsoft Support and they can help you regain access to your account.
Will I lose my games if I change my email?
No. Your games, achievements, Game Pass, and all other data stay with your account. The email is just the way you sign in. Changing it does not affect anything you own or have earned.
How long does it take for the email change to go through?
If you have access to both your old and new email addresses, the change takes about five minutes. If you need to verify your identity another way, it can take a few hours to a day or two depending on how quickly you respond to Microsoft's requests.
Can I have two email addresses on one Xbox account?
Yes. You can add multiple email addresses to your Microsoft account and keep them all active. However, only one can be your primary contact email. You can sign in with any of them, but Microsoft will use the primary email for account recovery and notifications.