If you buy an Xbox One console, game, or accessory from another retailer, such as Argos or Currys, then you need to follow their own return processes. This guide tells you what to do about returning Xbox products to Microsoft.
Xbox One Game Returns
You can only get refunds from Microsoft for Xbox One games and apps if you bought them from the Microsoft digital store. You have 14 days to return a game or an app for a refund after purchasing it. Microsoft only allows refunds if you try out the game first. So, unlike the PlayStation store, you can play up to 2 hours of a game before requesting to return it to Microsoft. It must be at least 1 full day after the release date for the game. Microsoft will block Xbox users from the digital store if they try to abuse this self-service refund system. That means you cannot keep using it for 2-hour demos before getting a refund. If your return qualifies then they will refund you in 3-5 days.
Xbox One Pre-Order Returns
You can cancel an order, or an item within an order, before Microsoft bills you or ships the item. These will usually count as pre-orders, since Microsoft fulfils orders very quickly otherwise. Once payment is taken and the product is available to you, you will have to follow the self-service returns process. Ahead of the release of the item, you can amend your order to cancel it in part or in full. You must do this through your Microsoft account. Microsoft should send you an e-mail confirming the cancellation and that they will be issuing a refund. If the “Cancel Item” option is not there next to the product in your order history, then it may be too late to cancel. It will no longer be a pre-order.
Xbox One Subscription Returns
If you have a subscription with Microsoft, such as Xbox Live or Xbox Game Pass, then you will have to cancel this through your account if you no longer want to use it or pay for it. You should be able to cancel for a pro-rata refund within the first 14 days of the subscription. This means that you will still pay for using it, but you can get a refund for the remainder of the billing period. After this, you can cancel your subscription, but you will not get a refund. You can keep using the service until the subscription expires at the end of the billing period that you have paid for. Even if you cancel, Microsoft may still charge you if the subscription fee was past due. You can try contacting Microsoft to ask for a refund if you were unable to turn off autorenewal. They may refund you if you haven’t used the service.
How to Request an Xbox One Refund from Microsoft
Sign into your account and view the “Order history” page under “Payment & Billing” to find your Xbox One purchase. There should be an option to either “Request a return” or “Request a refund” next to it if the purchase is eligible for a refund. If it is a physical product, then you will have to return it to them and wait for them to inspect it. Otherwise, you should receive a refund fairly quickly and no longer have access to the digital product you wanted to return. It may be necessary to verify the reason for the refund by filling out a form or speaking to a Microsoft representative about it. They should contact you within 72 hours to confirm your identity and the circumstances if this is the case.
Xbox One Microsoft No Refunds Policy
Sometimes, you will not be able to return an Xbox product to Microsoft for a refund. For example, to return a game, you must play it first to show that you tried it out, but if you accrue 2 or more hours of gameplay across all of your connected Microsoft accounts then you will not be entitled to a refund. Items like season passes and add-ons are not eligible for a self-service refund at all. Downloadable content is normally not returnable, as you can only get a refund for the base game. In some cases, you may not have the option to request a self-service refund. You would have to contact Xbox and Microsoft customer services to explain. Remember they can block you for doing it a lot.
