What changing your home Xbox actually does
Your home Xbox is the console in your household that shares games and Game Pass with other accounts on that same console. When you change your home Xbox, you're telling Microsoft which device should have that sharing ability. Only one Xbox per account can be set as home at a time, and changing it takes about five minutes.
The reason you might need to change it: you got a new console and want to move the sharing role to that one, or you're troubleshooting why games aren't showing up on a second device in your house. The process is the same either way — you sign in, navigate to settings, and flip the designation from one console to another.
Key Takeaways
- Your home Xbox shares your games and Game Pass with other accounts on that console, but only one console per account can hold this role.
- To change your home Xbox, sign in to the console you want to make home, go to Settings, select System, then Console Info and Updates, and choose Make This My Home Xbox.
- After you change it, the old home Xbox stops sharing your games with other accounts, so anyone using a different account on that console will lose access to your library.
- You can change your home Xbox as often as you need to, but Microsoft tracks the pattern and may temporarily lock you out if you change it too many times in a short period.
- If you no longer own a console you previously set as home, you can remove it from your account through the Xbox website without needing the physical device.
How to set a new home Xbox from the console itself
The fastest way is to do it directly on the Xbox you want to make home. Sign in with your Microsoft account on that console. Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide, then navigate to Profile & System in the top right.
From there, select Settings, then System, then Console Info and Updates. You'll see an option that says Make This My Home Xbox — select it and confirm. The console will process the change, and you're done. Your account's games and Game Pass are now tied to this device for sharing purposes.
The whole process takes under a minute once you're in the settings menu. If you don't see the option, make sure you're signed in with the account that owns the games or Game Pass subscription you want to share.
What happens to your old home Xbox when you change
The console you previously set as home stops being your home Xbox immediately. This means other accounts on that console can no longer play your games or use your Game Pass subscription. If someone in your household was using your library on that old console, they'll lose access to those titles right away.
The old console itself still works fine — it's just no longer designated as home for your account. If you want to play your own games on it, you can still do that by signing in with your own account. But anyone else using a different account on that console will see only the games they own themselves.
This is why it's worth telling household members before you change your home Xbox, especially if they regularly play games from your library.
Changing your home Xbox through the Xbox website
If you can't access the console itself — maybe you sold it, gave it away, or it's not working — you can change your home Xbox through the Xbox website instead. Go to xbox.com, sign in with your Microsoft account, and navigate to your Profile.
Look for Settings, then find Devices and connections. You'll see a list of consoles linked to your account. Select the one you want to make home, and choose Make This My Home Xbox. The change takes effect immediately, even if that console is turned off or across the country.
This method is especially useful if you're trying to remove a console you no longer own from your home Xbox role. You don't need the physical device present to make the change.
Why Microsoft might temporarily lock you out of changing home Xbox
If you change your home Xbox too many times in a short period — typically more than a few times per month — Microsoft may temporarily prevent you from making another change. This is a security measure to stop account theft or unauthorized access. The lockout usually lasts a few weeks.
If you hit this limit, you'll see a message saying you can't change your home Xbox right now and when you'll be able to try again. There's no way to speed this up, so plan your changes carefully if you're troubleshooting or testing different setups. If you genuinely need to change it sooner, contact Xbox Support through the website and explain your situation — they can sometimes override the restriction.
Troubleshooting: games not showing up after you change home Xbox
After you set a new home Xbox, give the console 10 to 15 minutes to sync with Microsoft's servers. Sometimes games take a moment to appear in the library of other accounts on that console. If they still don't show up after that, restart the console completely — hold the power button for 10 seconds until it shuts down, wait 30 seconds, then turn it back on.
If games still aren't visible, make sure you actually completed the home Xbox change. Go back to Settings, System, Console Info and Updates, and verify that Make This My Home Xbox is no longer available as an option — if it is, the change didn't stick. Try the process again.
Another common issue: you're signed in with the wrong account. Remember, the account that owns the games or Game Pass needs to be the one that sets the home Xbox. Other accounts on that console will see the shared library, but the owner's account is what matters for the setup.
Moving your home Xbox to a different console in your house
If you have two or more Xbox consoles at home and want to move the sharing role from one to another, the process is straightforward. Sign in to the console you want to make home, go through Settings as described above, and select Make This My Home Xbox. That's it — the old one automatically loses the designation.
This is useful if you upgraded to a newer model and want to keep your old console as a secondary device. You can still play your games on the old console by signing in with your own account, but other household members will only see their own libraries unless you set that console as home for their accounts too.
Each account can have a different home Xbox if you want. For example, your account's home Xbox could be the living room console, while your partner's account has the bedroom console set as home. This gives each person's games to the whole household on their respective devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have two home Xboxes at the same time?
No. Each account can designate only one console as home at a time. If you set a new home Xbox, the previous one automatically stops being home. You can change which console is home whenever you want, but you can't have two active simultaneously.
What if I change my home Xbox and then want to change it back?
You can change it back anytime, as long as you haven't hit the temporary lockout limit. Just sign in to the original console, go to Settings, and select Make This My Home Xbox again. The change takes effect immediately.
Do I lose my games if I change my home Xbox?
Your games stay in your account no matter which console is home. What changes is who can play them on each console. On your new home Xbox, other accounts can play your games. On the old one, only your account can play them.
Can I change my home Xbox if I'm not at home?
Yes. You can change it through the Xbox website from anywhere, even if the console is off. You don't need to be physically present or have the console turned on.
What happens if I sell my Xbox — do I need to change my home Xbox first?
You should remove it from your account before you sell it. Go to xbox.com, sign in, navigate to your devices, and remove the console from your account. This prevents the new owner from accessing your games or Game Pass. You can also set a different console as home at the same time.