You can share Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with up to four other people using Xbox's built-in family group feature

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is designed to work with family groups, which means you can add up to four household members to your account without buying separate subscriptions. Each person gets their own profile, their own game library, and their own save files — they're not borrowing your login. The process takes about five minutes and happens entirely on your console or through the Xbox app.

The catch is that everyone in the family group needs to be on the same home console, or you need to set up that console as your "home Xbox" first. If you're trying to share with someone in a different house, the rules are stricter and involve a workaround that Microsoft doesn't officially support.

Key Takeaways

  • Family group members each get their own profile and can play Game Pass games simultaneously on the home Xbox without needing their own subscription.
  • You set up a family group through Settings on your Xbox console, not through the Game Pass app or website.
  • The person you're adding needs a Microsoft account, but they don't need to own an Xbox or have ever used one before.
  • If the family member is under 18, you'll need to create a child account and link it to an adult organizer account in the family group.
  • Sharing with someone outside your household requires setting your console as your "home Xbox," which limits how many devices you can play on simultaneously.

Setting up a family group on your console

Start on the Xbox console where you want to share Game Pass. Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide, then go to Settings (the gear icon) and select Account. Choose Family settings, then Create a family group. You'll be asked to confirm your Microsoft account password.

Once the family group is created, you'll see an option to Add member. The person you're adding will need a Microsoft account — if they don't have one, they can create it for free at account.microsoft.com. You don't need their password; you just need their email address or phone number associated with their Microsoft account. Send them an invitation, and they'll receive an email asking them to join your family group. Once they accept, they're in.

After they join, they should sign into their own profile on that same console. Game Pass Ultimate will be available to them immediately. They can start downloading and playing any game in the Game Pass library without needing their own subscription.

Adding a child account to your family group

If the person you're adding is under 18, you'll need to create a child account instead of inviting an existing adult account. On your console, go to Settings > Account > Family settings > Add member and select Create a new account. Enter the child's name, birthdate, and email address (or create a new email for them).

The child account will be linked to an adult organizer in the family group — usually you. This means you can set screen time limits, control which games they can play based on rating, and see their activity. The child can still play Game Pass games on the home console, and their progress saves to their own profile.

If the child already has a Microsoft account, you can invite that account to the family group instead of creating a new one. Either way, once they're added, they'll have full access to Game Pass Ultimate on the home console.

Playing Game Pass games on other consoles

Family group members can play Game Pass on other Xbox consoles, but the rules depend on whether you're the account owner. If you own the subscription, you can play on any console where you're signed in. Family members can play on any console, but only if that console is set as your "home Xbox."

To set a console as your home Xbox, sign into it with your account, go to Settings > Account > Personalization > My home Xbox, and select Make this my home Xbox. Now any profile on that console can play your Game Pass games. However, only one person can play at a time on the home console — if you're playing on a different console with your own account, no one else can play on the home Xbox simultaneously.

This is why the home Xbox setup works for households but creates problems for out-of-house sharing. If you set your friend's console as your home Xbox so they can play Game Pass, you can't play on your own console at the same time.

Removing a family member or leaving a family group

If you need to remove someone from your family group, go to Settings > Account > Family settings and select the person's name. Choose Remove from family. They'll lose access to Game Pass Ultimate immediately, but any games they've downloaded will stay on the console until they're manually deleted.

If you're a family member who wants to leave the group, you can do the same thing from your own account settings. You'll need to be signed in as that profile. Once you leave, you'll lose access to Game Pass on any console except the one where you're the account owner.

What happens if you change your home Xbox

You can only have one home Xbox at a time. If you change which console is your home Xbox — for example, if you get a new console and want to make that one your home Xbox instead — the old console will no longer be your home Xbox. Family members on the old console will lose access to Game Pass unless you sign into that console with your own account.

There's a limit to how often you can change your home Xbox. Microsoft allows changes once every three months, so choose carefully if you're switching between multiple consoles. If you need to change it more frequently, you may need to contact Xbox Support.

Game Pass on mobile and PC

Game Pass Ultimate includes access to games on PC and mobile through Xbox Cloud Gaming, but the family group sharing doesn't extend to those platforms. Only the account owner can use Game Pass on PC or mobile. Family members would need their own Game Pass subscription to play on those devices, or they can play on the home console where they have access through the family group.

This is a real limitation if your family members want to play on their own computers or phones. The console sharing works smoothly, but cross-platform sharing requires separate subscriptions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share Game Pass with someone who lives in a different state or country?

Technically yes, but you'd need to set their console as your home Xbox, which means you can't play on your own console at the same time. Microsoft's terms of service say family groups are for household members, so out-of-house sharing isn't officially supported. Many people do it anyway, but it comes with the simultaneous-play limitation.

Do family members need their own Xbox console?

No. They need a Microsoft account, but they can play on a shared console. If they want to play on their own console, you'd need to set that console as your home Xbox. They don't need to own the console — it just needs to be one you have access to.

What if someone in my family group buys a game separately?

They keep it. If a family member buys a game that's not on Game Pass, it stays in their library even if they leave the family group or if you remove them. Game Pass games disappear when they lose access, but purchased games are theirs to keep.

Can I see what games my family members are playing?

Yes, if they're under 18 and you're the account organizer. You can see their activity through family settings. For adult family members, you can't see their activity unless they choose to share it with you through their privacy settings.

What if my family member's account gets hacked?

Remove them from the family group immediately through your Settings. They'll lose access to Game Pass, but they should also change their Microsoft account password and check their account security. Once they've secured their account, you can invite them back to the family group.