How to Game Share on Xbox One, X, and Series S [Easy Way]

Ask any Xbox owner, and they’ll tell you that gameshare is one of the best features the console offers. It was first implemented by Xbox One, allowing players to extend their libraries through a quick and entirely free process.

But what exactly does this feature do? How to game share an Xbox library from your console? And are there any restrictions?

Let’s answer these and many other questions in this Xbox gameshare guide.

What Is Gamesharing on Xbox?

Put shortly, gamesharing is a feature that lets you share any downloadable content with a friend or engage in the one they shared with you.

Regardless of whether you want to give them access to your Xbox Live Gold benefits or Xbox Game Pass, this is the feature to use. Essentially, it gives two users privileges from a single purchase.

While it may seem like sharing Xbox One games isn’t allowed, it’s a legit feature offered by the console. It’s a great way to cut the cost of buying new games and still access a bunch of titles from your console.

What You Should Know Before Gamesharing?

It’s important to remember that you can only gameshare with one person at a time. You can change your partner for this feature up to five times per year. Once you change them five times, you have to wait for the annual cycle to roll out before you can do it again.

Another thing to point out is that the Xbox game share feature only supports sharing digital video game copies. Only one user can play a physical copy of a game they own.

Last but not least, keep in mind that Microsoft could block this feature at any point. It has allowed it in the past, but there’s always a chance it might not be available in the future. Therefore, it’s a good idea to split any purchases evenly, just in case.

What Will You Share?

In order to gameshare with someone, you have to share your account info, and the other party has to do the same. This means that among other things they will be able to make purchases from your account. This is why you probably shouldn’t use this feature with just anyone and only give access to your content to real friends.

Also, as mentioned above, the gameshare feature only supports digital copies of games. However, this excludes some titles. For example, trials that are a part of EA Access aren’t available with this feature.

How to Gameshare on Xbox?

The good news is that game sharing on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Series S is rather simple.

In this section, I’ll discuss how to share your library with a friend. If you want to exchange games from both yours and their consoles, repeat the entire process on their device.

Also, before you start, both you and your friend need to access each other’s system and exchange information such as emails and passwords associated with your accounts. Keep in mind that this is the sort of information you should only exchange with people you trust.

From here, the process of enabling the Xbox game share function involves several simple steps:

• Step one - Navigate to the icon at the top left of your home screen and select the user account menu. Once you do that, select Add New and add both accounts to your device.
• Step two - The next step involves making your gameshare partner’s console your Home Xbox. To do that, select Settings > Personalize > Make Home Xbox.
• Step three - Register that system as your default device; you’ll receive a message saying that your gameshare partner can now play your games without having to sign in as you.
• Step four - Lastly, go to My Games & Apps and select Ready to Install.
• Step five - Now that you know how to game share Xbox games, repeat the process on the other person’s console.

Once you’ve done everything listed above, it’s time for your gameshare partner to check their console and see if they can access games from your library.

In case you find Xbox game share not working, check whether you’ve performed the right steps.

How to Remove Someone From Gamesharing?

If for any reason, you want to remove someone’s access to your games, all you have to do is set the console you’re currently using as your Home console. While your games will remain installed on their console, they won’t be able to access them through Xbox share play.

Just keep in mind that if you’re both using the same console, they’ll still be able to access the game.

Wrap Up

This lesser-known feature is easy to enable and has the potential to save you large amounts of money on new games. Since it doesn’t include breaking any rules, there’s no reason not to take advantage of it.