Console sharing lets other people sign into an Xbox console with their own profile and still play the digital games, add-ons, and Game Pass titles attached to your account, even when you are not signed in yourself. This guide walks you through how to enable console sharing on Xbox app, so household members or flatmates can enjoy your library without needing to buy their own copies. It is aimed at anyone setting up a shared Xbox for the first time, or troubleshooting why a family member cannot see your games.

What you’ll need

  • An Xbox console (Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, or Xbox One) connected to the internet
  • The Xbox app installed on a phone, tablet, or Windows PC, signed into your Microsoft account
  • Administrator access to the console you want to designate as shared
  • An active Xbox Game Pass subscription if you also want to share Game Pass access

Understanding how console sharing works

Xbox calls this feature “home console” sharing. When you mark a console as your home Xbox, that single console is given permission to unlock your purchased games and entitlements for anyone who signs in locally, using their own separate profile. You still need to be signed into that console at least once to activate the sharing, but after that, other profiles on the same box can launch your digital titles as if they owned them. Only one console at a time can be set as your home Xbox, and swapping it to a different console removes the sharing benefit from the previous one.

Steps to enable console sharing through the Xbox app

  1. Open the Xbox app on your phone, tablet, or PC and sign in with the Microsoft account that owns the games or Game Pass subscription you want to share.
  2. Tap your profile picture or gamertag in the corner of the app to open your account menu.
  3. Select the settings or account option, then look for a section related to devices, consoles, or subscriptions linked to your account.
  4. Choose the specific console you want to use as the shared, or “home”, Xbox. This should be the physical console that other people will actually be signing into.
  5. Confirm the option to make this console your home Xbox. You may be asked to sign into that console directly using your account to finalise the change, since some of this process is completed on the console itself rather than purely inside the app.
  6. Once confirmed, other people can create or sign into their own Microsoft account profiles on that same console and access your shared games and apps without extra purchases.

Managing and updating console sharing

  1. To move sharing to a new console, for example after upgrading hardware, open the Xbox app account settings again and select the new device as your home Xbox.
  2. Only change your home console when necessary, since frequent switching can trigger temporary restrictions from Microsoft’s systems designed to prevent misuse of shared licences.
  3. If a household member no longer needs access, simply remove their profile from the console rather than trying to disable sharing entirely, since sharing applies at the console level rather than per person.
  4. Check your subscription and purchase history periodically in the app to confirm which console is currently listed as your home Xbox.

Tips and troubleshooting

  • Make sure the console you are sharing from stays connected to the internet regularly, since Xbox periodically checks connectivity to keep the sharing licence active.
  • If a shared profile cannot see your games, confirm they are signed in locally on the correct console and that the console still shows as your designated home Xbox in the app.
  • Game Pass sharing depends on an active subscription. If it lapses, shared access to those titles will pause until it is renewed.
  • Some games and add-ons purchased through third-party stores or bundled promotions may not be shareable due to licensing restrictions outside Microsoft’s control.
  • If changes made in the Xbox app do not appear to take effect, restart the console and the app, then check the setting again after a few minutes.

Frequently asked questions

Can I share my Xbox games without giving someone my password?

Yes. Once console sharing is enabled, the other person only needs their own Microsoft account profile on the shared console. They never need your password or sign-in details to access your games.

How many people can use console sharing at once?

Any number of separate profiles can be added to the shared console, but only one console can be designated as your home Xbox at a time. Everyone signed into that specific console benefits from the shared library.

Does console sharing work with Xbox Game Pass?

Yes, as long as your Xbox Game Pass subscription stays active. If the subscription ends, shared access to Game Pass titles pauses for everyone using that console until it is renewed.

What happens if I set a new console as my home Xbox?

The previous console loses its sharing privileges once a new one is designated. Only the newly selected console will unlock your purchased games and Game Pass content for other profiles from that point forward.

For the most current menu names and any region-specific changes, it is worth checking the official Xbox support site before making changes, since Microsoft occasionally adjusts how sharing settings are labelled. If you are also setting up a new console around your TV or home entertainment system, it may help to review how to connect your console to a TV correctly before inviting others to use it.