Game sharing is an incredibly handy little feature that you can access on your Xbox. It allows not only you, but also anyone else in your household, to access and play games that you’ve downloaded on your principal console.
Of course, you’ll want to know how to enable such a useful feature, and we’ve got some good news on that front. Enabling game sharing on your Xbox is easy, so here’s how you can make sure anyone else in your household can enjoy the games you love!
Setting up game sharing on Xbox consoles
The process for setting up Xbox game sharing really couldn’t be easier. All you need to do is assign an Xbox console as your “home Xbox”, and game sharing will automatically be enabled.
First, head to your Xbox’s settings menu. There, you’ll find all kinds of useful options, but the one we want is under General, then Personalisation.
You should see an option there marked “My home Xbox”. This, as you might imagine, will allow you to change your home Xbox and assign a different console as your primary gaming driver.
If you only play games on one Xbox, then your console should already be marked as your home machine. If, however, you have more than one Xbox that you play games on, you may need to select “Make this my home Xbox”, which will…well, you get the idea.
It’s possible to change your home Xbox five times within one year. Once that year is up, you’ll get five more switches, but you can’t contact Xbox to get any more, unfortunately.
What can be played using Xbox game sharing?
Xbox game sharing is great if you’ve got a housemate or family member who wants to try out a game you’ve bought. Games and DLC can be enjoyed by other users on your Xbox via game sharing, even if those users haven’t purchased those games. Not bad, right?
There are, of course, things that can’t be shared using Xbox game sharing as well. Some items, like Minecraft Coins or pre-order bonuses, can’t be shared between accounts. It’s not always easy to know exactly what can and can’t be shared, so the best way to find out is simply by testing out whether a second account has access to those items or not.
What if Xbox game sharing isn’t working?
If a second user can’t access Xbox game sharing, then there are some troubleshooting tips you can try to remedy the situation.
- Restart your Xbox fully. Power down your Xbox completely – don’t just leave it in sleep mode – and power it back on. This should hopefully fix your game sharing problem.
- Clear your Persistent Storage cache. You can achieve this by heading over to Settings, then Devices and Connections. From there, you’ll see an option corresponding to your console’s Blu-ray drive. Select that option, then “Persistent Storage”, and finally “Clear Persistent Storage”.
- Contact Xbox support. If the above options don’t work, then you may need to contact Xbox support for further assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I enable game sharing on my Xbox?
A: To enable game sharing, you need to set your Xbox as your “home Xbox.” Go to the settings menu, navigate to General, then Personalisation, and select the “My home Xbox” option. If you use multiple Xbox consoles, choose the one you want to be your primary console with “Make this my home Xbox.” This setup allows others in your household to access and play games you’ve downloaded.
Q: Can I change which Xbox is my home console?
A: Yes, you can change your home Xbox up to five times within a single year. Once you’ve reached this limit, you’ll have to wait until the year is up to get five more switches. Remember, these changes can’t be reset by contacting Xbox support.
Q: What can be shared through Xbox game sharing?
A: With Xbox game sharing, anyone using your home console can play the games and DLC you’ve purchased. However, certain items like Minecraft Coins or pre-order bonuses may not be shareable. The best way to determine what can be shared is to test whether a second account can access specific items.
Q: What should I do if Xbox game sharing isn’t working?
A: If you’re experiencing issues with game sharing, try these troubleshooting steps: fully restart your Xbox by powering it down completely and then turning it back on. If that doesn’t work, clear your Persistent Storage cache by going to Settings, then Devices and Connections, and under your console’s Blu-ray drive options, select “Clear Persistent Storage”. If these steps don’t resolve the issue, contacting Xbox support is the next recommended action.
