How To Close An Xbox Account Of A Deceased Family Member?

Unfortunately, sometimes we need to deactivate or close our loved one’s Xbox account who are no longer with us.

This can be tricky if you don’t know how to do it. So, here is a detailed guide on how to close an Xbox account when someone dies.

What Do You Need To Close An Xbox Account Of A Dead Xbox Account Owner?

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When a Microsoft account owner dies, their account can be deleted permanently.

If an account remains inactive for over 2 years, it will automatically be deleted.

But to delete accounts manually, you need the password of the account.

Microsoft’s privacy and legal rules & regulations will not provide any information related to the abandoned account.

So, you cannot delete a deceased person’s account without a password upon request.

Here are the information you need to close the Xbox account of a deceased person:

The account user’s full name.

The email ID of the deceased user.
The account password.
A photo ID proof of you and the deceased person if needed.

To protect an account from accidentally being closed, Microsoft may ask you to prove your identity.

Can You Delete An Xbox Account Without Deleting The Microsoft Account?

No, you cannot. This was possible before 2008, but now you cannot do so. The Microsoft account and Xbox account are linked and are the same, so you cannot delete only the Xbox account.

How To Close An Xbox Account Of A Deceased Member?

When you close a Microsoft Account, it does not cancel any subscription associated with it.

So, I will first show you how to cancel the subscription and then close the Xbox account.

1) How To Cancel Xbox Account Subscription?

To cancel the subscriptions associated to the Microsoft account, follow the steps given below:

Click on the profile icon and select the My Microsoft Account option.

Next, click on Services & Subscriptions option and enter the account holder’s password if prompted.

Click on the cancel automatic payment option and select Continue.
Complete the survey and finally select the Return to your account option.

2) How To Delete A Microsoft Account?

Follow the guidelines provided below to delete a Microsoft account:

Visit here and log in with the account holder’s credentials.
Check if the page is displaying all the correct information about the member. If yes, then click on the Next button.

Read & check the boxes from the next page to ensure that you have gone through each point.

Click on the drop-down button to select a reason for the closure of the account.

Finally, click on the Mark account for the closure option.

Microsoft will wait for 60 days before permanently closing the account. During this time, one can sign back in to reactivate the account.

During these two months, the account is marked for closure, but it will still exist.

But after the time ends, you will not be able to access the services. All the downloaded content, games, and applications will get lost.

Also read: Xbox Music Streaming; How To Access OneDrive Music On Xbox?

Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]

How do you close a Microsoft Account when someone dies?

To close a Microsoft Account when someone dies, click here and sign in to the member’s Microsoft account. Click on the Next button and check the boxes from the next page.

Select a reason why you want to close the account and then click on the Mark account for closure option.