Xbox 360 Digital Rights Management

Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology is used by content providers, such as Xbox LIVE, to control how digital game and video files are used and distributed. Xbox LIVE stores sell and rent DRM-protected videos, games, and add-in content that are covered by media usage rights that allow specific uses of that content.

When you purchase content, you receive a license to use that content. The license has two parts: the system license and the local license. The system license applies to the gamertag that purchases the content, and the local license applies to the console where you first downloaded the content.

You can transfer content licenses from one console to another once every four months.

If your console was recently repaired, or if you’ve purchased a new console, use the license transfer option on your console to transfer content licenses. Here’s how:

1. On your console, sign in to Xbox LIVE using the gamertag that you used to purchase the content.


2. Go to the Settings, and then select Account.


3. Go to Your Billing Options, and then select License Transfer.


4. Follow the on-screen instructions to transfer the content licenses.

After the licenses are transferred, you need to download the content again to update the local licenses. This way the content can be used by other profiles on your console and when you’re not connected to Xbox LIVE.

For information about how to download previously purchased content, please see Buy and redownload content from Xbox LIVE.

Protected content is any game, video, or add-in that uses DRM protection. To play a protected game, video, or add-in, you must have the media usage rights for that content.

Examples of protected content

• Games


• TV shows


• Movies


• Music videos


• Game add-in content

A license is another name for media usage rights.

When you try to use a protected game, video, or add-in, the Xbox 360 console checks whether you have a valid license for that piece of content. If the media usage rights allow you to use the content, the Xbox 360 console plays the content or allows use of the add-in.

If the Xbox 360 console does not find valid media usage rights for the content or if the rights do not let you perform the action, your Xbox 360 console does not perform the action. Typically, you receive an error message that states why the action is not performed.

Licenses are automatically acquired when you download content. If a license is missing or has become corrupted, you can access the download history on your Xbox 360 console and redownload that content to reacquire a license. This process refreshes existing licenses and does not transfer licenses to a new console, unless the license transfer tool was used first.

The term “roaming” refers to using content that you purchased on one Xbox 360 console on another Xbox 360 console. For example, you may download a game from Xbox LIVE Games store to your Xbox 360 console. You may then take the hard drive that contains that game and attach the drive to another console. When you attach the hard drive and sign in to Xbox LIVE, you can play the game without any restrictions.

Note For such roaming to be allowed, you must be connected to Xbox LIVE by using the profile that purchased the content so that the usage rights can be verified.

Follow the troubleshooting steps on this page: Can’t play downloaded Xbox LIVE content.