Manage your Windows Live ID

If you receive an invalid email or a password error, you entered an incorrect Windows Live ID email address or password. You may want to check to see if you are using the correct Windows Live ID; to do that, see "Find your Windows Live ID," below. If the Windows Live ID was automatically filled in for you (for example, a parent approving a child’s request) the password you entered is not correct.

If you can’t remember your Windows Live ID password, try resetting your Windows Live ID password. When you visit that website, you will be prompted to select the problem you are having, and you will have several options based on how your account is set up.

If you are not able to reset your password through the website, you can contact Windows Live ID customer support to request a password reset. When you do this, Windows Live ID support will ask for several pieces of information to maintain your account’s security. Complete the form and click Submit, and a support agent will review your request.

Important We regret that Xbox LIVE customer support is unable to assist with resetting Windows Live ID passwords. Please direct your password reset requests to Windows Live ID customer support.

You can find the Windows Live ID associated with your Xbox LIVE account on your console. Here’s how:

1. Sign in using your Xbox LIVE gamertag.
2. Go to Settings, and then select Account.

3. Go to Your Information, and then select Windows Live ID.

The Windows Live ID that is associated with your account is shown.

If you can’t sign in to an Xbox LIVE profile on your console, use the following tips to find your Windows Live ID.

• Go to Windows Live Sign In and try signing in with what you think is your Windows Live ID (email address and password). If you can sign in to Windows Live, go to Xbox.com and try signing in with this same Windows Live ID information. If you’re prompted to create a new gamertag, the Windows Live ID you entered is not associated with an Xbox LIVE Account.
• Check your email accounts for messages regarding your Xbox LIVE Membership (search for messages about Xbox LIVE or Microsoft billing). This may help you determine which email address is associated with your Xbox LIVE membership (email is one part of your Windows Live ID). If you can’t remember your Windows Live ID password, try resetting your Windows Live ID password.

If you still can’t find your Windows Live ID information, contact Xbox Support using the Assistance information at the bottom of this page. You’ll be asked several questions to confirm your identity before your Windows Live ID can be looked up. Please have your payment information (such as the credit card associated with your account) handy before you contact Xbox Support.

Finding your parent Windows Live ID

You can find the parent Windows Live ID associated with your Xbox LIVE account on your console. Here’s how:

1. Sign in using your Xbox LIVE gamertag.
2. Go to Settings, and then select Online Safety.
3. Select an item to change and select Save.
4. You are then prompted for your parent’s permission to make the change. The parent Windows Live ID is displayed on the password entry screen.

Notes

• If you are not prompted for a parent Windows Live ID, your profile is not under parental control.
• If the age set in your Xbox LIVE account is at or above legal adult age for your region (for example, 18 in the United States), you can remove your account from parental control. For more information, see "Promote a child account to an adult account" in Xbox LIVE online safety and privacy.

You can find your child’s Windows Live ID associated with your Xbox LIVE account. Here’s how:

If the gamertag is saved to the console, see “Find your Windows Live ID,” above.

If the gamertag is not saved on the console, follow these steps:

1. Sign out of all profiles.
2. Press the guide button and select download profile.
3. Enter the Windows Live ID and password for the primary account.
4. Select the child account to download.
5. Leave the check mark for “Remember Password” and select Sign in.

You may now view the Windows Live ID by following the steps under “Find your Windows Live ID.”

You can change your Windows Live ID password from your computer or console.

Change your Windows Live ID password (you will need to sign in to your Windows Live ID first).

You can change your Windows Live ID password from your console. You’ll need to have your current password ready and be connected to Xbox LIVE:

1. Sign in using your Xbox LIVE gamertag.
2. Go to Settings, and then select Account.

3. Go to Your Information, and then select Windows Live ID.

4. Select Change Password.
5. Enter your current password, enter your new password twice, and then select Change Now. If you want to save the password so you can use it to sign in to other Windows Live services (such as Windows Live Messenger), select Yes when you are prompted to do so.

You can save your Windows Live ID password on your console so that you can sign in to other Windows Live Services, such as Windows Live Messenger.

If you no longer want to store your Windows Live ID password on your console, you can remove it. Saving your Windows Live ID on your console is not related to signing into your profile or Xbox LIVE gamertag—it only affects Windows Live services such as Messenger. If you remove your Windows Live ID password, you’ll be prompted to enter it when you sign in to Windows Live services on your console.

Note For information on requiring your Windows Live ID password to sign in to your profile, see Password-protect your Xbox LIVE profile.

1. Sign in using your Xbox LIVE gamertag.
2. Go to Settings, and then select Account.

3. Go to Your Information, and then select Windows Live ID.
4. Select Remove Password.

Because your Xbox LIVE gamertag can be downloaded to multiple consoles (for example, your friend’s console as well as yours), you might want to restrict access to your account by requiring a password on some consoles. For more information about this, see Password-protect your Xbox LIVE profile.

You can change the Windows LIVE ID associated with your gamertag. Here’s how:

1. Sign in using your Xbox LIVE gamertag.
2. Go to Settings, and then select Account.

3. Go to Your Information, and then select Windows Live ID.
4. Select Change Windows Live ID.

   Do one of the following:

   • If you have another Windows Live ID, select Yes.
   • If you do not have another Windows Live ID, go to Windows Live Sign In and click Sign up. Once you have another Windows Live ID, select Yes and continue with the next step.

     Note Your Microsoft Points balance will automatically be transferred to the new Windows Live ID.

5. Enter the password for the Windows Live ID that is currently associated with your gamertag, and then select Sign in.
6. Enter the email address and the password for the new Windows Live ID that you want to associate with your gamertag, and then select Sign in.
7. Select Yes, change to change the Windows Live ID associated with your Xbox LIVE account.
8. Select Update Contact Information to update your contact information or Done to finish.

Notes

• When you change your Windows Live ID, your Microsoft Points are automatically transferred to the new Windows Live ID.
• You can make only one Windows Live ID change for a given gamertag every 30 days.
• Before you can change the Windows Live ID associated with a child account, you must provide the Windows Live ID information for the adult account that has parental control.
• You can choose to require input of your Windows Live ID password to sign in to Xbox LIVE. For more information on how to do this, see Password-protect your Xbox LIVE profile.

Switch gamertags between two Windows Live ID accounts

If you try to switch your Xbox LIVE gamertag to a Windows Live ID that is already linked to another gamertag, you will receive this message:

“The Windows Live ID you’re switching to is already linked to another Xbox LIVE account. You must use another Windows Live ID.”

Before you can switch your gamertag in this case, you must first remove the existing gamertag from that Windows Live ID account:

1. Create a new Windows Live ID. You will only need this Windows Live ID as a temporary means of moving your gamertags. After the gamertags have been switched, you will no longer need this Windows Live ID.
   
   Example:
   Gamertag A is linked to Windows Live ID 1.
   Gamertag B is linked to Windows Live ID 2.
   Create a new Windows Live ID: Windows Live ID 3.
   
   
2. Switch the gamertag that is linked to the Windows Live ID you want to use to the new temporary Windows Live ID you just created.
   
   Example:
   Gamertag A remains linked to Windows Live ID 1.
   Switch gamertag B to Windows Live ID 3.
   Windows Live ID 2 is now free.
   
   
3. Switch your gamertag to the Windows Live ID you want to use.
   
   Example:
   Switch gamertag A to Windows Live ID 2.
   Gamertag B remains linked to Windows Live ID 3.
   Windows Live ID 1 is now free.
   
   
4. To complete the swap of gamertags between the two original Windows Live ID accounts, you must wait 30 days. (A gamertag can be switched only once every 30 days.)
   
   Example:
   Gamertag A remains linked to Windows Live ID 2.
   After 30 days, switch gamertag B to Windows Live ID 1.
   Windows Live ID 3 is now free and no longer needed.