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Buy or redownload content from Xbox LIVE

Overview

You can download new games, add-ons for your favorite games, avatar accessories, music, and videos from Xbox LIVE.

Experiencing a problem buying, downloading, or using Xbox LIVE content? See the following pages:

Want to transfer content from one Xbox 360 console to another? See Xbox 360 Digital Rights Management.

Xbox LIVE purchases

Buy content from Xbox LIVE

You can purchase content from Xbox LIVE for your Xbox 360 console or trusted PC. Here's how.

Note Purchases from Xbox LIVE are made using Microsoft Points. You can add Microsoft Points to your Xbox LIVE account by using a prepaid code or a credit card associated with your account.

  • On your console
    1. Sign in to Xbox LIVE with the account that you want to use to make a purchase.
    2. Go to games or tv & movies.
    3. Select Browse Games or Browse TV and Movies.
    4. Browse to find what you want to buy or download.
    5. Select the item, and then select Confirm Download. If you don’t have enough points for the purchase, select Add Points.
  • On your computer
    1. Go to the Xbox Games Store.
    2. In the upper-right corner, click Sign in. Enter the email address and password that you used when you signed up for Xbox LIVE (this is your Microsoft account).
    3. Browse under Games or Avatar to find something you want to download. Click to select the item.
    4. Your selection and the number of points required are displayed. Do one of the following:
      • Under Games, if an item is available for download, click Buy Game or Download to Xbox 360.
        Note Some games are only available on disc.
      • Under Avatar, click Purchase.
      If you don't have enough Microsoft Points, click Buy Points.
      For some items, additional purchase options, such as a credit card, might be available.
    5. Follow the steps to complete and confirm your purchase.
    6. To confirm that the item you purchased is in your queue, select My Account. Then, select Xbox 360 Download Queue under Device Management.
    7. Turn on your console and connect to Xbox LIVE. The items that you purchased will begin downloading.

View your download history and download content again

You can view a list of what you've downloaded from Xbox LIVE on your console or your computer. You can choose to download an item again (if needed) for no additional charge. Here's how:

  • On your console
    1. Sign in to Xbox LIVE using the gamertag that you used when you originally purchased the content.
    2. Go to settings and select Account.
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    1. Select Download History.
    2. Browse your download history. If you want to download something again, select the item, and then select Download Again.
      Note If you want to see the charges on your Xbox LIVE account, see Check your Xbox LIVE billing and download history.

  • On your computer
    1. To see your purchase history, go to Purchase History and sign in with your Microsoft account (email and password).
    2. Browse your purchase history. If you want to download something again, click Add to queue. This adds the item to your console's download queue.
    3. Turn on your console and connect to Xbox LIVE. The items will begin downloading.

Note Downloading previously purchased content to a different Xbox 360 console does not transfer the content's license. If you want to use content without signing in to Xbox LIVE, you must transfer the content license to the console. For information on how to transfer licenses, see Can’t play content after console was repaired or replaced.

Manage your download queue

When you choose to download an item, the item is added to a download queue. To see the items in your download queue, do the following:

  • On your console
    1. Press the Guide button on the controller.
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    1. Go to Games & Apps.
    2. Select Active Downloads.
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The items shown are in your download queue.
The status of an active download can be one of the following:

  • Pending: The item is currently waiting to be downloaded. Another item might be downloading, you might be playing a game or using another Xbox LIVE feature, or the console might not be connected to Xbox LIVE.
  • Downloading: The item is downloading now. A green line shows how the download is progressing. You’ll get a notification in the Xbox Guide when a download is completed or if the download is interrupted or fails.
  • Paused: The item has stopped downloading temporarily. You might be playing an online game or using another Xbox LIVE feature. When you stop the other Xbox LIVE activity, the download will resume.
  • Stopped: The download stopped because you cancelled it, or the console became disconnected from Xbox LIVE.
    • Videos do not resume downloading automatically. If you were downloading a video and it stopped, you might have to restart the download.
    • If you cancelled the download, try downloading the item again (if you still want it).
    • If the console became disconnected, reconnect to Xbox LIVE and start downloading the item again.
  • Assigned to Another Console: The item is ready to download, but it has been assigned to download on another Xbox 360 console.
  1. Choose one of the following:
    • To remove an item: Select the item, and then select Cancel Download.
    • To change the download order: Select the item, and then select Download Now.
    • To download the item to the console you're currently using: Select the item and follow the instructions.
    To make sure that all future downloads from Xbox LIVE go to the console you're currently using, see Redownload previously purchased content to a new or refurbished Xbox 360 console.
  • On your computer
  1. On your computer, go to My Account.
  2. Under Device Management, click Xbox 360 Download Queue. The item at the top of the queue is downloaded first.
  3. Choose one of the following:
    • To remove something from the queue: click Remove.
    • To change the top item in the queue: click Move to Top next to the item.

Note If you're not signed in, you'll be prompted for your Microsoft account.

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