Q: Is there a free trial membership I can use to check out Xbox LIVE for Xbox 360?

A: Yes, a one-month trial Xbox LIVE Gold Membership is available with the purchase of a new Xbox 360 console.* The only requirement is that you have a storage device, such as an Xbox 360 Hard Drive or an Xbox 360 Memory Unit. While the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system includes a hard drive, the Xbox 360 Core system does not. If you purchase the Xbox 360 Core system, you'll need to purchase a storage device (hard drive or memory unit) to access Xbox LIVE from your Xbox 360 console.

Q: Can I get a free trial without buying anything?

A: The one-month free Xbox LIVE Gold trial membership is available only with the purchase of a new Xbox 360 system. Other trials may be offered through retailers or at Xbox LIVE Marketplace, the terms of which are provided with those offers. Offers may not be combined.

Q: Do I need an Xbox 360 Headset to play on Xbox LIVE?

A: An Xbox 360 Headset greatly enhances gameplay. You can play on Xbox LIVE without a headset, but you won't be able to use voice chat—that is, you won't be able to talk to other players through the service.

Q: Do I need a credit card to take advantage of the free trial?

A: Nope! You do not need a credit card to sign up for the free trial.

Q: What if I forget to cancel when the one-month free trial is over?

A: At the end of your one-month free trial, your account changes to an Xbox LIVE Silver Membership. An Xbox LIVE Silver Membership gives you basic access to Xbox LIVE at no charge.

Q: Can I use a prepaid card to renew my trial membership?

A: Yes. When you enter the code on your prepaid card in the Account Management area of your gamer profile, the length of that Xbox LIVE Gold Membership is added to the end of your one-month free trial period.

Q: If I switch from the one-month free Xbox LIVE Gold trial membership to any other Xbox LIVE membership type, will I lose my stats?

A: Absolutely not! All account specifics—including your Gamertag and friends list—remain intact through the switch so you can continue to build your legend online.

Q: I am already an Xbox LIVE member. Can I use the one-month free trial offer to renew my membership?

A: No. The one-month free trial card can only be used to create new Xbox LIVE accounts, not to renew existing accounts.

Q: I bought an Xbox LIVE Starter Kit last year and I am up for renewal soon. Will my current membership renew to a monthly membership or an annual membership?

A: If you started your Xbox LIVE Gold Membership using a prepaid card (such as the one in your Xbox LIVE Starter Kit), your membership will renew to an Xbox LIVE Silver Membership after one year and your Gamertag will expire after six months of inactivity. If you want to automatically renew to an Xbox LIVE Gold monthly or annual membership, you must update your membership and provide an authorized payment method, such as a credit card, which can be automatically charged for renewals.

1. Select your gamer card from any area of the Xbox Dashboard.
2. Select Account Management, Memberships. From here you can update your membership and specify a payment method.

Q: Can I use a code from a prepaid card to renew my current membership?

A: Yes. When you enter a code from a prepaid card to renew your current membership, your membership will continue through its current billing cycle. At the end of the membership term, your membership will automatically renew to the membership type determined by your prepaid card. You will have effectively "stacked" time onto your membership.

Q: I don't want to pay for a full year of Xbox LIVE next time out—I'd rather renew to a monthly membership. What do I need to do?

To renew to a monthly membership:

1. Select your gamer card from any area of the Xbox Dashboard.

2. Select Account Management, Memberships.

   Specify that you want to renew to a monthly membership. Once your current membership ends, you will be renewed to a monthly membership.

Q: Can I change my Gamertag now that I have started using Xbox 360? I'm tired of the one I selected last year!

A: Yes you can. In your gamer profile, select Edit Gamer Profile, Gamertag. To voluntarily change your Gamertag, you must redeem some of your Microsoft Points.

Q: I don't want to use a credit card to pay for Xbox LIVE service; I want to pay as I go. Can I do that?

A: Yes, you can. If you created your Xbox LIVE Gold Membership on an Xbox 360 console using a prepaid card, your membership will automatically renew to an Xbox LIVE Silver Membership at the end of your membership period. You can use another prepaid card to restore your membership to an Xbox LIVE Gold Membership. Better yet, activate your prepaid card before your Xbox LIVE Gold Membership expires so that you don't miss out on all the benefits of your Xbox LIVE Gold Membership.

Q: I have a prepaid card. Should I use it before or after I migrate my membership to an Xbox 360 system?

A: You should decide when and where you apply your prepaid card based on how you want to use it.

If you only want to extend your Xbox LIVE membership by one year—using the prepaid card instead of your credit card—you should submit your prepaid card through the Xbox Dashboard for your original Xbox system, before you migrate your account to Xbox 360. If you apply the prepaid card before your auto-renewal date, your credit card will not be charged for an additional year. If you apply the prepaid card after your auto-renewal date, we'll accept the prepaid card as payment and automatically refund your credit card. See Xbox LIVE Service Refunds for detailed information about refunds for service with the original Xbox system.

If, on the other hand, you want to stack your time—adding a full year of Xbox LIVE service to however much time you have remaining on your existing membership—then you should use the prepaid card after you migrate your account to your Xbox 360 system.

Q: What do I get with an Online Gameplay Pass?

A: If you have an Xbox LIVE Silver Membership, this pass lets you engage in online multiplayer action and other Xbox LIVE Gold Membership benefits for as long as stated on the pass.

Q: What does a pass get me if I have an Xbox LIVE Gold Membership?

A: Online Gameplay Passes can only be used with Xbox LIVE Silver Memberships. There are no benefits for Xbox LIVE Gold members.

Q: What happens if I cancel my Xbox LIVE Gold Membership?

A: If you have an annual Xbox LIVE Gold Membership that was purchased with a credit card and you cancel it within 60 days of creating it (based on settlement date when funds were assessed to your credit card), you will receive a full refund. This refund policy applies to Xbox LIVE Gold Memberships only. There are no refunds for Microsoft Points or other Marketplace purchases or downloads.

Q: What are Microsoft Points?

A: Microsoft Points is an online, renewable, stored-value system that lets people enjoy digital goods and services from Xbox and Microsoft.

Q: How are Microsoft Points used?

A:Use Microsoft Points to redeem premium content downloads at Xbox LIVE Marketplace. You must first purchase Points (either by credit card or using a prepaid Microsoft Points card available at retail) before using them to acquire digital goods and services. You can purchase Points at Xbox LIVE Marketplace by selecting Add Microsoft Points (X).

Q: What can I get with my Points?

A: Any digital content downloads available at Xbox LIVE Marketplace that aren't offered for free can be redeemed using Points. This can be anything from new levels and maps for specific game titles to demos and trailers for upcoming releases.

Q: Where can I purchase Points?

A:To purchase Points from your Xbox 360 console:

1. Make sure your system is connected to Xbox LIVE. For help, see Connect to Xbox LIVE.
2. Go to the Xbox LIVE area of the Xbox Dashboard and select Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
3. Select Add Microsoft Points (X) to purchase Points using your current billing method, or select Redeem Prepaid Card or Promotional Code to use a card or code purchased from a participating retail outlet.

Q: How do I get a Windows Live ID (formerly known as a Microsoft Passport Network account)?

A: You can create a Windows Live ID when you sign up for Xbox LIVE or when you sign in at Xbox.com. You may have already created a Windows Live ID on another Microsoft Web site, such as www.msn.com. If you have an MSN Hotmail or MSN Messenger account, then you already have a Windows Live ID that you can use when you sign up for Xbox LIVE or sign in at Xbox.com.

Q: How do I view my Microsoft Points balance?

A: From the Xbox LIVE area of the Xbox Dashboard, select Xbox LIVE Marketplace, then Add Microsoft Points (X). You can also view your balance history for both credit-card transactions and Points at Microsoft's Billing and Account Maintenance (BAM) site.

Q:Do I pay taxes when I use my Points to obtain digital goods and services?

A: No. Applicable taxes are paid on the purchase of Points, not on the redemption of the Points for digital goods and services.

Q: How much does a Point cost to purchase?

A: There is not a price associated with a single Point. Points are sold in lots and the price per Point may vary slightly depending on lot size and the retail outlet.

Q: Can I transfer my Points balance to someone else?

A: No. Points are designed around an individual user. Sharing Points or depositing Points into another balance is not allowed.

Q: Do I lose my Points if I close my account?

A: If you close your Xbox LIVE account, your balance is still associated with your Windows Live ID (formerly known as your Passport Network account) and will still enable you to obtain digital goods and services from Microsoft partners. If you close your Windows Live ID, the Windows Live ID account will linger in a "closed" state for 90 days, during which time you can salvage your Points by re-activating your Windows Live ID. After 90 days, your balance will be written off and you will be placed in a not-registered state, meaning you can still re-enroll, but you will be starting from scratch, with no associated Points.

Q: Is my Points balance secure?

A: The Microsoft Points system was developed in coordination with Microsoft's best practices around secure development and trustworthy computing. Furthermore, the Points system contains only your Windows Live ID (Passport Network) e-mail address, country code, and balance—no personally identifiable information is stored in the Points system. You can help with the security of your account by not giving out information related to your Windows Live ID and not permitting access to your Points balance.

Q: Is there a maximum number of Points that I can have in my balance?

A: Yes, there is a limit. When you reach that limit, you will be notified that you've reached the maximum number.

Q: Is there a limit to how many Points I can purchase in a day?

A: There is not a per-day limit, but there is a limit per transaction. You'll be notified if you reach this limit.

Q: Is there a limit to how many Points I can redeem in a day?

A: Yes. If you reach this limit, you'll be notified, and you'll have to wait until the next day to redeem more Points.

Q: Can I receive cash for my Points?

A: No.

Q: Can I use my Points with a loyalty program from another company?

A: No.

Q: Can I get a refund for my Points if I don't like the content that I redeemed them for?

A: There are no refunds. If you have a Points-related customer-service issue, please contact Microsoft Help and Support.

* Free one-month trial offer of Xbox LIVE Gold is available to new Xbox LIVE Silver members only with purchase of an Xbox 360 console. A high-speed Internet connection and an Xbox 360 Hard Drive or Memory Unit is required, and an Xbox 360 Headset is required for some Xbox LIVE features (Xbox 360 Hard Drive is sold with the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system but not with the Xbox 360 Core system; Xbox 360 Memory Unit and Headset are sold separately). Use of Xbox LIVE is subject to the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use. Terms of Use are available for review at www.xbox.com/en-US/live/legal/. At the end of your one-month Xbox LIVE Gold trial period, your membership will default to a free Xbox LIVE Silver Membership unless you elect to extend your Xbox LIVE Gold Membership. Performance may vary based on your game, Internet service speed, network activity, or capacity. Depending on your Internet service connection or network configuration, additional hardware may be required. While most cable and DSL high-speed Internet services will work with Xbox LIVE, some may not; check with your service provider. Offer not combinable with other Xbox LIVE offers or rebates.