How to Remove Your Email From Your Xbox Gamertag
Unfortunately, you cannot directly remove the email address associated with your Xbox gamertag. Your gamertag is linked to your Microsoft account, and your email address is the primary identifier for that account. To essentially “remove” the email from your gamertag, you need to change the email address associated with your Microsoft account. This process involves replacing the existing email address with a new one.
Changing Your Microsoft Account Email Address
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to change the email address linked to your Microsoft account, which will effectively change the email associated with your Xbox gamertag:
- Sign in to your Microsoft account: Go to account.microsoft.com and sign in using your current email address and password.
- Navigate to “Your info”: Once signed in, click on the “Your info” tab at the top of the page.
- Select “Manage how you sign in to Microsoft”: Under the “Account info” section, you’ll find a link that says “Manage how you sign in to Microsoft”. Click on this link.
- Choose how to proceed: You have two options:
- Add an Alias: Adding an alias allows you to add a new email address or phone number that you can use to sign in. This new alias can then be made the primary alias.
- Remove Existing Alias: If you have multiple aliases, you can remove the one you want to disassociate with your account.
- Adding an Alias (Recommended):
- Click on “Add email” under the “Account aliases” section.
- Choose whether to create a new Outlook.com email address or add an existing email address.
- Create a new Outlook.com email address: Microsoft will guide you through creating a new @outlook.com email address. This is a good option if you don’t have another email address to use.
- Add an existing email address: You can use any email address you own (e.g., a Gmail, Yahoo, or work email address). Microsoft will send a verification email to that address. You must verify the email address by clicking the link in the verification email.
- Making the New Alias Primary:
- Once the new email address is added and verified, find it in the list of aliases.
- Click on “Make primary” next to the new email address. This will make the new email address your primary alias and the one displayed for your Microsoft account, including your Xbox gamertag.
- Removing the Old Alias (Optional but Recommended):
- After making the new email address the primary alias, you can remove the old email address from your account. This is recommended for security reasons.
- Find the old email address in the list of aliases.
- Click on “Remove” next to the old email address. Be extremely careful with this step. Once removed, you won’t be able to use that email address to sign in to your Microsoft account unless you add it again.
- Confirm that you want to remove the alias.
Important Considerations:
- Security: Keep your new primary email address and password secure. Enable two-factor authentication for added security.
- All Microsoft Services: Changing your email address affects all Microsoft services linked to your account, including Xbox, Outlook, Office, and OneDrive.
- Recovery Information: Make sure your recovery phone number and recovery email address are up-to-date. This will help you regain access to your account if you forget your password.
- Aliases: Understand the concept of aliases. Your Microsoft account can have multiple aliases (email addresses or phone numbers) associated with it, but only one is designated as the primary alias.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions to help clarify the process and address common concerns:
1. Can I completely unlink my email from my Xbox gamertag and have no email associated with it at all?
No. A Microsoft account, identified by an email address, is required to use an Xbox gamertag. You can’t have a gamertag without an associated email address.
2. What happens if I remove my only email alias from my Microsoft account?
If you remove your only email alias, you’ll effectively delete your Microsoft account. This will result in the loss of access to all Microsoft services associated with that account, including your Xbox gamertag, purchased games, and subscriptions.
3. I forgot my Microsoft account password. How can I change the email address associated with my gamertag?
You’ll need to recover your Microsoft account password first. Follow the password recovery steps on the Microsoft account sign-in page. Once you’ve regained access, you can change the email address as described above.
4. Can I use the same email address for multiple Microsoft accounts?
No. Each email address can only be associated with one Microsoft account. If you try to use an email address that’s already in use, you’ll be prompted to use a different one.
5. How long does it take for the email address change to take effect on my Xbox account?
The change is usually immediate. Once you change the primary alias in your Microsoft account settings, it should reflect on your Xbox account right away. However, you might need to sign out and sign back in for the changes to fully propagate.
6. Will changing my email address affect my Xbox Live Gold or Game Pass subscription?
No, changing your email address won’t affect your subscriptions. Your subscriptions are tied to your Microsoft account, and as long as you’re updating the account information, your subscriptions will remain active.
7. I don’t have another email address to use. What should I do?
You can create a free Outlook.com email address during the process of adding an alias. This is the simplest solution if you don’t have another email address readily available.
8. I removed my old email address, but I still see it on my Xbox. Why?
Try signing out and signing back in to your Xbox console or the Xbox app. This will force the system to refresh your account information. Also, clear the cache on your console.
9. I made a mistake and removed the wrong email alias. Can I get it back?
It depends. If the email address is still available, you can add it back as an alias. However, if someone else has already claimed that email address, you won’t be able to use it.
10. Will changing my email address affect my friends list on Xbox?
No, your friends list is tied to your gamertag itself, not your email address. Changing your email address won’t affect your friends list.
11. Can I use a phone number instead of an email address for my Microsoft account?
Yes, you can add a phone number as an alias to your Microsoft account and even make it the primary alias. The process is very similar to adding an email alias. Go to “Manage how you sign in to Microsoft” and choose to add a phone number.
12. What if I no longer have access to the old email address to remove it?
You still need to sign in to your Microsoft account to make any changes. If you’ve lost access to your old email, try recovering your Microsoft account through the account recovery process on the Microsoft website. They’ll ask you a series of questions to verify your identity.
13. Will changing my email address affect my saved game progress?
No, your saved game progress is stored on the Xbox network and linked to your gamertag, not your email address. Changing your email address won’t affect your saved game progress.
14. I’m concerned about security after changing my email address. What should I do?
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your Microsoft account for added security. This requires you to enter a code from your phone or another device in addition to your password when signing in. Also, regularly review your account activity for any suspicious behavior.
15. Can I change my email address through the Xbox console directly?
No. You cannot change your email address directly through the Xbox console. You must do it through the Microsoft account website on a computer or mobile device. The changes will then sync to your Xbox console once you sign in.