How to Cancel Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in 2026 (Keep Your Saves)

Updated February 2026 · 4 min read

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $19.99/month — $240/year. If you're not playing enough games to justify it, that money adds up fast. The good news: cancellation is straightforward and your game saves are safe.

Cancel on the Web (Fastest)

1. Go to account.microsoft.com/services
2. Sign in with your Microsoft/Xbox account
3. Find Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
4. Click Manage → Cancel
5. Choose Turn off recurring billing (keeps access until period ends) or Cancel immediately
6. Confirm your choice

Cancel on Xbox Console

1. Press the Xbox button → Profile & system → Settings
2. Go to Account → Subscriptions
3. Select Game Pass Ultimate
4. Choose Cancel subscription

Cancel on PC (Xbox App)

1. Open the Xbox app on Windows
2. Click your profile icon → Settings
3. Go to Subscriptions
4. Click Manage next to Game Pass
5. This opens the Microsoft website — follow the web steps above

What Happens When You Cancel

• Game saves: Kept in the cloud indefinitely — they're tied to your account, not your subscription
• Downloaded games: Become unplayable, but stay installed. Re-subscribe and they work again instantly
• Games you bought at a discount: You keep those forever — only Game Pass catalog games are locked
• Xbox Live Gold/online multiplayer: Also ends (it's included in Ultimate)
• EA Play access: Also ends (included in Ultimate)
• Remaining time: If you chose "turn off recurring billing," you keep access until the current period ends

Is Game Pass Worth Keeping?

The math is simple: at $19.99/month, you need to play at least 3-4 games per year that you would have bought at $60-70 each to break even. If you're only playing one or two games:

• Buy games individually during sales (Steam, Xbox store sales regularly hit 50-75% off)
• Game Pass Core ($9.99/month): Online multiplayer + a smaller catalog — half the price
• Wait for the $1 re-subscribe deal: Microsoft frequently offers $1 for the first month to returning subscribers
• Subscribe seasonally: Join for 1-2 months when big releases drop, cancel when you're caught up

Getting a Refund

Microsoft offers refunds within 14 days of renewal if you haven't used the service during that period. Go to Xbox support and request a refund. Outside of 14 days, refunds are unlikely but chat support occasionally makes exceptions.