How to Cancel Xbox Game Pass (2026) — Keep Your Saves, Save $200/Year

Updated 2026-02-14 · 5 min read

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $19.99/month ($240/year). That's more than Netflix, Spotify, and Disney+ combined. If you're not playing multiple new games every month, here's how to cancel and what happens to your games.

How to Cancel Xbox Game Pass

Online (Fastest)

1. Go to account.microsoft.com/services
2. Sign in with your Xbox/Microsoft account
3. Find "Xbox Game Pass" and click "Manage"
4. Click "Cancel subscription"
5. Microsoft shows retention offers — decline or accept
6. Confirm cancellation — you keep access until the billing period ends

On Xbox Console

1. Press Xbox button → Profile & system → Settings
2. Account → Subscriptions
3. Select Game Pass → Cancel

Game Pass Tiers & Prices (2026)

What Happens to Your Games?

• Game Pass games: Locked — you can't play them until you resubscribe
• Purchased games: Still yours — games you bought with the 20% GP discount stay playable
• Save data: Kept in the cloud indefinitely — your progress is safe
• Online multiplayer: Requires at least Game Pass Core ($9.99/mo)
• Free-to-play games: Fortnite, Warzone, Apex Legends DON'T need any subscription

The Subscribe-Cancel-Subscribe Strategy

Game Pass is designed for this. Subscribe when big releases drop, binge for a month, cancel:

• Check the release calendar — subscribe the month a game you want launches
• Play for 1-2 months — beat the game(s) you wanted
• Cancel until next release — your saves stay in the cloud
• Cost: 3-4 months/year at $20 = $60-80 vs $240/year for continuous

Alternatives

• PS Plus Extra ($15/mo): PlayStation's equivalent — 400+ games
• EA Play ($5/mo): EA games only (FIFA, Madden, Battlefield, Sims)
• Buy games on sale: Steam/Xbox sales regularly have 50-80% off — own forever
• Free-to-play: Fortnite, Warzone, Genshin Impact, Valorant — zero subscription needed