Can't use a gamertag that I freed up from another account

vivissj3 · May 28, 2022

Hi

I have two gamertags for a long while, one wasn't used in years, but I liked its gamertag name more. So I freed it up - changed the gt to a new one. Then on my main account I tried changing the gamertag name to the one that was supposed to be free. Every time I do that the screen is loading for a long 20-30 seconds, then reports with "This gamertag is already taken or isn't allowed.".
I've tried various gt lookup services and they report that the gt is still unused, what's going on?

:)

JosefLBohorquez

Hi and thanks for reaching Microsoft Xbox gamer's community. My name is Josef.
I'm an Independent Advisor and a Microsoft Xbox user like you.

Hope you're doing great today ViviSSJ3

Sometimes can take a while to use that gamertag again, it depends on how much Microsoft server takes processing the change.
In some cases I heard some people that wait 90 days

In this case the best option would be keep an eye on gamertag change site from time to time until you're able to take it

vivissj3

Seriously? So that original gamertag then becomes unavailable to anyone?

How long should I wait though - I've waited 48 hours now and it's still unavailable

ngocphi

You will just have to wait it out

However if someone already took a variation but with a hashtag you are going to have to take a hashtag

Daft Badger

You can't know that it's inactive. Gamertags are used on other services,not just xbox live,so while it may no be active on xbox live it could be being used somewhere else on another Microsoft service.

As of August 2016 if a gamertag does not sign in on any Microsoft service for 5 years it may be freed up & as of Aug 2019 if the account linked to a gamertag does not sign in for 2 years it may be freed up.

Either way,the earliest any unused tag may be freed up is at the end of August this year but there is no guarantee.

The tag could also be linked to a banned account in which case it will never be freed up unless something changes in the future.

You can either wait & hope it's freed up at some point,pick that tag but have a suffix & numbers after it or choose another gamertag.

Smwutches

There's no way for you to completely remove a gamertag from the system yourself. Removing it from a Microsoft account or deleting the Microsoft account, does not delete the Xbox account. If the gamertag was freed up in one of the previous mass gamertag releases
or the person who owns the account doesn't sign in for 5 years (starting 2016) the tag will be freed up for use.

Can't use a gamertag that I freed up from another account