Changing gamertags - is it released immediately?

mightysparks · Nov 11, 2014

I have two gamertags - one with my old email and one with my new email. It's too much of a hassle to swap over the emails (I don't actually have an Xbox, I use them for other things), so I just want to take my old gamertag. I'd have to pay to change that
one - that's fine - but I'm wondering if it will be immediately released into the pool of available names or is there a waiting period?

:)

PrintManatee932 · Nov 11, 2014

Does closing your Microsoft account release the associated Gamertag?

It would be better to pay to change the tag to release it. There's no way to completely remove an Xbox account. So closing the Microsoft account will not release the gamertag.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much! Changing the old account's gamertag released it immediately.

ThorsHammerDong · Nov 11, 2014

Inactive Gamertag since 2008

Hello everyone!

I am inquiring about changing my current gamertag to one that is currently taken, but has been inactive since 2008. It is a silver/free account on Xbox 360 only. I know Microsoft previously released ~ 1 million gamertags. Is there anyway to get this one
through support? Seems like 8 years is enough time to give it to someone else.

Thanks

davemcfly85 · Nov 11, 2014

pretty sure you asked this same question before your text and name look familiar. when you change a tag it is available for anybody else to take it but sometimes it takes up to a few days to change a tag to the one you freed up.

davemcfly85

pretty sure you asked this same question before your text and name look familiar. when you change a tag it is available for anybody else to take it but sometimes it takes up to a few days to change a tag to the one you freed up.

StuartATrueRed

When a gamertag name is changed, the old gamertag is not immediately released, so if you did change your normal gamertag, it would get it with the #.

PrintManatee932

It would be better to pay to change the tag to release it. There's no way to completely remove an Xbox account. So closing the Microsoft account will not release the gamertag.

Thanks very much! Changing the old account's gamertag released it immediately.

EJVMON

I just doubled checked and I can change it back.

I read somewhere there is a timeout before it is released, So from what I gather Gamertags don't get released immediately.

Smwutches

Gamertags typically aren't released immediately after changing it as it takes time for the servers to update. Whether or not someone else claims it before you're able to change it back is not something anyone can predict though, but it's always possible.

Changing gamertags - is it released immediately?