Does closing your Microsoft account release the associated Gamertag?

PrintManatee932 · Jun 25, 2018

I have a Gamertag that I need to transfer to a new Microsoft account. If I close the old account completely, will that release the Gamertag for re-use after 60 days (i.e., when the account finally closes and can't be reopened)?

Or is it better to pay to change the old account's Gamertag to something else and release the Gamertag that way?

Or will neither of these methods work and I'm just out of luck?

Any advice much appreciated, thanks.

:)

ufcmike1 · Jun 25, 2018

Deleting an account and change sign in

You can go to https://account.live.com/. Login with your Yahoo account. Under "Closing your Microsoft account deletes all the data associated with it." Click on Close Account. Then recreate the Yahoo
account.

PR1NCE DARKNESS · Jun 25, 2018

Deleting Accounts

Hello there D4RK H4RM0NY,

How to close your account

Once you’ve taken care of your subscriptions and balances, follow these steps.

From a PC, go to accounts.live.com and sign in to your Microsoft account using the email address and password associated with the account.

Click or tap Security and Password. Verify that you’re the account holder by receiving and entering a security code.

Scroll down and select Close your account.

The following pages will detail what you need to know about closing your account. Read them carefully.

When you’re prompted, confirm that you have read each of the impact statements.

Click Mark account for closure to confirm that you understand that you will lose access to all sites, services and data associated with your Microsoft account.

You can also Click here to learn What you need to know about closing your Microsoft account

Smwutches · Jun 25, 2018

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.

PrintManatee932 · Nov 3, 2018

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.

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.

Smwutches

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.

Smwutches

The last gamertag release was actually in 2016. They are no longer doing mass gamertag releases. As of August 30, 2019, if a person does not sign into their Microsoft account for 2 years, the account will be closed. So 2021 would be the earliest a gamertag
may be released. But even if the tag isn't being used on an Xbox, if the person who owns it is still using their Microsoft account for other Microsoft services, it won't be released.

ABAxStorm

You may do a account swap. What it does, is it takes your gamertag and puts it to the new Microsoft Account you want it associated with.

Xbox Live gamertags are associated with a Microsoft account for sign-in purposes. If you want to switch your existing gamertag to a different Microsoft account, see Switch a gamertag to another Microsoft account for information about how to do this.

Smwutches

There are already policies in place to free up inactive gamertags. 2021 will be the first year gamertags are released based on when those policies were put in place. You can also now use a gamertag even if it is already in use.

https://www.microsoft.com/servicesagreement

ii. Account Use. You must use your Microsoft account to keep it active. This means you must sign in at least once in a two-year
period to keep your Microsoft account, and associated Services, active, unless a longer period is provided in the Microsoft account activity policy at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?linkid=2086738 or
in an offer for a paid portion of the Services. If you don’t sign in during this time, we will assume your Microsoft account is inactive and will close it for you. Please see section 4(a)(iv)(2) for the consequences of a closed Microsoft account. You must
sign into your Outlook.com inbox and your OneDrive (separately) at least once in a one-year period, otherwise we will close your Outlook.com inbox and your OneDrive for you. You must sign into the Xbox Services at least once in a five-year period to keep the
gamertag associated with your Microsoft account.

Does closing your Microsoft account release the associated Gamertag?