Skip to main content

How to gameshare on an Xbox Series X

Xbox Series X on a table.
Xbox

With each new generation of consoles comes a mixture of new and exciting features — but also the loss of smaller conveniences. One of the biggest movements still ongoing is the growth of the digital games market. More and more games are being sold digitally every year, which is great for a lot of reasons. It’s convenient, you don’t need to go out and make a trip to buy a game, you can’t lose or damage it, and it doesn’t take up any physical space.

Recommended Videos

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

15 minutes

What You Need

  • Xbox Series X console

  • Xbox Live subscription

One of the main drawbacks with digital games has always been the fear of not being able to share your games, but the Xbox Series X has a solution. While it isn't absolutely perfect, here's everything you need to know about sharing your digital library through gameshare.

Further reading

How gameshare works

Gamesharing almost feels like an exploit when you break it down, but as long as you know and trust the person you’re sharing with, it’s perfectly safe. When you purchase and download a game on the Series X, any account on that console you purchased it on can play it. That’s because, by default, the console you created your account on is considered the “home console.” But the account who actually made the purchase can also access everything they’ve purchased as well, regardless of what console they’re on. That’s how you’re able to take your digital library from one console to the next just by logging into your existing account.

So, if you were to make someone else’s Series X your home console, and theirs yours, then anything either of you buy digitally could be accessed by the other. As long as you are logged in on your account back on your own console, you’ll also still have access to your library. Just know that you are only allowed to have one Xbox, Series X or otherwise, set as your home console at a time. You can also only change which console is your home console five times per year, so you aren’t able to swap who you’re sharing with too often. Other than that, the only real limitation to gamesharing is the fact that you can’t download anyone else’s physical games — you’ll have to share those the old-fashioned way. You can even both play the same title at the same time if you want.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

How to set up gameshare

Gameshare on the Xbox Series X allows you and a friend or family member to share any and all digital games you have purchased on your console. This includes titles you have access to via Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate. Just make sure you trust whoever you’re going to be gamesharing with because you will need to put your account on their console in order to set it up. That means, even after you log back in on your own console, they could still access your account via their Xbox.

Step 1: The first step is to either sign in on the Series X console you want to share with or have the owner of that console sign in on your console. To add your account on another Xbox, open the guide and select Profile and System > Add new. You can then enter your existing account details.

Step 2: On the second console, open the guide by pressing the menu button and go to Profile & system > Settings > General > Personalization > My home Xbox > Make this my home Xbox. If you want the sharing to work both ways, so your friend or family member can access all of your games and you access all of theirs, then have them repeat the same process of making your Xbox their home Xbox.

And that’s it — you and your friend or family member can now download and play any game you have or will purchase digitally moving forward. You won’t lose access to anything, but because you have set someone else’s Xbox as your home console, you will need to be logged in to your account to play. This is a fantastic way to save money, share your favorite games with friends and family, or make it easier to access your games if you have multiple consoles.

Jesse Lennox
Jesse Lennox has been a writer at Digital Trends for over five years and has no plans of stopping. He covers all things…
The Outer Worlds 2 already feels lightyears ahead of its predecessor
A person on an alien world in The Outer Worlds 2.

I'll let you in on a dirty little secret that I've kept quiet for years: I'm not all that big on The Outer Worlds. Despite the fact that Obsidian's Fallout-esque sci-fi RPG was a critical darling in 2019, I struggled to get into a groove with it despite liking so many of its individual parts. The social satire was there, and I loved the companions, but so much of its gameplay left me feeling cold. Maybe it was just the bland combat that put me off, or that the movement felt stiff, but I never saw it through to the end and figured I'd likely skip its eventual sequel.

Now after actually playing a slice of The Outer Worlds 2 following last week's Xbox Games Showcase, I'm singing a very different tune. Obsidian has seemingly been listening in on my internal monologue, because the major problems I had first game have seemingly been addressed here. The demo I played teased a huge leap forward for an RPG with great bones, reinventing the basic feel while still delivering what Obsidian does best.

Read more
The ROG Xbox Ally fixes the worst problem with Windows handhelds
Xbox Ally

A few years ago, there was a moment when I felt like the only thing that could make the Steam Deck better was if it would ditch Linux for Windows. That turned out to be one heck of a monkey’s paw. As soon as competing handhelds flooded the market, all equipped with Microsoft’s OS, I realized exactly why Valve didn’t go in that direction. Windows is a total pain to navigate in devices like the Legion Go for countless reasons. The Steam Deck was protecting me from myself all this time.

So forgive me if I was a little skeptical when Microsoft revealed the ROG Xbox Ally. While I used to dream of a portable device like this that was built around Xbox Game Pass, I was filled with some mild dread when the big day finally came. I just didn't want to struggle with another Windows handheld. Thankfully, Asus and Microsoft have seemingly read the room. Following the device's announcement at the Xbox Games Showcase, Digital Trends went hands-on with the handheld and learned much more about its internals. The good news? All of the pesky parts of Windows have been cut out in favor of a more focused gaming device.

Read more
The Xbox Showcase’s most surprising reveal is a spooky British home renovation musical
A character points a gun at a glowing door in There Are No Ghosts at the Grand.

Developer Friday Sundae revealed an eye-catching new game, There Are No Ghosts At the Grand, during the 2025 Xbox Games Showcase. The project, set to launch in 2026 on Xbox and PC, is one part part home renovation game, one part British ghost story, and one part musical.

The debut trailer was one of many during a packed Xbox Games Showcase, but it stands out among the pack. The breakneck clip features talking cats, a full on musical sequence, magical power tools, and much more. If it all left you a little confused, Digital Trends learned more about how exactly the eclectic genre mash-up works.

Read more