To create an Xbox account, open Xbox’s website, select CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT, complete Microsoft account signup, and finish the Xbox profile prompts. If you already have a personal Microsoft account, sign in with it and complete any first-time Xbox profile prompts instead. Account creation is free, and you can complete it in a desktop or mobile browser without an Xbox console.
The short version
- Start in a browser: Xbox’s website lets you create a Microsoft account and finish your Xbox profile.
- Existing account: Sign in with your personal Microsoft account to create or reuse its Xbox profile.
- Console signup: Open Profile & System > Add or switch > Add new, then select Get a new account.
- Child accounts: Use a family setup route and complete parental consent when requested.
| Starting point | What to choose | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox website | CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT | Create an account in a computer or phone browser |
| Microsoft signup | Your email address, then Next | Register with an existing email address before signing in to Xbox |
| Existing Microsoft account | SIGN IN | Create or reuse its Xbox profile |
| Console guide | Add new, then Get a new account | Create an account on Xbox Series X, Series S, or Xbox One |
| Console startup account picker | Add new | Sign in with an existing Microsoft account |
| Initial console setup | The account-creation flow at sign-in | Create an account while configuring the console |
| Console sign-in through another device | Use another device | Enter sign-in details in a phone or computer browser |
| Xbox PC app | Sign in > Sign in | Create a profile on a compatible Windows PC |
| Xbox mobile app | The app’s sign-in button | Create a profile with a Microsoft account |
| Console setup through the mobile app | Set up a console | Create an account during console setup on your phone |
| Console family settings | Add to family > Add new | Create a child’s account with adult involvement |
| Xbox Family Settings app | Add child > Create new account | Create a child’s account from an organizer’s account |
| Console access restrictions | Allow adding and creating new profiles | Permit signup when console restrictions block it |
| Outlook website | Create free account | Create a new email address to use for Xbox |
| Minecraft Launcher | Create a new Microsoft Account | Create an account from a supported launcher |
| Supported TV or streaming device | The Xbox app’s QR code or displayed URL | Sign in to your Microsoft account from another device |
| Windows initial setup | Create one | Create the Microsoft account before signing in to Xbox |
Create your account on the Xbox website
Open the Xbox account page on your computer or phone. Select CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT at the top, or select CREATE ACCOUNT farther down. Complete Microsoft account signup, then continue through the Xbox profile prompts.
Your Xbox profile is attached to a personal Microsoft account, so signup includes both the Microsoft account and the Xbox profile. Follow the identity, verification, and account-detail prompts presented during signup.
You can also start at Microsoft account signup to register with an existing email address. Enter your email address, select Next, and complete the remaining prompts. You can use an existing non-Microsoft email address for this route.
After creating the Microsoft account separately, return to Xbox’s website and select SIGN IN. Sign in with your new account, then complete the first-time Xbox profile prompts.
Use a Microsoft account you already have
On Xbox’s account page, select SIGN IN and sign in with your existing personal Microsoft account. If that account has no Xbox profile, complete the first-time Xbox profile prompts. If it already has an Xbox profile, signing in reuses that profile.
You can also create or reuse your profile by signing in with that Microsoft account on Xbox consoles, Windows PCs, and mobile devices. Choose the Microsoft account whose Xbox profile you want to use before continuing.
Create an account on your Xbox console
On Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, or Xbox One, press the Xbox button on your controller. Select Profile & System > Add or switch > Add new, then select Get a new account. Complete Microsoft signup and the Xbox profile prompts.
Review the service agreement and privacy statement, then select I Accept. Finish the preferences under Sign-In, security & PIN. This route also works when someone else is already signed in to the console.
At the startup account picker, under Who’s playing today?, select Add new to sign in with an existing Microsoft account. Enter its email address, complete authentication, and choose a gamertag when prompted. Review the service agreement and privacy statement, select I Accept, and configure Sign-In, security & PIN to finish.
During initial console setup, turn on the console and controller, then complete the language, network, location, and system-update steps. If your controller needs connecting first, pair an Xbox controller before continuing. At the sign-in stage, use your existing Microsoft account or enter the account-creation flow, then finish the Xbox profile and console preferences.
To enter sign-in details using your phone or computer, select Use another device on the console’s Sign in screen. Open the displayed URL on that device, enter the displayed code, and complete Microsoft authentication and any first-time Xbox profile prompts. If you need a new Microsoft account, create it through browser signup first.
Set up your profile in the Xbox apps
If you need the PC app, open the Xbox PC app download page, select DOWNLOAD THE APP, and install it. Microsoft lists Windows 10 or Windows 11 version 22H2 or higher as the app’s requirement.
Open the Xbox app and select Sign in > Sign in. Choose your personal Microsoft account, or select Use a different account to choose another. If you have no Microsoft account, select Create one in the account dialog and complete signup before continuing. When the selected account has no Xbox profile, the app generates a gamertag and creates the profile when you accept it.
For the Xbox mobile app, create your personal Microsoft account in a browser first if necessary. Open the app, select its sign-in button, and sign in with that account. Complete the first-time Xbox profile prompts. The mobile app requires iOS 15.1 or higher or Android 8.0 or higher.
Create an account during mobile console setup
You can also create an account in the Xbox mobile app while setting up an Xbox Series X, Series S, or Xbox One. Open the app and select Set up a console. If you are already signed in, select the Console icon, then select Set up a console.
Enter the code displayed on your TV and complete the connection and console-configuration prompts. At Let’s get you signed in, select Next, then select Create one!. Complete Microsoft signup and Xbox profile setup.
Create an Xbox account for a child
For a child’s account, use a family setup route and complete parental consent when requested. On Xbox Series X, Series S, or Xbox One, sign in with the adult’s account and press the Xbox button. Select Profile & system > Settings > Account > Family settings > Manage family members > Add to family > Add new.
Enter the child’s existing email address, or select Get a new email. Complete the child’s account details, then choose This Xbox or Their phone/PC for parental consent and follow that route’s prompts. Consent requirements depend on the child’s age and region.
You can also create the account in the Xbox Family Settings app on iOS or Android. Sign in with an organizer’s Microsoft account and select Continue. On Family, select the green Accounts icon > Add child > Create new account, then select Get a new email address.
Complete the child’s account details and parental-consent prompts. After the app generates a gamerpic and gamertag, select Next, complete the account settings, and select All done. Check that the child’s account appears under Member. The Family Settings app requires iOS 13 or higher or Android 8.0 or higher.
Allow profile creation on a restricted console
If access restrictions block adding an account on Xbox Series X, Series S, or Xbox One, an adult can open the guide and select Profile & system > Settings > System > Access restrictions. Enter the access PIN when requested, then enable Allow adding and creating new profiles.
This setting permits adding and creating profiles on that console; you still need to complete account signup afterward. Return to Add new and continue the account-creation steps.
If you are using an Xbox 360, Microsoft says its Xbox 360 support content is no longer maintained. Create your account through the Xbox website instead of following older instructions for direct console signup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you create a new Outlook email address for Xbox?
Yes, open outlook.com, select Create free account, and complete the new Microsoft account prompts. Then sign in to Xbox with that account and finish the Xbox profile prompts.
Can you create an Xbox account through the Minecraft Launcher?
Yes, on supported Windows, macOS, and Linux systems, open the Minecraft Launcher and select Create a new Microsoft Account. In the browser window, select Create account if you need a Microsoft account, then complete signup and the Xbox gamertag and profile prompts. Select Let’s Go to finish the profile flow.
Can you sign in to Xbox on a TV?
Yes, on a smart TV or streaming device that supports the Xbox app, launch the app and scan its QR code or open its displayed URL on another device. Complete Microsoft sign-in on that device, and create a Microsoft account through web signup first if needed. If you can’t find the Xbox app on your TV, check with the device manufacturer.
Can you create the Microsoft account during Windows setup?
Yes, when personal-device Windows setup presents the Microsoft account sign-in screen, select Create one and complete account creation. You can also press Tab until Create one is selected, then press Enter. After Windows setup, sign in to Xbox and complete the Xbox profile prompts.