If you want a refund from Xbox you may face many uncertainties.
If there is a gaming equivalent to the struggle between iPhone and Android users, it is the battle between PlayStation and Xbox enthusiasts. You have undoubtedly used Microsoft Store previously if you’re a member of the Xbox team.
Windows Phone Store, Windows Marketplace, Xbox Store, Xbox Music, and Xbox Video which was previously known as the Marketplace for Xbox Live, were once different digital distribution systems that were consolidated into one including Microsoft Store. That’s where you are expected to go if you are looking for digital games for the Xbox console.
With over 50 million Xbox One consoles sold worldwide and thousands of games accessible on the game store, certain troubles are likely to occur. If you bought a highly anticipated game only to be disappointed, you might wonder how to request a refund on Microsoft Xbox.
Xbox refund policy
It was quite impossible to get a refund on a digital game. The return procedures appeared to be the same whether you purchased games for the PC, PS, or Xbox online the sales are considered to be final. In later years, as those circumstances began to shift, Xbox and Microsoft Store started to follow suit. Although a refund request for an Xbox game is possible, it is not as simple as it seems.
The Refund Eligibility part of the Digital Game Purchase Refund Terms page does not sound to be promising. Except in rare instances, the sales of digital game products are deemed final. It’s not easy to figure out what those situations are.
After searching various support pages for answers, you may discover that the Xbox refund policy comprises the following rules:
- When requesting a refund, you must have a valid cause.
- Refunds are only allowed within 14 days of purchase.
- If the game is played for more than two hours, you will not be eligible for a refund.
- Refunds are available just one day after releasing the game, and after you have downloaded and played it at least once.
- Season passes, add-ons, and downloadable content are not refundable.
Here are the choices for legitimate reasons that can get you a refund for the game you need to return:
- By chance, the wrong game was purchased.
- The game is either broken or doesn’t operate at all.
- Your bill contains a mistake.
- Someone else used your account to purchase the game.
Microsoft will refund your money within a few working days if your refund request is authorized. There is no option of being able to select the return payment method.
According to the statement that you should verify with your bank to see if the applicable payment mode has been suitably credited, it is reasonable to assume that refunds be processed to the original payment method whenever credible.
Pre-Order of Digital Games and Subscriptions
For pre-orders and Xbox subscriptions like Xbox Live, you can seek a refund, but these are normally handled as cancellations, and you will not be asked to fill up any forms.
You can cancel Xbox Live subscriptions by turning off the recurring billing, and if you authorize a refund, you will be given that choice on your account’s Services & Subscriptions page.
You can cancel pre-orders within ten days prior to the game release date. If in case you miss the deadline, you may still be eligible for a refund, but you will need to request one.
How to request a refund from the Xbox Store?
The Xbox digital game return regulations are not as clear as you may think. You can request a refund on Xbox through the website. On their Request a refund page, you will find a button to ask for a refund, and here’s are the steps to be followed:
- First and foremost, go to the Xbox and sign in using the credentials such as username and password once you have arrived at the page.
- Next tap on the Order History page.
- After that choose the option Request refund after clicking on the item’s order number.
- Next, verify that the item’s title and order number are correct.
- Choose from one of the valid grounds for your refund request.
- You may be required to give more information relying on the reason.
- Now confirm the email address that you will be used to respond to the request.
- Lastly, submit the form.
You can request a refund only by visiting the website
How much time taken to issue a refund on Xbox
You will receive a confirmation email once you have completed the process for the Xbox refund request. A Support Team representative will notify you within 72 hours after evaluating if your purchased item is eligible for a refund based on the provided documents. If you do not receive an email from them, you should check your junk or spam folder.
How to check Xbox refund status
It’s simple to check the progress of the refund request made on Xbox. The information can be seen in the account’s Order History. If you have any queries about the status of the process or wish to file a complaint after the refund request is denied, you should reply to the confirmation email or the most recent email you got regarding your refund.
Issues that you might face for requesting a refund on Xbox
As of now, you know that Microsoft’s Xbox refund procedures appear to be harsh, but you can receive the refund for digital items which is refundable. One thing to keep in mind is that you should not exploit the system by using it as a venue for several 2-hour demos. If Microsoft representatives find out that you are manipulating the policy rights, then you have no chance of receiving any refund. But if legally obliged you can get your refund.
Xbox refund requests are also frequently plagued by the difficulty to trace a transaction in the Order History.
These situations can have a variety of causes:
- The purchase was made within the last 24 hours.
- A different account was used to purchase the item.
- It was a pre-order that you made.
- It was a subscription that you purchased.
- Your Xbox purchase was a tangible item.
- You gave someone a game as a gift.