How to pay · Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows
Paying at Xbox and Microsoft Store from the UK
Microsoft's store serves both Xbox consoles and Windows PCs, and it bills games to the same Microsoft account as Game Pass. It is flexible on how you pay and strict on refunds.
Accepted payment methods
| Method | Accepted | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards | Accepted, including prepaid credit cards. Microsoft says debit cards are not available in all regions, and the card's country must match the account's. | |
| PayPal | Offered in certain countries and needs a card or bank account behind it. If it is available to your UK account, it appears among your payment options. | |
| Mobile billing | EE, O2, Three and Vodafone are Microsoft's UK partners. | |
| Xbox and Microsoft gift cards | Digital codes from £5 to £100 add to the account balance. | |
| Apple Pay, Google Pay, paysafecard, pay later | Not listed for UK digital purchases. |
Account balance
Money on a Microsoft account does not expire unless it came from a promotion. The balance is capped at the equivalent of US$1,000, with the same daily limit on adding and spending. Gift cards cannot be turned back into money except where the law requires it.
Refunds
Microsoft treats digital game sales as final but considers refund requests case by case, looking at how long ago you bought, how long since release and how much you have played. Consumables and in-game currency are refunded only if unused. There is no fixed window you can rely on, so treat an Xbox purchase as committed.
Game Pass is different: you can cancel within 30 days of first subscribing for a refund, and Microsoft will also refund the most recent recurring charge once, within 30 days.
Pre-orders
Pay with account balance and the money leaves straight away. Pay by card and you are charged about ten days before release; if the charge fails, Microsoft tries once more and then cancels. You can cancel in your order history up to ten days before launch.
Ask to buy and family settings
In the Xbox Family Settings app or Microsoft Family Safety you can require approval for every purchase and get notifications of spending. Approval is not needed when a child spends balance that is already on their account, so gift cards bypass the check.
Our reviewed games on Xbox and Microsoft Store
| Game | Edition | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 | Xbox and PC, standard | £41.74 |
| Hades II | Xbox and PC | £24.99 |
| Hogwarts Legacy | Xbox Series and PC | £64.99 |
| Terraria | Xbox One, plays on Series | £13.59 |
| Cities: Skylines II | PC Edition | £41.74 |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 | Xbox and PC, standard | £69.99 |
| Sid Meier's Civilization VII | Xbox | £59.99 |
| It Takes Two | Xbox One and Series | £34.99 |