For a long fourth dimension, digital videogame purchases lacked 1 of the basic expectations of physical copies: the ability to get a refund if you lot change your listen about a purchase.

Thankfully, that's slowly irresolute. Valve and Sony have offered digital refunds via purchases on Steam and the PlayStation Store for quite some time, and Microsoft has followed suit.

The visitor offers refunds for digital copies of Xbox Ane and Windows ten games and apps purchased through the Microsoft Store, but it's not articulate how gamers should get well-nigh getting a refund, and the criteria to be eligible for one.

Don't worry, every bit here we break down all you need to know about getting a refund from the Microsoft Store, on Xbox One or Windows 10 PC.

Which games are eligible for refunds?

Microsoft's refund organisation applies to games and apps for Xbox 1 or Windows ten, but only if they're purchased through the digital Microsoft Store - you can't buy a game from some other retailer and effort and become a refund from Microsoft, unsurprisingly.

But even if yous do buy your game from the Microsoft Shop, it's worth noting that you tin can't just go a refund for any purchase y'all brand - there are a few requirements yous have to meet.

Most importantly, yous can only claim a refund if you have a legitimate reason to inquire for one - either that you purchased the wrong thing past accident, that the game you bought doesn't piece of work, that someone else bought it using your account, that there'due south an error with your nib, or just if you desire to abolish a pre-club. Yous may need to talk to a customer service rep to explain or show the situation, and you tin can't simply claim a refund because you decided you didn't similar a game as much equally you expected.

Games and apps are only eligible for a refund within 14 days of buy, and only if you lot've played less than 2 hours across all accounts - you can't sink forty hours into a massive RPG and then endeavor and get your money back!

Downloadable content, season passes, and add-ons aren't eligible for refunds either, only the base of operations games.

Finally, you lot'll take to wait at to the lowest degree one day after the game'due south release date before you request a refund, and you have to have downloaded and launched the game at least once - they want to make sure y'all've really tried information technology out kickoff.

Most of those restrictions are in place to help stop abuse of the system. That probably means it'south best not to treat this as an easy way to get two-hour demos of whatsoever game you'd like to try.

How exercise you lot get a refund from the Microsoft Store?

Thankfully, the process of challenge a refund from the Microsoft Store is relatively straightforward - for digital purchases, anyhow.

Just head straight to the Xbox Refund Asking Solution (catchy name, we know) and work through the checklist, making sure that you're signed into your Microsoft account and have the relevant order number set up.

You may become a refund immediately, simply more likely Microsoft volition want to verify the reason for the refund, and nether these circumstances, yous should be put in touch on with a Microsoft rep within 72 hours of applying.