This article explains how to uninstall and reinstall games from the Xbox Series X and S consoles.

What to Know

  • Press the Xbox button, select My games & apps > See all > Games > highlight a game > view button > Uninstall all > UNINSTALL ALL.To reinstall a game, press the Xbox button, select My games & apps > See all > Full library > All owned games and select the game.

How to Uninstall Games on Xbox Series X or S

If your local storage is full, and you want to download a new game, it’s time to uninstall something you aren’t using anymore. Here’s how to get the job done:

  • Press the Xbox button to open the guide.
  • Select My games & apps.
  • Select See all.
  • Select Games, and highlight the game you want to uninstall.
  • Press the view button (looks like a box on top of another box) on your controller.
  • The view button icon is visible in the bottom right corner of this screen next to the text Manage game.
  • Select Uninstall all.
  • If you aren’t sure whether your save data is backed up in the cloud, move it to an external drive or leave it in place and delete the game and any updates individually.
  • Select UNINSTALL ALL to confirm.
  • The game will be uninstalled immediately.

How to Reinstall an Xbox Series X or S Game

If you decide that you weren’t done with a game, or you end up getting the lightning-fast expansion drive that’s capable of storing and playing Xbox Series X|S games, reinstalling is just as easy as the initial removal process. You can also reinstall games then move them to an external USB drive for easier access.

Press the Xbox button to open the guide.

Select My games & apps.

Select See all.

Select Games, and highlight the game you want to uninstall.

Press the view button (looks like a box on top of another box) on your controller.

The view button icon is visible in the bottom right corner of this screen next to the text Manage game.

Select Uninstall all.

If you aren’t sure whether your save data is backed up in the cloud, move it to an external drive or leave it in place and delete the game and any updates individually.

Select UNINSTALL ALL to confirm.

The game will be uninstalled immediately.

While you can’t play Xbox Series X or S games from an external USB drive, you can store them on one so that you don’t have to wait on long downloads or eat through your monthly data cap every time you want to reinstall.

Here’s how to reinstall a game on Xbox Series X or S:

  • Press the Xbox button to open the guide.
  • Select My games & apps.
  • Select See all.
  • Navigate to Full library > All owned games. This will show all the games you own, regardless of whether they are stored locally or on an external drive, as long as the drive is connected and recognized.
  • Select the game you want to install.
  • Your game will download and reinstall.

Why Uninstall Games From the Xbox Series X|S?

The Xbox Series X and S both have decent sized drives, but the sheer size of modern games means you won’t be able to fit everything you want. That’s especially true with the all-digital Series S, which has only half the storage of the Series X. If you go to buy a new game or movie, and you just don’t have enough space, it’s time to delete something.

Navigate to Full library > All owned games. This will show all the games you own, regardless of whether they are stored locally or on an external drive, as long as the drive is connected and recognized.

Select the game you want to install.

Your game will download and reinstall.

Does Uninstalling an Xbox Series X or S Game Delete Saved Games?

When you uninstall a game from an Xbox Series X or S console, you’re given a few options. You can uninstall everything by choosing the uninstall all option, which removes the game, any updates you have downloaded, any expansions or add-ons you’ve downloaded, and all of your saved games. You can also choose to delete, individually, the game, downloaded updates, and saved games.

Movies, music, and games for older consoles can all be moved to an external USB drive and still played. If you have a lot of Xbox One games or UHD movies on your Series X or S, for example, consider moving them to an external drive to free up space.

Xbox Series X and S both support cloud saves. When connected to the internet, your saved data will be uploaded and kept safe, so you can download it in the future if you ever download the corresponding game again. If you aren’t connected to the internet, then your saved data won’t be uploaded. To be safe, you may want to move your saved data to an external drive in that case.

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