Microsoft’s Game Pass Family Crackdown Wipes Kids’ Save Files and Deletes Parental Controls

For years, Microsoft had a clever workaround that let families share Xbox Game Pass on PC without additional cost. Parents could keep their Game Pass subscription signed into the Microsoft Store while kids logged into Windows with their own Microsoft accounts. This meant children had their own parental controls, screen time limits, content filters, and individual game saves. Then, in early November 2025, a quiet update destroyed that entire setup and caused a disaster that forced Microsoft to backpedal.

How the Setup Worked Before

The original workaround was elegant in its simplicity. On a shared PC, the parent would stay logged into both Windows and the Microsoft Store with their Game Pass subscription. Their children would log into Windows using their own Microsoft accounts, which triggered Microsoft’s Family Safety system, applying screen-time limits, content restrictions, and app controls.

When the child opened the Xbox app, they could sign in with their own Xbox profile, which gave them individual game saves, achievements, and progress tracking. The child had their own protected environment with parental oversight. The parent’s Game Pass subscription covered access. Everyone won.

The Update That Broke Everything

In November 2025, Microsoft released an update that changed everything. The Xbox app, Microsoft Store, and Windows login now all had to be the same Microsoft account. If they didn’t match, Game Pass games simply wouldn’t launch. Parents trying to maintain the old setup found their children locked out of games entirely.

The workaround Microsoft support suggested was brutal. Just sign into Windows using the parent’s Game Pass account instead. That would let the games launch. What Microsoft didn’t prominently mention was the catch.

Parental Controls Disappear Silently

Microsoft Family Safety tools only work when a child is signed into Windows with their own personal Microsoft account. The system applies time limits, content filters, and app restrictions at the Windows login level. If the child is logged in as the parent, Windows sees them as an adult user.

All parental controls evaporate. There are no screen-time limits. No content filters. No app restrictions. Everything is gone. Even if the child then signs into the Xbox app with their own Xbox profile, the PC still treats the Windows session as adult-level access. The parental protections that were the entire point of having separate family accounts disappeared without warning or explanation.

Save Files Get Deleted When You Switch Accounts

This is where it got catastrophic. On PC, Game Pass save data is tied to the Windows account and Microsoft Store login, not just the Xbox profile. When a different Windows user opens a game for the first time, the system generates a new save file.

That blank save file then syncs to the cloud, overwriting the original progress. In reported cases, this meant losing a 100% completion save in Hollow Knight, substantial progress in Deep Rock Galactic, and hours of other games. Once the cloud syncs the empty save, there’s no official recovery option. The progress is gone.

One parent described finding their son’s entire gaming progress wiped out with no warning, explanation, or means to recover it. When they complained, Microsoft support essentially shrugged and said the new behavior was intentional.

The Ofcom Complaint Forced a Response

The complaints started immediately. One parent filed a formal complaint with Ofcom, the UK’s broadcast regulatory agency, specifically targeting the removal of parental controls. The regulatory pressure apparently alarmed Microsoft enough to act.

Within days, updates were rolled out that appear to have restored the functionality. According to follow-ups from affected users, family sharing is working again. Game Pass titles launch properly, and save files aren’t being wiped. Microsoft acknowledged the issue was a “bug” that has been “fixed.”

Microsoft Is Scrubbing Support Pages

What’s particularly unsettling is that Microsoft appears to be actively removing documentation about family Game Pass sharing from their support website. Parents who tried to find official Microsoft guidance on the proper setup method reported encountering error messages stating, “The page you are for has removed, name changed or is unavailable.” It’s not accidental deletions. It’s targeted removal.

This suggests Microsoft wants to eliminate any record that this sharing method ever existed as an officially supported feature. If there’s no documentation, they can claim it was never intended. The timing of these deletions alongside the update that broke family sharing looks intentional.

Why This Matters Beyond Gaming

This incident reveals something disturbing about how major tech companies approach consumer rights. Microsoft implemented a policy that simultaneously increased revenue potential, deleted user data, and eliminated parental protections. When it blew up in their face, they blamed it on a “bug” and claimed it was never intentional.

That’s not how bugs work. Bugs are accidental. What happened was a calculated change to account matching requirements. Everything that followed logically from that change: the parental control removal, the save file overwrites, the family setup destruction. That wasn’t a bug. That was the system working exactly as designed.

The fact that it took regulatory threats to force a reversal should concern everyone. Microsoft didn’t change because they realized their mistake was harmful. They changed because they got caught by people willing to escalate to regulatory authorities.

The Bigger Picture: Cracking Down on Sharing

This event fits into a larger pattern. Microsoft is clearly interested in monetizing family sharing more aggressively. The company previously discontinued the Friends and Family sharing plan that actually let multiple households split subscription costs. Now they’re tightening PC Game Pass sharing in ways that make it harder for families to benefit from a single subscription.

The timing isn’t coincidental. With Xbox Game Pass prices rising, Microsoft needs to find ways to squeeze more revenue from existing subscribers. Making family sharing difficult accomplishes that. People who can’t share will buy additional subscriptions. It’s not a bug. It’s a business model.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is family Game Pass sharing working again on PC?

According to user reports, yes. Microsoft released updates that appear to have restored the previous family sharing functionality after complaints and regulatory pressure from Ofcom.

What was the original family sharing setup?

Parents kept Game Pass signed into the Microsoft Store on a shared PC while children logged into Windows with their own accounts. This enabled parental controls and individual game saves while sharing one subscription.

What changed in the November update?

Microsoft required the Windows account, Microsoft Store account, and Xbox app account to all be the same. If they didn’t match, Game Pass games wouldn’t launch.

What happened to parental controls?

They were disabled. The only way to use Game Pass was for the child to log into Windows as the parent, which removed all parental protections, screen time limits, and content filters.

Can parents still share Game Pass with kids?

According to the latest reports, yes, the previous sharing method appears to be restored. However, Microsoft hasn’t made an official formal announcement, and the situation remains somewhat unclear.

Were deleted save files recovered?

Some games’ developers, like Coffee Stain Studios (Deep Rock Galactic), helped restore saves. However, some save files like the Hollow Knight 100% completion save couldn’t be recovered.

Will Microsoft create a Family Plan for Game Pass?

Microsoft previously promised a Family Plan but has not delivered it. The current situation suggests they may be moving away from family sharing entirely rather than formalizing it.

Is this still a bug or was it intentional?

Microsoft claims it was a bug, but the policy changes, documentation removal, and deliberate restrictions suggest it was intentional. Whether it was internally called a “bug” or a “feature” is unclear.

What is Ofcom and why did it matter?

Ofcom is the UK’s broadcast and communications regulator. A parent’s complaint to Ofcom about removing parental controls from children’s accounts appears to have influenced Microsoft’s decision to reverse the policy.

Conclusion

Microsoft’s Game Pass family sharing incident in November 2025 reveals the uncomfortable truth about how subscription services handle consumer protections. A policy change that simultaneously increased revenue potential, deleted user data, and eliminated parental controls was presented as a “bug” when it got public attention. The reversal only happened after regulatory escalation, not because Microsoft realized the harm. For families who experienced lost game progress and disabled parental protections without warning, this is a stark reminder that convenience and trust in tech companies come with hidden costs. The situation has been apparently resolved for now, but Microsoft’s documented attempts to remove support documentation suggest the company may try again with a different approach.