Followup: Microsoft's Answer to Combining Multiple Accounts (and Master Accounts?)

A few days ago we had covered how to create and combine an Xbox Live account and Zune account past using one powerful all-encompassing Windows Live ID - the ringleader that ties all of these services together. Nosotros've noted that if y'all don't currently use any of these services, or use but one of them, that you should create a Windows Live ID start. Yes, the term Windows Alive ID is synonymous with Hotmail account and then if you've got a Hotmail business relationship, you've in tern, got a Windows Live ID. Many people are already using either an Xbox live account or Zune account without them existence linked to a Windows Live ID. This is easily remedied if you take merely one Windows Alive ID you lot'd like to use for each service but gets pretty complicated if you want to combine multiple open accounts.

I got on the phone with Microsoft's Technical Back up staff and went through their chain of control to become some definitive answers and to see what these users should do when they get a Windows Phone seven device.

Read on afterward the break for our discussion with Microsoft and multiple accounts!

First off, as of writing this, it is not possible to combine any number of Zune accounts, Xbox Live accounts, or Windows Live ID's if they were created using differing Windows Live ID's. Remember of it this manner - each Window's Live ID is the entirety of your account regardless of which service you take linked to information technology. If you've opened a Zune account with one Windows Live ID then open an Xbox Live account with a different Windows Alive ID you cannot link the Zune to the Xbox business relationship or the Xbox account to the Zune account. If you havet ii Zune accounts you tin't combine the ii into one. The same goes for those of you with two Xbox Live accounts. They may belong to the same person but they are mutually exclusive. You tin can try to alter the Windows Alive ID each service is registered to either through the Xbox Dashboard's settings panel, or Zune's account settings but if you endeavor to enter an already existing Windows Live ID than your efforts will be met with the fault message, "The Windows Alive ID yous're switching to is already linked to another Xbox Alive (or Zune) account. You must utilise some other Windows Live ID." Y'all can also effort to change your Zune tag or your Gamertag but this will finish in the same result when attempting to link either of them to an already established Windows Alive ID.

So for those of yous with two Xbox alive accounts (this goes for both Silver and Golden), I'g sorry, simply there'south no way of combining the 2 of them or transferring the purchases of one account to the other or pooling together your Game Achievements, Reputation, or Microsoft Points. Zune users, you can't combine your play counts, purchases, Microsoft points or any of your contour data. A Zune Laissez passer business relationship is capable of existence used across 3 PC's and up to three Zune devices (Zune, Xbox 360, WP7) then some people willingly share their Pass and content with friends (looking at you, flboy) only won't be able to merge or exchange any content because these devices cannot disassociate i account from another. Even if those users were to create their own Zune accounts and stop the sync human relationship from the one that they had been gear up to, all of the content would remain property of the Windows Alive account that had made the purchase.

Followup: Microsoft

I had spent a wonderful evening on the phone with a Microsoft technical counselor later on navigating the labyrinth of transfers from one support associate to another. The only viable solution at this indicate is to start from scratch. I know, I know - nearly all of you lot would rather keep your services linked to separate accounts then you won't lose any purchases or game achievements or play counts but from what I sympathise, they're looking into it merely this is not a priority issue for Microsoft. They are well informed of the crowd's displeasure nonetheless, and trying viable solutions for "some fourth dimension in the future". This November though, to nip farther heartache in the bud, they will begin implementing Master Accounts. You tin can think of these as Parent accounts that watch over and maintain other assorted accounts created under them. It's all hearsay at this indicate but we believe these Master Accounts will be capable of, non only monitoring, merely distributing and transferring Microsoft Betoken and, while very unlikely, purchased content.

So what should y'all do when yous're in the process of setting up your new phone and don't know which account to use? If you plan on using your Zune Pass and the social aspects of your Zune account (music and radio sharing) than use that Windows Live ID. If you don't but still want to listen to the music you've purchased or have stored in your library than don't sweat it, those tracks volition piece of work on your phone just fine regardless of which Windows Live ID you use. If you lot're going to be using Hotmail as a principal e-mail account with your phone than use that to import all of your contacts and your calendar just non if y'all plan on using your WP7 device for gaming more than phoning. Yous tin can switch to another Hotmail (Windows Live ID) account at whatever time but if the initial account you utilise to sync with your telephone isn't the same as the Windows Alive ID used to create your Xbox Live account than there may be some hang-ups merging your telephone's Xbox Live content and status with your console's Xbox Live content. Microsoft recommends using the log-in data associated with your Gamertag and Xbox Live service with your new phone even if you do accept other accounts or services. I'd have to agree seeing every bit how yous'll nevertheless be able to utilise your Zune content and sync with multiple Hotmail accounts (non all at once, listen you) at any given fourth dimension.

If you have multiple accounts for different services (e.yard. one Windows Live ID associated with Zune and a different i associated with Xbox Live) would y'all be willing to cancel one of them to open a completely new business relationship under one Windows Live ID so everything could be unified to i user name and log-in for every service y'all use? Let us know.

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