Xbox Family Sharing (a “please help” thread)

[professor_t]

I have multiple Xbox consoles and my son primarily games on one of them using my account. The problem is that if he is playing something (say, Roblox) it doesn't seem to allow me to play a different game at the same time. I can use an app, like HBO Max, but it wants to boot him if I want to play a game.

Is there a way that we both can play different games simultaneously, particularly if they are using Xbox Live? I did a little digging into family sharing and the answers seem to focus on how you can have the same games on two consoles, but they didn't necessarily address using those two consoles at the same time (again, with different games).

If you can't do this on a single account, do you have any recommendations for how I can set up another account? I don't mind buying another instance of Xbox live, but all of his progress in games is tied to my account, so that could be problematic.

Thanks in advance to anyone who responds to this absolutely boring help thread!

 

[Mrflood]

Xbox family sharing works very well, but you messed up by not giving him his own account to start. As mentioned, his saves won't transfer.

1) keep your account as primary on the console your son uses. He will then have access to your library and access to Xbox live at no extra cost. Create a new account for your son under your family and have him use that moving forward.

2) As long as he's playing with his own account on the primary console. You can login into any other console and access your library and games. (You will need an internet connection for "check-in"). You can even play the same game as your son. Great for coop and multiplayer.

 

[Doskoi Panda]

When you're game sharing like this, the idea is to use 2 different accounts.

Your account can only be playing a game on one console at any given time.

Basically, the idea is that each Xbox account can have one designated 'Home' Xbox console. On that 'Home' console, anyone else using it can access your library (and IIRC your GamePass/XBL features IIRC, could be wrong). Basically simplifies buying games as a family unit or group by making it so that games you buy on your account can be accessed by users of your 'Home' console.

Additionally, you can access your owned games on any console you're logged into as long as you own them and you're online... but your specific XB account can only be playing one game on one device at any time, as you've found.

In Other words, the right way to do this is to set your son up with their own account (and parental controls if relevant to you), and make their Xbox console your account's 'Home' console. That way, he can use your games on his account without impairing your access.

That said, given what you said about some game progress being tied to your account, he's still going to need to use your account occasionally... so your best bet is to get him his own account sooner than later so that he can start playing new games moving forward on THAT account. Either that, or just give him your account, make a new one for yourself, and more forward from there.

 

[Edward850]

Family sharing specifically implies and requires having multiple accounts, you can't just have one (which is why it's trying to boot you). Simply create a child account for your son. https://support.xbox.com/en-NZ/help.../child-accounts/add-family-member-on-xbox-one

Games on your home console become playable on any account on that same console even if you're not signed in, and games on your account are playable on any console you're currently signed in on. Because these are treated as two different licenses, you can play games you own on your account on another console while any other account can play your games on your home console. This also applies to most subscriptions, including gamepass and gold in how they get shared (so you only need the one subscription).

 

[Yerffej]

Guess I'll chime in with a sort of related question if OP doesn't mind. If I wanted to get a second console for upstairs, is it as easy as signing in and everything is fine? Does it sign me out of my first console? Or can both be signed in at the same time when on the same network?

 

[LonestarZues]

Guess I'll chime in with a sort of related question if OP doesn't mind. If I wanted to get a second console for upstairs, is it as easy as signing in and everything is fine? Does it sign me out of my first console? Or can both be signed in at the same time when on the same network?

Click to shrink...

As long as you're on different accounts. You can't share the same account at the same time.

 

[Yerffej]

As long as you're on different accounts. You can't share the same account at the same time.

Click to shrink...

That's fine. Yeah I'd just want to use my same account, I think.

 

[professor_t]

Thanks for the input. Looks like I dropped the ball by letting him use the same account, but I can rectify it.

 

[nihilence]

Can only share currently between 2 consoles, yes?

 

[professor_t]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I think I've got it working so we can be using two consoles simultaneously. We're finally emerging from the Dark Ages here . . .