Xbox’s Disc-to-Digital program is officially here for everyone to try

After months of speculation, Microsoft confirmed in August that it was developing a way for Xbox owners to turn supported physical games into digital licenses. The feature initially launched for Xbox Insiders, but the testing period did not last long. Microsoft has now begun rolling out Disc-to-Digital licensing to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S players more broadly.

The process is relatively straightforward. Insert an eligible Xbox game disc into an Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S console, and Microsoft can associate a digital license for the game with the player's Microsoft account. Once the process is completed, the game can be treated much like a digital purchase from the Microsoft Store, including access to features such as Xbox Play Anywhere when supported.

Microsoft also allows the license to be associated with a different Microsoft account from the one that owns the console. This means someone can digitize a physical game without necessarily losing the resale or trading value of the disc itself.

There is one major catch, however: not every Xbox One or Xbox Series X game disc qualifies. Microsoft explicitly warns that some physical copies cannot be converted, with eligibility depending on factors such as when the disc was manufactured. Some publishers have also chosen not to allow their games to participate in the program. In those cases, users will see a "Disc license unavailable" message.

The list of participating publishers has gradually expanded since the feature entered the Xbox Insider program. Ubisoft and Sega have recently joined, although major publishers including Bandai Namco and Square Enix have yet to make all of their physical releases eligible. Xbox users have also created an unofficial database to help identify which games currently support Disc-to-Digital licensing.

For collectors with large physical libraries, Microsoft has also published an FAQ explaining how the system works, including instructions for processing multiple eligible discs more efficiently. The new program effectively gives Xbox owners another way to access digital versions of games they already own while retaining their physical copies.

As always, for more news on Xbox consoles, gaming hardware, and developments across the gaming industry, be sure to follow our dedicated hardware coverage.