Xbox Identity Provider

Purpose

Identifier: microsoft.xboxidentityprovider

Setup Foundry can remove this package from existing user accounts and from provisioning for new accounts; it is not removed by default.

Xbox Identity Provider is a system app that enables compatible PC games and apps to sign users in to Xbox services. It associates a Microsoft account sign-in with an Xbox identity and supports the acquisition of security tokens required for authenticated Xbox service requests.

The package is a background component rather than a stand-alone app intended to be opened by the user. Compatible games and Xbox components invoke it when they require Xbox authentication.

Notes

Additional effects

After authentication, a game can use the Xbox features it has integrated. Depending on the title, these can include the player's Xbox profile, achievements, multiplayer services, leaderboards, or saves associated with the Xbox account. The individual game determines which of its features depend on this package.

Privacy and security

Xbox authentication communicates with Microsoft services. Depending on their intended audience and configuration, Xbox security tokens can contain user, device, and title information. Documented user claims include a user identifier, gamertag, age group, country or region, and granted Xbox privileges. Tokens have a limited lifetime and are issued for specific relying services.

Removing the package prevents it from carrying out these sign-in and token operations for apps that depend on it. Other installed Xbox components and games may still communicate with Microsoft through their own connections. Removal does not delete the user's Microsoft or Xbox account, nor does it erase profile information held by Xbox services.

Effects of the change

Because the package is retained by default, nothing changes unless this cleanup option is selected.

If it is removed, compatible PC games lose the component they use for Xbox sign-in. An affected title may be unable to resolve the user's Xbox identity or obtain a required authentication token. Users may see a failed or repeated sign-in prompt, or an error stating that the game could not connect to Xbox.

Features that require an authenticated Xbox connection may consequently be unavailable in an affected game. Depending on the title, this can include online multiplayer, achievements, leaderboards, the Xbox profile, or Xbox cloud-save synchronization. Offline features and features with no Xbox dependency are not inherently affected. A game that requires Xbox authentication at launch may, however, become unusable until the package is present again.

Xbox Identity Provider is not a conventional stand-alone app, so removing it ordinarily does not eliminate a meaningful app shortcut or change file-type associations. It can be installed again from Microsoft Store if Microsoft continues to offer it for the applicable device, Windows version, and region.

Microsoft documentation

Microsoft Store: Xbox Identity Provider

Microsoft Learn: Xbox services authentication

Microsoft Learn: Xbox services security token claims

See also

• Entry in the reference