Gaming has always been a part of my life, and like many other Xbox owners, I have invested not only money but also years of time building a library of games, achievements, and memories. Yet one major security issue remains unaddressed: Xbox consoles can be factory reset and reused by anyone who steals them.

Today, if an Xbox console is stolen, a thief can simply perform a factory reset and use or sell the device as if it were their own. While Microsoft provides excellent protection for user accounts, there is currently no owner-controlled mechanism that prevents a stolen console from being reactivated after a reset.

This stands in contrast to the protections now commonly found on smartphones, tablets, and other connected devices. Features such as Activation Lock and Factory Reset Protection have proven highly effective at reducing theft by making stolen devices far less valuable to criminals.
Xbox owners deserve the same option.

I am calling on Microsoft to implement an optional Xbox anti-theft protection feature that allows owners to link a console to their Microsoft account and require owner authentication before a factory reset can be completed, before a reset console can be activated again, when a console is connected to a new or unfamiliar network, or through another equivalent security mechanism that prevents unauthorized reuse of stolen hardware.

Owners who choose to sell, gift, or transfer their consoles should be able to remove the protection through their Microsoft account before transferring ownership. Likewise, legitimate owners who forget their credentials should be able to recover access through Microsoft's existing account recovery and two-factor authentication systems.

Such a feature could include one or more of the following optional protections:

• Authentication before a factory reset can be performed.
• Authentication before a reset console can be activated again.
• Verification when a console is connected to a new or unfamiliar network.
• Approval through Microsoft Authenticator, a passkey, or another secure second-factor method.

Such a feature would:

• Reduce the attractiveness of Xbox consoles to thieves.
• Help protect consumers' investments.
• Provide greater peace of mind to Xbox owners.
• Encourage stronger account security practices.
• Bring Xbox security in line with modern consumer devices.

This proposal would be entirely optional, allowing users who do not want additional security measures to leave them disabled, while giving security-conscious owners the ability to protect their property. Users who enable the feature would knowingly accept the additional verification requirements in exchange for enhanced protection against theft.

Microsoft has long been a leader in gaming technology. It is time for the company to take the next step by providing Xbox owners with modern anti-theft protections that help ensure stolen consoles cannot be easily reused or resold.

The technology required for such protections already exists across many modern connected devices. Bringing similar optional protections to Xbox consoles would be a natural extension of Microsoft's existing account and device security ecosystem.

Please sign this petition and help encourage Microsoft to implement optional anti-theft and activation-lock protections for Xbox consoles. Together, we can make Xbox ownership more secure for everyone.