The process is really simple. Here, we’ll explain what the perks are, and how you can get them.
What Are Game Pass Perks?
At the most basic level, Game Pass Perks are free content Microsoft gives away to Game Pass subscribers.
Perks can fall into several categories; they could be in-game content like weapon packs or character skins, in-game currency with which to buy in-game content, like Fortnite’s V-Bucks, or they could grant access to a subscription app for a short time, like an extended free trial of Disney+, for example.
You should note that Game Pass Perks are only available if you subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate, so if you only have a Game Pass PC or Console subscription, you won’t be able to access Perks unless you upgrade. For more information on what Game Pass is and how the tiers work, check out our Xbox Game Pass guide.
You should also note that Perks are time-limited. So, you only have a certain period in which you can claim the perk. You then have a grace period, which gives you a deadline by which you should redeem your code.
It might be a fairly obvious point to raise, but if you are claiming a Perk related to a specific game, then you’ll need to own that game in order to claim the associated Perk. This might involve you buying the game if you don’t already own it, or if the title itself isn’t available on Game Pass.
Now that you know what Game Pass Perks are, you’re probably wondering how you can claim them. Here’s what you need to do…
How Do You Get Xbox Game Pass Perks?
OK, so assuming you have a Game Pass Ultimate subscription, actually claiming your Game Pass Perks is a simple affair. There are several avenues you can go down to claim your perks; via your console, the Game Pass mobile app, or the Xbox PC app. Each one works slightly differently, so we’ve outlined each option below.
Claim Game Pass Perks on Your Xbox Console
The first method we’ll look at is claiming perks on your console. Note that these are the steps for a Series X or S, so if you have an Xbox One, the steps might be slightly different. Here’s what to do:
Fire up your Xbox and sign into the correct profile (i. e. the one with a Game Pass Ultimate subscription, if you have multiple accounts on your console). Scroll to Game Pass and select it by tapping A on your controller. This will open the Game Pass menu. At the top you’ll see a selection of highlights, and underneath these are a series of gray menu options. Scroll to Perks and tap A to select. Now you will see your list of Perks. Find the one you want to choose and select it with A. On the pop-up screen, select Claim. You can redeem the code now, or press B to exit and redeem the perk code later. This will take you back to the Perks screen. To redeem your code from here, scroll down to see the Your Codes section of the page. You should see your selected Perk here. Highlight it with the cursor and tap A. This will open the Perk redemption screen. Now Scan the QR code on your smartphone or tablet, or select Open in Microsoft Edge. This will take you to the relevant website to redeem your Perk code. All you need to do now is download your free content (such as weapon packs or character skins) or sign up to the service associated with the Perk (like Disney+ or Spotify Pro).
Enjoy your free goodies!
Claim Game Pass Perks on the Android Game Pass App
You can also claim your Perks using the Game Pass app on your smartphone or tablet. This is great if you have forgotten to claim a Perk you wanted, and you’re not in front of the Xbox at the time.
Here’s what steps to follow.
Open the Xbox Game Pass app. Tap your Profile picture at the bottom to open your Game Pass profile. You should see Perks straight away. Tap Show All. Scroll to the Perk you want to claim and tap the image. Note that you can only claim certain Perks on the app. For most of them, you need to do this on your console. If you can’t claim on your console, the app will alert you to do it on your console. If you can claim via the app, you’ll see a green Claim icon. Tap it. You will now see a code that you can enter on the Microsoft Store (via the separate Xbox app, your console, or on your PC) via the Redeem Code option. Press and hold the code with your fingertip to copy it, before you head to the Store. You’ll see a confirmation pop-up at the bottom of the screen when you have successfully copied it. Redeem your code via the Microsoft Store and claim your content.
So, it is pretty easy to claim Perks via the app, but don’t forget you can only claim certain ones. For other Perks you need to use the console or your PC.
Claim Game Pass Perks on Your PC
The third manner in which you can claim Game Pass Perks is via your PC, using the Xbox PC app. You automatically have access to Game Pass on PC when you sign up to Game Pass Ultimate. Follow these steps.
Launch the Xbox Game Pass PC app. Left-click Perks to select it. On the Perks screen, find the perk you want and left-click the artwork to select it. Then select either See in Store or Claim Perk. As with claiming perks with the Android app, some perks give you a code to redeem in the Microsoft store, and some will just direct you to the download page on the Store. Head to the Microsoft Store and either enter your code or simply download the content there (if no code is required).
And that is how you claim Game Pass perks via Game Pass PC.
Now You Understand Game Pass Perks
As you can see, Game Pass Perks are pretty awesome. You get a load of free content to use in the games you love, and there is nothing to complain about there, surely? This can save you quite a bit of cash, because a lot of these Perks (especially those that are in-game content/currency) would normally only be available via a microtransaction.
Game Pass is an excellent service, and the great thing about it is you can use it whether you have an Android smartphone, a PC, a Series X, Series S, or an Xbox One. The choice is yours!
