How To Join Xbox Live

I want to show you how to join Xbox Live. This stage of the process is asking us whether we want to join Xbox Live. Now, this is the service from Microsoft and lets you play against other people online and lets you download contents and download games you could play, but before you could do that, you need to set up an account.

So, we are going to click "Get Connected". Here, we can choose between wireless or network connection. I actually got a cable plugged into the 360.

That is the set-up we have here so I am going to select wired-network. This will now run for a series of tests making sure that firstly, your 360 can connect to the Internet and that Internet connection can find the Microsoft Service of Xbox Live. Each step of this process is indicated by the green dots, and you can see that it found the Network, it found the Internet and it is now connecting to the Xbox Live.

As you're setting up Xbox Live, one of the steps which may appear is a System Update. Now, this is the way that Microsoft keeps its Xbox 360's running smoothly and have the latest software on them. To be able to connect Xbox Live, you need to click "Yes".

This will now download the update from the Microsoft service and it will automatically apply it to your 360 before continuing with the set-up process. Once your 360 has downloaded and applied the update, you will find that the console restarts and you are able to continue to set-up process. So, once your 360 restarted, you will be presented with this screen and all you need to do now is to enter an e-mail address, view the settings that you entered to make sure they are correct, obviously, except the "Terms and Conditions".

The next take is to set yourself up a profile. Now, this is how you will identify and recognise on Xbox Live, so click the "Create New Account" button. Enter your name.

So, I'm putting a friend's name here and then click "Done" by pressing the "Start" button. Now, we need to enter their e-mail address. This is how Microsoft will contact them to talk about their account details or they need to confirm any e-mail addresses in the future, or changes.

You can click the "Start" button. Now, it will take you up to the next screen. You need to pick a password for yourself.

First, it needs to be, as it says, between 6 and 16 characters, but also needs to be something you can remember. Just to confirm that you remember your password, you are asked to enter it a second time. Now, you can select "Security Question".

This is something if you did forget your password, Microsoft will use this on the 360 to confirm your identity, and get you back on Xbox Live. Here, I have chosen fictional character and I'm going to put in "Superman" and you get a final chance to confirm that information before you click "Continue". When your account is first set up, you will be going to be assigned a game tag by Xbox Live.

Once you start using it, you can go in and change that into something that you might prefer, although you are going to change it once, if you want to do that again, that's something you have to pay for. With your Xbox Live set up, it starts from a Silver Account that lets you download games and access come of the features, but to get the full advantage on everything on Xbox Live, you need a Gold Account. And this screen, here, get you the chance to upgrade.

Clicking "Continue" will start up that process. Here you can see all sorts of services you will get for Xbox Live Plus, any special offers. At the "Gold Details" Page, you can see other features you can take advantage of if you got the Gold Account.

There is also a "Gold Family Details" page where you can buy a package of accounts. It is worth noting here that you don't need multiple Xbox private accounts to along with your family. You can share one profile, but if you do that, your game scores are going to be shared between the whole family.

If you don't take the option of upgrading to an