Microsoft’s Xbox division began rolling out its disc-to-digital program to all Xbox users today, concluding a limited testing phase that had run exclusively with Xbox Insiders. Announced Monday through a post on X, the update lets players convert the licenses for most physical Xbox Series X and Xbox One game discs into permanent digital versions, eliminating the need to keep the disc in the console in order to play.
The announcement arrived with a terse message from the Xbox account: “Your discs just got a digital upgrade today!” The feature, previously available only to a subset of testers, is now open to everyone with a supported console and a compatible game.
How the Disc-to-Digital Process Works
To use the program, players insert a supported physical disc into their console and open the game’s app menu from the home screen. A new option, “Claim digital license,” now appears where none existed before. Selecting it converts the disc-based license to a digital one, after which the disc is no longer required to play.
According to reporting by Kotaku, a tester inserted a physical copy of Injustice 2—a game not owned digitally—and found the “Claim digital license” option once the app menu opened. After claiming it, the disc could be removed entirely. Players can also trigger the conversion simply by playing the game, which automatically claims the license.
For those who want to avoid the automatic installation that occurs the moment a disc is inserted, Xbox’s support page recommends navigating to Settings > Devices & connections > Disc and unchecking “Play disc automatically.” This lets players insert a disc, claim the digital license, and then remove it without triggering a full install.
Compatibility and Publisher Support
Not every game qualifies for the program. Xbox 360 and original Xbox titles are not included at this time, though there is hope that the extensive legacy library may be added in the future. Some publishers have also declined to participate.
Sega joined the program earlier today, following Ubisoft, which came aboard earlier this month. Square Enix remains one of the most notable holdouts, but because both Sega and Ubisoft joined after the program’s initial rollout to Insiders, Microsoft appears open to onboarding additional publishers over time.
A fan-maintained list suggests that at least 1,400 games are currently compatible with the disc-to-digital program, though the number is expected to grow as more publishers sign on.
Sega just got on board earlier today
A Step Toward an All-Digital Future
The disc-to-digital program has been widely interpreted as a move to prepare players for a potential all-digital future. Sony has indicated plans to end physical disc production by 2028, and many industry observers expect Xbox to pursue a similar path with its next console generation.
Ubisoft was in as of earlier this month
While digital copies have greatly outsold physical discs on both consoles in recent years, many longtime players still own large physical collections accumulated before the digital transition accelerated.
Microsoft has cautioned that players should keep their discs even after digitizing them. Selling or losing a disc can result in the loss of the digital license, particularly if another person redeems it. The discs may safely gather dust on a shelf, but Microsoft advises against discarding them entirely.
As the industry continues its slow shift away from physical media, Xbox’s disc-to-digital program offers a pragmatic middle ground—letting players enjoy the convenience of digital access while preserving the option to hold onto the physical media that launched their collections.
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