How to Make a Region Free XBox 360
By Marshal M. Rosenthal
Updated September 22, 2017
The Xbox 360 is designed so that you cannot view games or download content in Xbox Live designated for players in other countries. You can trick Xbox Live into letting you view and work with any region without modifying the Xbox 360 and voiding its warranty. Making the Xbox 360 region-free requires a membership in the Xbox Live online network and a Hotmail e-mail account, the latter being free while the former requires a paid subscription. While not illegal to do, an Xbox Live administrator could take you to task should you be found out.
Go to the Hotmail account on a PC (see the link in Resources). Press the “Get account” button to go to a new window. Click on the ‘Get it” button beneath the “Windows Live Hotmail” text.
Type in any name you choose in the “Screen name” column on the new window that appears. Type in a password in the “Password” column below “Screen Name.” Type in the password again in the “Retype Password” column. Fill in the other columns as dictated by the text.
Select the country (i.e., region) of the game that you are not allowed to play from the “Country/Region” drop-down menu. Select a city for that country from the “City” drop-down menu below “Country/Region.” Enter the postal code for the city in the “Postal code” column below “City.”
Enter the special code that is at the bottom of the webpage into the column designated for it. Press the “Finish” button to complete making your profile.
Turn on the Xbox 360. Navigate to the “Network” setting from the Home menu. Select “Join Xbox Live” from the list of choices presented. Wait for the Xbox Live window to appear on the screen. Click on the ‘Continue” button. Enter a game name using the onscreen keyboard that appears. Click “Done.” Click “Yes” on the screen that appears.
Enter the e-mail address used for the profile you made using the onscreen keyboard in the window that appears. Click “Done.”
Enter the password you had used for the profile you made in the next screen using the onscreen keyboard. Click “Done.”
Wait for the Home screen to appear. Download or view whatever you want now that you are not locked to your own region. Quit Xbox Live when you are done.
Return to the Hotmail signup web page and create a new profile when you want to access a different region on your Xbox 360.
Tips
You can use an international postal code directory at the post office or from the Post Office’s online web site to find postal codes for cities in other countries.
Warnings
Macintosh users will not be able to create the needed Hotmail account due to the way Hotmail is set up.
References
Writer Bio
Marshal M. Rosenthal is a technology maven with more than 15 years of editorial experience. A graduate of Brooks Institute of Photography with a Bachelor of Arts in photographic arts, his editorial work has appeared both domestically as well as internationally in publications such as "Home Theater," "Electronic House," "eGear," "Computer and Video Games" and "Digitrends."