Today, Xbox released the license transfer tool on Xbox.com. This tool allows you to consolidate licenses from any of your previous consoles to your current one. Check it out here: www.xbox.com/drm.

 

Why would you need to use this? First, some background about how licenses work. When you download content from Xbox LIVE Marketplace, the content is licensed to your console and to your Xbox LIVE account. This allows you to:

 

Now, if you happen to switch consoles, be it through repair, exchange, or upgrade, you can still download and use your content on the new console online (bullet 1), but you can't use it offline (bullet 2). This is because the content was licensed to the old console, not the new one.

 

To get licenses back on the new console, two things have to happen. You have to:

 

In the repair situation, Xbox Customer Support takes care of the first part for you. You send your console in, and, if you get a different replacement console back, they transfer the licenses in their system. You then download the the licenses to your new console when you get it back. Now, with this tool, you can go to Xbox.com and do the same thing for a console you exchanged or bought at retail.

 

After the first part is done (through support or on Xbox.com), you go to Account Management on your console, select Download History, and download each piece of content again. If you kept your hard drive and the content is still on it, it'll be a really quick download because it's only downloading the license.

 

You can only do it once every 12 months. This is because this is really designed to cover the exchange/upgrade scenario and not moving licenses around on a regular basis. Also, if you do have to send your console in to support after using this tool, support will still be able to transfer the content on their end. The 12-month restriction is for you using the tool on Xbox.com. A replacement through support is an exception and doesn't count against this limit.

 

Also, make sure you watch your movies before you transfer, since those won't be moved over. It'll transfer the licenses for other content (including videos and TV shows), just not the movie rentals.

 

And no, you don't have to have your old console around to do this. You only need to be able to sign in with the gamertag that downloaded the content both on Xbox.com and on your new console.

 

If you want to know more, take a look at the license tool FAQ. It should answer a bunch of questions about how the tool works.

 

Of course, if you've only ever had one console, and only downloaded stuff to that console, you don't need this tool. But it's nice to know it's there.