One account, several places
Balance on a Microsoft account typically covers apps and games from the store, downloadable content, and in many cases subscription renewals — across Windows and Xbox, because both sign in to the same account.
Recipients regularly assume a balance is console-only. Tell them otherwise.
Subscriptions
Where a subscription is billed by Microsoft directly, balance can usually pay it. Where it is billed through a third party or bundled with something else, it cannot.
If the subscription is the point of the gift, ask us and we will check rather than guess — this varies by product and market.
What it will not buy
- Hardware, in most regions.
- Software bought through a reseller rather than the store.
- Business or volume licences, which are sold through a different channel entirely.
That last one matters if the recipient wants something for work. Gift balance buys personal licences; moving one to a business tenant afterwards is usually impossible.
Region
Account-specific by country, and the balance follows the account. The country is tied to a billing address and is awkward to change with a balance sitting on it.
Amount
Whole billing periods for subscriptions; the price of the thing for a one-off purchase. Odd remainders are easy to spend here because the store's catalogue is wide.
Asking for one
Country, amount, and what it is meant for if it is a subscription. See the software guide and gift cards for subscriptions.