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Short answer: The offer was legitimate, but it was a U.S.-only promotion from August 2018, not a deal you should expect to claim in 2026. The reward identified in the original coverage was a digital copy of X-Men: Days of Future Past for linking a Microsoft Account to Movies Anywhere. The old incentive has not been verified as active.
What “MSA” means
“MSA” is shorthand for Microsoft Account—the consumer account used for services such as Microsoft Store, Xbox, Windows and, historically, Microsoft Movies & TV. It is not the name of a separate movie service.
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The account-linking tip appeared after Microsoft Movies & TV joined Movies Anywhere in August 2018. The original report was published on August 7, 2018: Thurrott’s account-linking tip.
Was the free movie offer real?
Yes. The 2018 article identified X-Men: Days of Future Past as the promotional movie. It described a free digital copy for connecting a Microsoft Account to Movies Anywhere.
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- The Help (Three-Disc Combo: Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy)
That evidence establishes a time-limited 2018 offer, not a permanent benefit. No current Movies Anywhere material verifies that the reward is still redeemable as of August 18, 2026, so readers should not expect to receive the film by repeating the old steps.
How the 2018 process worked
The historical flow was straightforward:
- Open the Microsoft-to-Movies Anywhere connection page referenced by the 2018 article.
- Sign in with the Microsoft Account associated with Microsoft Movies & TV.
- Review and authorize the account connection.
- Connect other supported movie retailers if desired.
- Check the Movies Anywhere library for the promotional title.
The connection page still exists at Movies Anywhere’s connected-retailer settings, but a working settings page does not prove that the 2018 promotion or Microsoft retailer connection remains available.
The geographic limit
The 2018 Microsoft integration was reported as available only in the United States. It should not be described as a worldwide promotion.
What linking accomplished
Movies Anywhere was designed to provide a shared library view for eligible purchases made through connected retailers. Linking accounts did not convert every Microsoft purchase into a universally portable movie, and it did not turn rentals into purchases.
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| Retailer | Status in the August 2018 coverage |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Listed as a participating retailer |
| Apple iTunes | Listed as a participating retailer |
| FandangoNOW | Listed as a participating retailer |
| Google Play Movies & TV, including YouTube | Listed as a participating retailer |
| Vudu | Listed as a participating retailer |
| Microsoft Movies & TV | Listed as the newly connected Microsoft retailer |
This is a historical list, not a current compatibility guide. Retailer participation and synchronization rules can change.
Studio and title eligibility
As reported in 2018, participating major studios included Disney, Sony, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal and Warner Bros. Individual titles could still be excluded. Lionsgate, MGM and Paramount were identified as non-participants at that time.
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The integration covered eligible purchases, while the announcement coverage specifically excluded rental content. A movie being sold in a retailer’s catalog did not guarantee Movies Anywhere eligibility.
The original article also estimated that users might see roughly one-half to two-thirds of their purchases appear across connected services. That was an author’s practical estimate, not an official guarantee or service-wide statistic.
Why the old tip is outdated
Microsoft stopped selling movies and TV shows
Current coverage in Thurrott’s Microsoft Movies & TV archive reports that Microsoft Store movie and television sales stopped in July 2025: Microsoft Movies & TV archive. This materially changes the context in which the 2018 linking tip was written.
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Google Play and YouTube synchronization also changed
Thurrott’s Movies Anywhere coverage reports that Google Play and YouTube purchases stopped syncing to Movies Anywhere in November 2025: Movies Anywhere coverage archive. Therefore, the retailer list from 2018 must not be presented as today’s supported list.
An active website is not proof of the old promotion
Movies Anywhere remains an active service with account, library, redemption, help and connected-service areas. The existence of its connection page does not establish that Microsoft Movies & TV is still a connectable retailer or that the free-movie reward survives.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do today
- Do not count on the free movie. Treat the 2018 reward as expired unless current official terms explicitly say otherwise.
- Use one Movies Anywhere account. Sign in to your existing account and inspect the current connected-retailer controls before linking anything.
- Check whether Microsoft is offered. If Microsoft does not appear, do not keep retrying an old promotional link.
- Verify eligibility title by title. Check whether a film was an eligible purchase rather than a rental and whether its studio and country qualify.
- Use the original retailer for access when necessary. If a retailer is no longer supported, its own account or app may be the practical place to find an older purchase.
Account linking associates purchase and library information between services. Read the authorization screen before accepting, and make sure you are using the Microsoft Account that actually holds the relevant purchase history.
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Troubleshooting an existing library
The movie does not appear
- Confirm that you signed in with the correct Microsoft Account.
- Check that the transaction was a purchase, not a rental.
- Confirm that the title was eligible for Movies Anywhere in its relevant country and edition.
- Check the retailer where the movie was originally bought.
- Review current Movies Anywhere eligibility information rather than relying on the 2018 studio list.
You accidentally created a second Movies Anywhere account
Do not create additional accounts to chase the old reward. Separate accounts can split libraries and complicate retailer connections. Work from the account that already contains your connected services and purchase history.
You want to disconnect a retailer
Use the current connected-retailer settings and read the service’s warnings first. Disconnecting and reconnecting can be subject to service restrictions, so do not assume unlimited relinking.
The practical verdict
The headline described a real Microsoft promotion in 2018: link a Microsoft Account to Movies Anywhere and receive the specifically named X-Men: Days of Future Past digital copy. It was U.S.-only, applied within Movies Anywhere’s eligibility limits and excluded rentals. Microsoft’s later shutdown of movie and TV sales, along with subsequent retailer-sync changes, means the tip should now be read as historical guidance—not a current free-movie deal.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
