You can cancel a Microsoft 365 subscription from your Microsoft account if it’s a personal or family plan, or from the Microsoft 365 admin center if you manage a business subscription. Either way, you’ll want to check your renewal date and billing settings first so you don’t lose access to files or get charged again before the plan actually ends.
Quick steps
- Sign in to your Microsoft account or the Microsoft 365 admin center, depending on whether it’s a personal or business subscription.
- Go to your subscriptions or billing area.
- Find the Microsoft 365 subscription you want to end.
- Choose the option to cancel the subscription or turn off recurring billing, then confirm.
Before you start
A few things to check before you cancel:
- Know whether you’re on a personal/family plan or a business subscription managed by an admin. The cancellation process is different for each.
- Check your renewal date. Canceling doesn’t always remove access right away, you’ll usually keep it until the current billing period ends.
- Back up or move any files stored in OneDrive and export emails you need, since access to data changes once a subscription is no longer active.
- If you only want to stop being charged automatically but keep using the apps for now, turning off recurring billing instead of fully canceling might be the better option.
Cancel a personal or family Microsoft 365 subscription
If you pay for Microsoft 365 Personal or Family yourself through your Microsoft account, this is the route to use.
- Go to your Microsoft account and sign in with the account used for the subscription.
- Open the section that lists your Services & subscriptions.
- Find Microsoft 365 in the list and select Manage.
- Look for an option to cancel the subscription (or to turn off recurring billing if you just want to stop future charges) and follow the prompts to confirm.
If you don’t see a cancel option right away, check whether the subscription was purchased through a third party, like a retailer, a mobile carrier, or an app store. In that case, you’ll usually need to manage or cancel it through that provider instead of directly through Microsoft.
Cancel or turn off recurring billing for a business subscription (admin center)
This section applies to Microsoft 365 for business, Enterprise, and other subscriptions managed through the Microsoft 365 admin center. You’ll need a Global Administrator or billing admin account to make changes.
- Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center with an account that has the right admin permissions.
- Go to the Billing area of the admin center.
- Select the subscription you want to cancel or manage.
- If you only want to stop automatic charges but keep the subscription active for now, look for the setting that controls recurring billing and turn it off. This is relevant if you pay by credit or debit card or through a billing profile, since recurring billing is turned on by default for those payment methods.
- To end the subscription completely, choose the cancel option for that subscription and confirm. You’ll generally need to cancel the subscription before you can take further steps like deleting a Microsoft Entra tenant tied to it.
If your organization uses other Microsoft 365 admin tools, such as PowerShell scripts for policy changes or DKIM setup, keep in mind that canceling the subscription will eventually affect those services too, so plan any dependent changes before you cancel.
Cancel a Microsoft 365 free trial
If you’re still on a trial rather than a paid plan, you can cancel before it converts into a paid subscription. This applies to Microsoft 365 for business trials set up through the admin center. Sign in to the admin center, go to your billing or subscriptions area, find the trial, and choose to cancel it before the trial period ends so you aren’t billed automatically when it expires.
What happens after you cancel
Once a Microsoft 365 for business subscription ends, whether by cancellation or non-renewal, access doesn’t disappear instantly. It moves through a series of statuses before the subscription and its data are fully turned off or removed. During this time, users may lose access to apps and services gradually, and admins may still be able to see billing and subscription details even after end users can no longer sign in. This applies across Microsoft 365 for business plans, including Enterprise and Volume Licensing subscriptions.
Because of this staged process, it’s worth exporting or backing up anything important (documents, emails, Teams files) as soon as you decide to cancel, rather than waiting until the subscription officially ends.
If it doesn’t work
You can’t find a cancel option in your Microsoft account
Double check that you’re signed in with the correct Microsoft account, the one actually tied to the subscription. If the subscription was bought through a retailer, mobile operator, or another store rather than directly from Microsoft, you’ll need to cancel it through that seller instead.
You don’t have admin access to cancel a business subscription
Only users with Global Administrator or billing administrator permissions can cancel or manage recurring billing for a Microsoft 365 for business subscription. If you’re an end user, ask your organization’s IT admin to make the change in the admin center.
You turned off recurring billing but still see the subscription as active
That’s expected. Turning off recurring billing stops future automatic charges, but the subscription usually stays active until the end of the current billing period. It isn’t the same as fully canceling.
You canceled but still see charges or access
Subscriptions move through several statuses before access and billing fully stop, so a short delay after cancellation is normal. If charges continue well past your renewal date, check your payment method and billing history in your account or the admin center, and contact Microsoft support if something looks wrong.
Frequently asked questions
Will I get a refund if I cancel my Microsoft 365 subscription?
Refund eligibility depends on when and how you bought the subscription, and whether you’re within a return window set by Microsoft or the store you purchased from. Check your purchase confirmation or the billing details in your account for specific refund terms before assuming you’ll get money back.
What happens to my files and email after I cancel?
Your subscription doesn’t switch off instantly. It goes through a series of statuses first, during which access to apps, email, and data gradually changes before everything is fully turned off or deleted. Back up anything important as soon as you cancel rather than waiting.
Can I cancel Microsoft 365 at any time, or do I have to wait for renewal?
You can start the cancellation process whenever you like. Depending on your plan and payment method, your access may continue until the end of the current billing period even after you cancel, rather than stopping the moment you confirm.
How do I stop Microsoft 365 from auto-renewing without fully canceling?
Instead of canceling outright, turn off recurring billing in your Microsoft account or, for business subscriptions, in the Microsoft 365 admin center billing area. This stops future automatic charges while letting you keep using the subscription until it naturally expires.
Can I reactivate Microsoft 365 after I cancel it?
In many cases, yes, you can resubscribe through your Microsoft account or buy a new Microsoft 365 for business subscription through the admin center. However, once a subscription has gone through its full expiration process, some data may no longer be recoverable, so reactivating quickly is safer if you want your old settings and files intact.
Related guides
- Add an email account to Outlook
- How to Add a Microsoft 365 Shared Mailbox to Mac Mail
- Microsoft 365 How to Manually Sync Policy Changes On a PC
- Add Office 365 Azure AD Account To Local Administrators Group
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