Where to Cancel Your Microsoft Subscription

You cancel a Microsoft subscription through your Microsoft account settings, not through the app or program itself. The cancellation page is the same whether you subscribed to Microsoft 365, Game Pass, OneDrive extra storage, or any other recurring charge tied to your Microsoft account.

The fastest route is to go directly to account.microsoft.com, sign in with the email and password you use for Microsoft, and look for the "Subscriptions" section. From there you can see every active subscription, when the next charge is due, and a cancel button for each one. The whole process takes about two minutes if you know where to look.

If you subscribed through a different platform — like the Microsoft Store app on Windows, the Xbox app, or an Apple or Android device — the cancellation steps are different and are covered in their own sections below. The platform where you bought it is usually where you have to cancel it.

Key Takeaways

  • Most Microsoft subscriptions cancel through account.microsoft.com in the Subscriptions section, and the cancellation takes effect when ready even though you keep access until the next billing date.
  • If you bought the subscription through the Microsoft Store app, Xbox app, or a phone, you must cancel through that same platform, not through your Microsoft account online.
  • Cancellation stops future charges but does not refund money already paid, except in specific cases like cancelling within 60 days of purchase.
  • After you cancel, check your email for a confirmation message from Microsoft, and verify the subscription no longer appears in your account settings.

Cancelling Through Your Microsoft Account Online

Open a web browser and go to account.microsoft.com. Click "Sign in" and enter the email address and password for the Microsoft account that has the subscription. If you use two-factor authentication, you will need to complete that step as well.

Once you are signed in, look for a section called "Subscriptions" or "Services & subscriptions" — the exact name varies depending on your account type. Click on it. You will see a list of every active subscription tied to that account, including the next billing date for each one.

Find the subscription you want to cancel and click on it. A details page will open showing the subscription name, the amount you are charged, how often you are charged, and when the next charge is due. Look for a button that says "Cancel subscription" or "Manage" and then "Cancel". Click it.

Microsoft will ask you to confirm the cancellation and may offer you a discount to keep the subscription. You can ignore the offer and proceed with cancellation. Once you click the final confirmation button, the cancellation is complete. You will receive a confirmation email within a few minutes. Your access continues until the next billing date, but no future charges will occur.

Cancelling a Microsoft Store Subscription

If you bought the subscription through the Microsoft Store app on your Windows computer, you cannot cancel it through account.microsoft.com. You must cancel through the app itself.

Open the Microsoft Store app on your Windows computer. Click the profile icon in the top right corner and select "App settings" or "Account". Look for a section called "Subscriptions" or "Manage subscriptions". Find the subscription you want to cancel and click on it. Select "Manage" or "Cancel subscription" and confirm the cancellation.

If you bought the subscription through the Microsoft Store website instead of the app, the process is slightly different. Go to microsoft.com, sign in, click your profile icon, and select "View subscriptions" or "Manage subscriptions". Find the subscription and click "Cancel subscription".

Cancelling Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Subscriptions

Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate are managed through the Xbox app on Windows or through your Xbox console, not through your main Microsoft account page. The cancellation process is the same on both, but the steps look slightly different.

On a Windows computer: Open the Xbox app, click your profile icon in the top left, and select "Settings". Go to "Account" and then "Subscriptions". Find Game Pass or the subscription you want to cancel, click on it, and select "Manage" or "Cancel subscription".

On an Xbox console: Press the Xbox button to open the guide, go to "Profile & system", then "Settings", then "Account", then "Subscriptions". Find the subscription, press the menu button (three horizontal lines), and select "Cancel subscription".

If you bought Game Pass through the Xbox website or through a third-party retailer, you may need to cancel through that website instead. Check your confirmation email to see where the purchase was made.

Cancelling a Subscription Bought on iPhone or Android

If you subscribed to a Microsoft service through an Apple or Android device, the subscription is managed by Apple or Google, not by Microsoft. You must cancel through the device's settings or the app store where you bought it.

On an iPhone or iPad: Open the Settings app, tap your name at the top, select "Subscriptions", find the Microsoft subscription, and tap "Cancel Subscription".

On an Android phone: Open Google Play, tap your profile icon in the top right, select "Payments and subscriptions", then "Subscriptions", find the Microsoft subscription, and tap "Cancel subscription".

If you cancel through your phone but the subscription still appears in your Microsoft account, it may take a few hours for the cancellation to sync. Check again the next day. If it still shows as active, contact Microsoft support to confirm the cancellation went through.

What Happens After You Cancel

When you cancel a subscription, the cancellation takes effect when ready, but your access does not stop right away. You can continue using the service until the next billing date. For example, if you cancel Microsoft 365 on the 15th and your next charge was scheduled for the 30th, you keep full access to Word, Excel, and all other services until the 30th.

After the billing date passes, your access ends. If you use Microsoft 365, you will no longer be able to edit documents, though you can still view them. If you use Game Pass, you will no longer see games in your library. OneDrive storage will revert to the free 5 GB limit.

Check your email for a cancellation confirmation from Microsoft. If you do not receive one within an hour, go back to account.microsoft.com and verify that the subscription no longer appears in your list. If it still shows as active, the cancellation may not have gone through.

Refunds and Cancellation Within 60 Days

Microsoft refunds money for subscriptions cancelled within 60 days of purchase, as long as you have not used the service heavily. If you cancel a Microsoft 365 subscription three weeks after buying it, you have a reasonable chance of getting a refund. If you cancel after 60 days, refunds are not automatic.

To request a refund, go to account.microsoft.com/billing, find the subscription in your purchase history, and look for a "Request a refund" button. If the button does not appear, the 60-day window has closed. You can still contact Microsoft support to ask, but they will likely decline.

Refunds for subscriptions bought through the Microsoft Store, Xbox app, or a phone are handled by that platform, not by Microsoft directly. For Microsoft Store, go to your order history and look for a return option. For Xbox, go to your purchase history in Settings. For phone subscriptions, contact Apple or Google.

If You Cannot Find the Cancel Button

Sometimes the cancel button does not appear because the subscription is already set to cancel, because it is a trial that ends automatically, or because there is a technical issue with your account.

If you see "Manage subscription" but no "Cancel" option, click "Manage" and look for a link that says "Turn off recurring billing" or "Stop auto-renewal". This achieves the same result as cancellation.

If the subscription does not appear in your list at all, it may be tied to a different Microsoft account. Check that you are signed in with the correct email address. If you have multiple Microsoft accounts, you may need to sign out and sign in with a different one.

If you have tried these steps and still cannot cancel, contact Microsoft support through support.microsoft.com. Have your subscription name, the email address on the account, and your most recent invoice ready. Support can cancel the subscription for you and investigate why the button was not working.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose my files if I cancel Microsoft 365?

Your files stay in OneDrive and remain accessible after cancellation. You can read them or view them in a web browser. You will not be able to edit them with Microsoft 365 apps, but the files themselves do not disappear. If you have OneDrive storage beyond the free 5 GB, you will lose access to the extra storage after 90 days of cancellation, so read anything you need before then.

Can I cancel in the middle of a billing cycle and get a partial refund?

No. Cancellation stops future charges but does not refund the current billing period. If you paid on the 1st and cancel on the 15th, you keep access through the end of the month but do not get a refund for the unused half. The only exception is the 60-day money-back may provide for new subscriptions.

What if I want to reactivate the subscription later?

You can reactivate any cancelled subscription by going back to account.microsoft.com, finding the subscription in your history, and clicking "Renew" or "Reactivate". You will be charged starting when ready. There is no penalty for cancelling and reactivating later.

Do I need to uninstall Microsoft 365 after I cancel?

No. The software stays on your computer. After cancellation, it will stop working in editing mode and show a message that your subscription has expired. You can uninstall it if you want, but it is not necessary. If you reactivate the subscription later, it will start working again without reinstalling.

How do I cancel if I forgot which email I used for my Microsoft account?

Go to account.microsoft.com and click "Can't access your account". Follow the steps to recover your account using a phone number or backup email. Once you regain access, you can cancel the subscription. If you cannot recover the account, contact Microsoft support with proof of identity and they can help you cancel.