Deactivating a Microsoft subscription is a straightforward process that only takes a few minutes. With over 145 million monthly active Office 365 subscribers, many users need to know how to properly cancel their Microsoft services.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll provide step-by-step instructions to cancel any Microsoft subscription through your account portal. By following these 5 simple steps, you‘ll be able to cancel unwanted subscriptions and avoid unnecessary charges.
Overview of Cancelling Microsoft Subscriptions
Before jumping into the step-by-step guide, let‘s briefly go over the key things to know about cancelling Microsoft subscriptions:
- You can cancel subscriptions for services like Office 365, Xbox Live, OneDrive, and more through your Microsoft account.
- It takes just 5 quick steps to cancel through the Microsoft account portal.
- Cancellations can also be done through the Microsoft 365 admin center for business subscriptions.
- Free trials or paid subscriptions can be cancelled at any time to avoid charges.
- Cancellations take up to 24 hours to fully process. You‘ll retain access in the meantime.
- Prorated refunds are provided when canceling mid-subscription cycle.
Now that you know what to expect, let‘s get started with step #1.
Step 1: Log Into Your Microsoft Account
First, you need to log into the Microsoft account associated with the subscription.
Go to Microsoft.com and click "Sign in" in the top right corner.
Sign in using the email, phone number, or Skype ID you used to create the account.
Once signed in, you may be redirected to a portal or dashboard. This confirms you‘re logged into the proper account.
Tip: If you have multiple Microsoft accounts, sign in using the credentials for the account with the subscription you want to cancel to avoid errors.
Step 2: Access Your Microsoft Account Details
Now that you‘re logged in, click on your profile icon in the top right and select My Microsoft account from the dropdown menu.
This will open a detailed page showing:
- Account info
- Order history
- Microsoft Rewards status
- Device associations
- Active subscriptions
Review your information to verify it is the correct account before proceeding.
Step 3: Click on Services & Subscriptions
On the "My Microsoft account" page, click Services & subscriptions at the top to view your subscriptions.
This page lists all active Microsoft subscriptions associated with the account, including:
- Subscription name
- Billing date
- Price
- Status
Review the subscriptions to find the one you want to cancel.
Step 4: Locate the Subscription and Click "Manage"
Scroll through your subscription list to find the specific one you want to cancel.
Once located, click the blue Manage button on the right side:
The manage page provides details and settings for that individual subscription.
Tip: If you don‘t see the subscription listed, try using the filters at the top of the page to view expired or all subscriptions.
Step 5: Click "Cancel Subscription" and Confirm
On the subscription‘s management page, click Cancel subscription at the bottom.
A popup will appear to confirm cancellation. Click Confirm to finalize.
The cancellation takes up to 24 hours to fully process. You‘ll retain access in the meantime.
Once cancelled, the subscription will be marked as "Expired" in your account‘s subscription list.
Avoiding Unwanted Charges
When cancelling, keep these tips in mind to avoid unwanted subscription charges:
- Cancel at least 24 hours before the renewal date to ensure charges aren‘t processed.
- If cancelling mid-cycle, you‘ll receive a prorated refund within 1-2 billing cycles.
- Cancel pending auto-renewals to avoid inadvertent renewals.
- Contact support if your cancellation doesn‘t process properly right away.
Cancel Microsoft Subscriptions Through The Admin Center
For Microsoft 365 business or family subscriptions, account admins can cancel through the Microsoft 365 admin center:
- Go to admin.microsoft.com and sign in as the admin.
- Click Billing in the left menu.
- Click the subscription name under Subscriptions.
- On the subscription page, select Cancel subscription.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm cancellation.
Cancelling via the admin center immediately blocks subscription access for all users.
Closing Thoughts
The step-by-step process makes it quick and easy to cancel Microsoft subscriptions directly through your account portal.
Within a few minutes, you can cancel unwanted subscriptions and prevent surprise charges.
I hope these detailed instructions provide a helpful guide to successfully cancelling any Microsoft service quickly and easily. Let me know if you have any other questions!