How to Cancel Your
Microsoft 365 Subscription
Cancel Microsoft 365 in about 5 minutes. Here are the exact steps, plus what happens to your Office apps, OneDrive files, and family plan members.
Quick Overview
Difficulty
EasyTime
~5 minutes
Method
Website
Refund
Within 7 days
Back up your files first
Before canceling, back up any OneDrive files that exceed 5GB. After cancellation, your storage drops from 1TB to 5GB, and files over the limit may be deleted after 90 days. If you have a Family plan, all 6 members will lose access.
Cancel Microsoft 365 on the Website
Sign in to your Microsoft Account
Go to account.microsoft.com/services in your web browser and sign in with the Microsoft account that holds your Microsoft 365 subscription. Make sure you use the correct account if you have multiple Microsoft accounts.
Find your Microsoft 365 subscription
On the Services & subscriptions page, locate your Microsoft 365 subscription (Personal, Family, or Business). It will show your plan details, next billing date, and payment method.
Click Manage
Click the Manage button next to your Microsoft 365 subscription. This opens a management panel with options for billing, payment methods, and cancellation.
Click Cancel Subscription
Click Cancel subscription. Microsoft may present alternatives such as switching to a cheaper plan or pausing your subscription. Decline these if you want to proceed with full cancellation.
Follow the prompts and confirm
Work through the on-screen prompts. Microsoft will show you what you will lose (apps, storage, etc.) and ask you to confirm. Click the final confirmation button to complete the cancellation. You will receive a confirmation email.
Subscribed Through Apple or Google?
If you signed up for Microsoft 365 through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, you need to cancel through those platforms instead. The Microsoft website may not show a cancel option in this case.
Cancel via iPhone / iPad
- 1. Open Settings on your iPhone
- 2. Tap your name at the top (Apple Account)
- 3. Tap Subscriptions
- 4. Tap Microsoft 365 in the list
- 5. Tap Cancel Subscription and confirm
Cancel via Android
- 1. Open the Google Play Store app
- 2. Tap your profile icon (top right)
- 3. Tap Payments & subscriptions
- 4. Tap Subscriptions then Microsoft 365
- 5. Tap Cancel subscription and confirm
What Happens After You Cancel Microsoft 365?
Office apps enter reduced functionality mode
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Office apps do not disappear from your computer. They switch to read-only mode, allowing you to view and print documents but not create or edit them.
OneDrive storage drops to 5GB
Your OneDrive storage shrinks from 1TB to the free tier of 5GB. If you are over the 5GB limit, you will not be able to upload, edit, or sync files. You have 90 days to download or delete files before Microsoft may permanently remove excess data.
Outlook storage drops to 15GB
Your Outlook.com mailbox returns to the free limit of 15GB. If your mailbox exceeds this, you will not be able to send or receive emails until you reduce the size.
Family plan: all members lose access
If you have a Microsoft 365 Family plan, all 6 family members lose their premium benefits when you cancel. Each person's apps go into reduced functionality mode and their OneDrive drops to 5GB.
Data retained for 90 days
Microsoft keeps your data for 90 days after your subscription expires. During this window, you can resubscribe and regain full access to everything. After 90 days, data exceeding free limits may be permanently deleted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I lose my Office apps after canceling?
No, the apps do not disappear. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Office apps remain installed on your computer but switch to reduced functionality mode. You can view and print documents but cannot create or edit them. To regain full editing, you would need to resubscribe.
What about my OneDrive files?
Your OneDrive storage drops from 1TB to 5GB after cancellation. You have 90 days to retrieve any files that exceed the 5GB limit. After 90 days, Microsoft may delete files to bring your account under the free storage limit. Back up important files before canceling.
Can I get a refund for Microsoft 365?
Yes, if you cancel within 7 days of starting or renewing your subscription. Microsoft provides a prorated refund during this window. After 7 days, no refund is available in most regions, though some countries offer prorated refunds at any time.
Is turning off recurring billing the same as canceling?
Not exactly. Turning off recurring billing means your subscription will not auto-renew at the end of your current period, but you keep access until it expires. Canceling immediately ends your subscription (with access until the period end). Both prevent future charges, but the timing differs.
What happens to the other people on my Family plan?
All 6 members of a Microsoft 365 Family plan lose their premium benefits when the subscription owner cancels. Each person's Office apps go into read-only mode, and their OneDrive storage drops to 5GB. They would need their own subscription to regain full access.
Related Cancellation Guides
Track Microsoft 365 & All Your
Subscriptions in One App
Subcut reminds you before charges hit, tracks every billing date, and gives you one-tap access to cancellation guides. All without connecting your bank.
Download Subcut FreeThat Netflix you forgot? Still charging you. Find out what else is.