Trying to cancel

Microsoft 365

? Avoid the runaround.

Microsoft 365 subscriptions in Australia can be cancelled at any time by the account owner. There are no lock-in contracts for consumer plans such as Microsoft 365 Personal or Family.

Key eligibility conditions to understand:

• Who Can Cancel: Only the Microsoft account that purchased the subscription can cancel it.
• Direct Purchases: If you subscribed through Microsoft (website or Microsoft Store), you can cancel via your Microsoft account.
• Third-Party Purchases: Subscriptions bought via Apple App Store, Google Play, Amazon, or retailers must be cancelled through that provider. Microsoft cannot cancel these.
• Free Trials: You can cancel a free trial (usually within 30 days) to avoid charges. You’ll retain access until the trial ends.
• Account Access Required: If you can’t sign in to the purchasing account, cancellation may be difficult and support may be required.
• Family Plans: Cancelling a Family subscription ends access for all members at the end of the billing period.

In short: cancellation is allowed anytime, but you must use the correct purchasing account or provider.

To cancel Microsoft 365 purchased directly from Microsoft:

1. Sign in to Your Microsoft Account
   Visit https://account.microsoft.com/services and sign in with the account that owns the subscription.
2. Find Your Subscription
   Under Services & Subscriptions, locate Microsoft 365 and select Manage.
3. Select Cancel Subscription
   Click Cancel subscription or Upgrade or cancel (wording may vary).
4. Confirm Cancellation
   Review the prompts and confirm you don’t want to continue. Microsoft may suggest alternatives — you can decline.
5. Check Confirmation
   You’ll receive an email confirmation, and the account page will show an expiry date instead of active renewal.

If you don’t see a Cancel button:
If your account shows “Turn on recurring billing”, recurring billing is already off. Your subscription will expire automatically and no further charges will occur.

If purchased elsewhere:
Cancel via:

• Apple App Store: iOS Subscriptions
• Google Play Store: Google Play Subscriptions

Retailers (e.g. Amazon): Contact the retailer directly

Microsoft 365 cancellations work by turning off recurring billing.

Important timing details:

• Service Continues Until Expiry: Cancelling does not end access immediately.
• Cancel Before Renewal: To avoid charges, cancel before your next billing date (ideally 24 hours prior).
• Monthly Plans: Cancel anytime and you won’t be charged next month.
• Annual Plans: Cancel mid-term and you’ll keep access until the year ends - it won’t renew.
• Free Trials: Cancel before the trial ends to avoid being billed.

There’s no penalty for cancelling early, it simply prevents the next automatic charge.

Microsoft does not charge cancellation fees for consumer Microsoft 365 plans in Australia.

What to expect:

• No exit or early termination fees
• No penalty for cancelling mid-cycle
• No pro-rata refunds by default
• No reactivation fees if you re-subscribe later

If you paid upfront for a year, cancelling just stops renewal - it doesn’t refund unused months.