Cancel Microsoft 365: Easy Method

What is Microsoft 365

Overview

Microsoft 365 is a subscription service that provides access to Microsoft Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) plus cloud services such as OneDrive, security tools and AI features like Microsoft Copilot on eligible plans.

Who it suits

Plans range from single-user personal subscriptions to family and business options, with differing storage limits and feature sets.

Pricing and feature choices (for example, Copilot-enabled vs Classic plans) determine which capabilities you receive.

How to cancel Microsoft 365

If you bought directly from Microsoft (web)

• Sign in to your Microsoft Account at account.microsoft.com/services.
• Find your Microsoft 365 subscription, select "Manage" and turn off recurring billing to stop future charges.
• Turning off recurring billing keeps access until the current paid period ends; to cancel immediately, contact Microsoft support for assistance.
• See the Microsoft product page for purchase context: Microsoft 365 Personal.

If you bought through a mobile app store

• Apple App Store: manage and cancel subscriptions via your Apple ID subscriptions; Microsoft cannot cancel these for you.
• Google Play Store: manage and cancel subscriptions via Google Play; Microsoft cannot cancel these for you.
• See official guidance on third-party purchases: Manage subscriptions bought through a third party.

What happens when you cancel

Access to paid features

If you turn off recurring billing for a direct Microsoft purchase, you keep access to paid features until the end of the current billing period.

After the paid period ends, paid features such as desktop apps, extra OneDrive storage or Copilot capabilities will stop working.

Your files and account

Your Microsoft account and data remain associated with your account, but available storage may drop to the free allowance and some files could be restricted if you exceed that limit.

Always back up important files and email before cancellation or the end of your paid period to prevent unexpected access limits.

Will I get a refund?

Microsoft's general refund policy

For purchases made directly from Microsoft, sales are generally final and non-refundable unless required by law or specified in a promotion.

If you believe you were charged in error, contact Microsoft within 90 days; refunds for charges older than 90 days are not commonly provided.

See the Microsoft Services Agreement for terms: Microsoft Services Agreement.

Exceptions and New Zealand-specific offer

• Support forum notes: personal subscriptions purchased directly may be eligible for a refund within 30 days if benefits were not activated, product keys not viewed and eligibility confirmed.
• Copilot promotion (New Zealand): Microsoft offered a limited-time refund for eligible subscribers who switched from AI-enabled plans to the Classic plan by 31 December 2025; refunds apply to the price difference from the first renewal after 30 November 2024 and are paid within 30 days to the payment method for qualifying customers.
• Promotional eligibility requires that the subscriber received the promotional email and remained on recurring billing; check Microsoft’s announcement for details: Microsoft announcement (NZ Copilot).

Microsoft 365 plans and pricing

Price summary (NZD)

Below is a summary of commonly available consumer plans and listed NZD prices. Prices are tax-inclusive where noted.

Table of plans

Your consumer rights in New Zealand

Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA)

Under New Zealand's Consumer Guarantees Act, suppliers cannot contract out of core consumer rights such as guarantees about service quality and fitness for purpose.

These statutory rights apply in addition to any contractual terms Microsoft sets in its policies.

How this affects refunds and service quality

• Microsoft’s policies do not override statutory rights under the CGA.
• If a service fails to meet the required standard, you may have remedies under New Zealand law even if a policy states purchases are final.
• See Microsoft’s NZ terms of sale for context: Microsoft Store Terms of Sale (NZ).

Customer experiences

Positive feedback

Some users reported success reverting to a lower-cost Classic plan by contacting Microsoft sales and avoiding the unwanted AI upgrade.

ProductReview contains examples from Australian/NZ users who managed to switch plans and retain older pricing.

Negative feedback

• Trustpilot reviews commonly cite difficulties with customer service, account access, unwanted charges and refund problems.
• Support-specific reviews report long hold times, difficulties reaching humans and unresolved cancellation or recovery issues.
• Consumer commentary described the hidden “Classic” plan and required steps to access it as a potential dark pattern.

Documentation checklist

Before contacting support

• Microsoft account email address and sign-in name.
• Order number or purchase receipt (email confirmation).
• Payment method details (type and last 4 digits of the card).

Helpful extras

• Subscription ID or service name as shown in account.microsoft.com.
• Screenshots of billing charges, promotional emails (for Copilot refund offers), or error messages.
• Dates of purchase and any correspondence with Microsoft support.

Common mistakes

Cancelling in the wrong place

A frequent mistake is attempting to cancel through Microsoft when the subscription was purchased through Apple or Google; those stores must be used for cancellation of their purchases.

Assuming immediate refunds or data safety

Many customers assume refunds are automatic or that their files remain fully accessible after cancellation without backing up data.

Always check billing cycles, backup important data and verify refund eligibility before assuming a charge will be returned.

Comparative recap

At-a-glance comparison

Key takeaway

Copilot-enabled plans cost more but include AI features and additional services; Classic plans are cheaper but omit AI and may receive fewer feature updates.

After cancelling

Immediate steps

• Back up OneDrive files, emails and any locally stored content before the end of your paid period.
• Confirm recurring billing is turned off in account.microsoft.com/services and save confirmation screenshots.

Useful links and contacts

• Manage subscriptions and billing: account.microsoft.com/services
• Microsoft help for 3rd-party purchases: Support: subscriptions purchased through a third party
• Microsoft services agreement and refunds: Services Agreement (NZ)
• NZ Copilot announcement / refund details: Microsoft NZ announcement

Address

Microsoft New Zealand Limited - postal

PO Box 8070 Symonds Street, Auckland 1150, New Zealand.

Microsoft New Zealand Limited - physical location

Level 5, 22 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland (as listed in Microsoft Store Terms of Sale).