License & Subscription Issues

How to Cancel a Microsoft 365 Trial Before Being Charged

Nimra Malik Sep 29, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to cancel a Microsoft 365 trial and disable recurring billing to prevent automatic charges, especially when managing multiple accounts like a nonprofit account.

How to Cancel a Microsoft 365 Trial Before You Are Charged

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Preventing unwanted subscription charges before a free trial period expires.
Observed behavior: The Microsoft 365 trial will automatically convert to a paid subscription if recurring billing is not explicitly turned off before the end of the trial period.

Before you start

Ensure you have your Microsoft 365 administrator account credentials ready, as you will need them to access the billing settings in the admin center.

Solution 1Recommended

Turn off recurring billing in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Use this method to safely cancel your trial by disabling automatic renewal, ensuring you will not be charged when the trial ends.

If you have a Microsoft 365 trial and another organizational account (such as a nonprofit account), it is highly recommended to turn off recurring billing before the trial ends to prevent overlapping charges.

Sign in to the Admin Center

Go to the Microsoft 365 admin center website and log in using your global administrator or billing administrator credentials.

Navigate to the Billing section

On the left-hand navigation menu, click on 'Billing' and then select 'Your products' to view all active subscriptions and trials.

Select the trial subscription

Locate the specific Microsoft 365 trial subscription you want to cancel from the list and click on it to open the details page.

Disable recurring billing

In the 'Billing settings' section, click the 'Turn off recurring billing' link. Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm your decision.

Turn off recurring billing in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Payment Method Notice: If no payment method was attached to your account initially, the trial may simply expire without a charge. However, manually disabling recurring billing is the safest option to guarantee no unexpected charges occur.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to my data after I cancel my Microsoft 365 trial?

When you cancel or turn off recurring billing for your trial, your account typically enters a grace period (often 30 days). During this time, you can still access and back up your files before they are permanently deleted from Microsoft's servers.

Will I be charged if I forgot to add a payment method to my trial?

Generally, if no credit card or payment method is attached to your Microsoft account, the trial will simply expire and your access will be suspended without a charge. Still, verifying that recurring billing is disabled is the safest approach.

How do I manage a nonprofit account alongside a regular trial without conflicts?

It is recommended to manage different organizational accounts using separate browser profiles or private/incognito browsing windows to avoid license and login conflicts. If you experience persistent issues, contacting Microsoft Support is advised.

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