License & Subscription Issues

How to Change Microsoft 365 from Annual to Monthly After Renewal

Emma Brown Oct 14, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to refund an automatic annual renewal charge for Microsoft 365 and ensure their account is strictly on a monthly billing cycle.

How to Change Microsoft 365 from Annual to Monthly After Renewal

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: The user purchased a monthly subscription to switch their billing cycle, but the existing annual subscription still auto-renewed the next day.
Observed behavior: The Microsoft billing system processed an automatic annual renewal despite the user attempting to switch to monthly billing by purchasing a new monthly plan.

Before you start

Ensure you have access to the Microsoft account tied to the subscription and your recent credit card or billing statements before contacting support.

Solution 1Recommended

Contact Microsoft Support for a Refund and Plan Adjustment

Since purchasing a monthly plan does not automatically cancel an existing annual renewal, you must contact Microsoft Billing Support directly to reverse the annual charge.

Microsoft's billing system treats manual purchases of monthly plans and existing annual auto-renewals as separate billing events. To resolve the duplicate charges and maintain only the monthly subscription, a support agent must intervene to process the refund for the annual charge.

Visit the Microsoft Support page

Open your web browser and navigate to https://support.microsoft.com/contactus.

Sign in to your Microsoft Account

Click 'Sign in' and log in using the email address and password associated with your Microsoft 365 subscription.

Select the product category

Choose 'Microsoft 365' from the list of available products, and then click on 'Get Home support'.

Navigate to Billing and Payment

Type 'billing issue' into the search box, click 'Get Help', then scroll down to select 'Contact Support'. Choose 'Microsoft 365 and Office' as the product and 'Billing and Payment Updates' as the category.

Request the annual charge refund

Initiate a chat with a live agent. Explain that your annual plan auto-renewed by mistake after you purchased a monthly plan. Ask them to cancel and refund the annual charge while keeping the monthly subscription active.

Contact Microsoft Support for a Refund and Plan Adjustment

Refund Eligibility: Refunds for accidental annual renewals are generally granted if you contact support within 30 days of the charge, though specific policies may vary by region.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will buying a monthly Microsoft 365 plan cancel my annual renewal?

No. Purchasing a new monthly subscription does not automatically cancel the recurring billing for an existing annual plan. You must manually turn off recurring billing for the annual subscription in your Microsoft account settings.

How long does it take to get a refund from Microsoft?

Once a Microsoft Support agent approves your refund for the annual renewal, it typically takes 3 to 5 business days for the funds to appear back on your original payment method.

Where can I manually turn off recurring billing for Microsoft 365?

Log in to your Microsoft account, navigate to the 'Services & subscriptions' dashboard, locate your Microsoft 365 subscription, select 'Manage', and click 'Turn off recurring billing'.

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