License & Subscription Issues

How to Redeem a Microsoft 365 Family Code During a Free Trial

Adam Davis Oct 1, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to transition from an active Microsoft 365 free trial to a purchased Family subscription code without losing their stored OneDrive files.

How to Redeem a Microsoft 365 Family Code During a Free Trial

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Upgrading from a free trial to a paid Microsoft 365 Family subscription using a purchased 25-character product code.
Observed behavior: The user requires clear instructions on how to properly apply a new subscription code to an existing trial account to ensure continuous access and OneDrive data retention.

Before you start

Ensure you have your Microsoft account login credentials ready and have your 25-character Microsoft 365 Family subscription code accessible before making any account changes.

Solution 1Recommended

Turn Off Trial Billing and Redeem the Family Code

Because a Microsoft account can only have one active Microsoft 365 subscription at a time, you must manage your current trial billing settings before redeeming the new Family code to keep your OneDrive files linked.

Applying a new subscription code to the same Microsoft account ensures that your OneDrive files, emails, and personalized Office settings carry over seamlessly. To prevent unwanted charges from the trial, you must first disable its recurring billing.

Sign in to your Microsoft account

Navigate to the Microsoft account services page (account.microsoft.com/services) in your web browser and log in using the email address associated with your active free trial.

Turn off recurring billing

Locate your active Microsoft 365 trial subscription on the dashboard. Select 'Manage', and choose the option to turn off recurring billing to prevent automatic charges when the trial ends.

Redeem your product code

Go to the Microsoft product redemption page at setup.office.com. Sign in with the exact same Microsoft account, and enter your 25-character Microsoft 365 Family code when prompted.

Verify your OneDrive data

Open OneDrive online or through your desktop application to confirm your files are still accessible. Your data will automatically associate with the newly activated Family subscription.

Turn Off Trial Billing and Redeem the Family Code

Data Backup Recommendation: Although your OneDrive data should remain perfectly intact when you use the same Microsoft account, it is always a best practice to back up your most critical files to a local drive before altering subscription states.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose my remaining free trial days if I redeem the Family code now?

Generally, redeeming a new Microsoft 365 code will immediately transition your account to the new subscription. To maximize your usage time, it is highly recommended to turn off recurring billing and wait to redeem your new code until a few days before your trial expires.

Can I apply the Microsoft 365 Family code to a different Microsoft account?

Yes, you can redeem the code on an entirely different account. However, your existing OneDrive data and Office application settings will not transfer over automatically. You would need to manually download your files from the trial account and upload them to the new account.

What happens to my OneDrive data if the trial expires before I redeem the code?

If your trial expires, your Microsoft 365 desktop apps will enter read-only mode, and your OneDrive storage will revert to the free 5GB limit. Your files will not be immediately deleted, giving you a grace period to either redeem your new code or download your excess files to a local drive.

Where can I find my 25-character product key?

If you purchased a physical product card, the 25-character key is printed on the back, usually under a silver scratch-off coating. If you bought it digitally, the code will be found in your email receipt or in the digital purchase history of the retailer you bought it from.

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