License & Subscription Issues

How to Remove a Microsoft 365 Solution Provider or Partner

Camila Milosovich Oct 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to safely remove a Microsoft 365 solution provider or partner relationship from their tenant without interrupting active services.

How to Remove a Microsoft 365 Solution Provider or Partner

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Transitioning Microsoft 365 subscription management from a third-party partner directly to Microsoft or another service provider.
Observed behavior: The administrator must purchase and assign replacement licenses to users before revoking the current partner's access in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Before you start

Ensure you have global administrator access to the Microsoft 365 admin center, and verify that you have alternative active licenses ready to be assigned to your users.

Solution 1Recommended

Transition Licenses and Remove Partner Relationship

Purchase new licenses directly and assign them to your users before safely revoking the partner's access.

To avoid any service outages for your users, you must transition the licensing ownership before removing the partner. If you remove the partner first, any licenses provided by them will be revoked, resulting in an immediate loss of service.

Purchase direct licenses

Log in to the Microsoft 365 admin center as a global administrator. Navigate to 'Billing' and then 'Purchase services' to buy the required Microsoft 365 licenses directly.

Assign licenses to users

Go to 'Users' > 'Active users'. Select the users who currently rely on the partner's licenses and assign the newly purchased direct licenses to them.

Navigate to partner relationships

Once licenses are safely assigned and services are confirmed to be working, go to 'Settings' in the left-hand navigation pane and select 'Partner relationships'.

Remove the partner

Locate the solution provider or partner you wish to remove from the list. Select their name, and click the 'Remove partner' or 'Remove roles' button to finalize the separation.

Transition Licenses and Remove Partner Relationship

Avoid Service Disruption: Always assign the new licenses to your users before initiating the partner removal process to ensure a seamless transition without downtime.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Switch to WPS Office for Hassle-Free Software Management

If managing complex Microsoft 365 subscriptions, licenses, and partner relationships is taking up too much of your time, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, easy-to-use alternative that eliminates the need for complicated vendor setups while delivering powerful productivity tools.

1. Download the installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installation package for your operating system.
2. Install WPS Office: Run the downloaded file and follow the straightforward on-screen instructions to install the suite.
3. Open your documents: Launch WPS Office to instantly open, edit, and save your existing Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files without any subscription barriers.

Seamlessly compatible with Microsoft Office formats including .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx.Free to use without worrying about complicated partner licenses or subscription cancellations.Lightweight application that uses minimal system resources across Windows, Mac, and Linux.All-in-one workspace featuring Writer, Spreadsheet, Presentation, and PDF editor.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I remove a Microsoft 365 partner before buying new licenses?

If you remove the partner relationship before replacing the licenses, any users relying on the partner-provisioned licenses will immediately lose access to their Microsoft 365 applications, email, and data.

Who has the permission to remove a Microsoft 365 partner?

Only users with global administrator privileges in your Microsoft 365 tenant have the necessary permissions to add or remove a partner relationship in the admin center.

Will removing a partner delete my tenant data?

No, removing a partner only revokes their administrative access and stops their licensing provision. Your tenant data remains completely intact as long as you maintain active replacement licenses.

Login & Account Issues