Cancel a Microsoft 365 subscription without account login information

Doug Burkett 40 Reputation points
2026-06-09T18:14:39.6633333+00:00

I am trying to cancel a Microsoft 365 subscription which was set up on an account of a defunct computer which cannot be booted. I also do not have the account login information which has been lost. My credit card is being auto-charged for the subscription. Since I have been unable to determine how to accomplish this through any of the Microsoft "help" resources, I have asked my bank to deny the charge for the subscription.

Please advise how I can cancel this subscription in these circumstances, and thank you for your help with this problem.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Subscription, account, billing | For home | Windows
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Darhyl Amizola 50,060 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-06-09T19:00:33.4566667+00:00

Hey there! Nice to meet you!

Please be advised that unless the account owner is able to access the account, subscription cancellation is not possible, and Microsoft personnel cannot retrieve this information.

Since you are no longer able to recover your account, you will need to reach out directly to your bank and request to freeze all charges from Microsoft, cancelling the subscription on its renewal in the process.

You may also need to request a new payment method.

Thank you for understanding.

Best regards,

Darhyl

Was this answer helpful?

2 people found this answer helpful.
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author

AI answer

2026-06-09T18:14:58.2033333+00:00

Microsoft 365 subscriptions can only be canceled online by signing in with the Microsoft account that owns the subscription. Without the account credentials, canceling directly through Microsoft is not possible because of account security protections.

In this situation, the practical options are:

  1. Work with the bank or card issuer
    • Since the subscription is being auto-charged to a credit card and the account login information is unavailable, the realistic way to stop future charges is to work with the card issuer (or bank) to block or dispute the recurring payment.
    • The bank can cancel the recurring authorization or reissue a new card number, which will prevent further Microsoft 365 charges.
  2. Use legal/account recovery only if ownership can be proven
    • If the subscription belongs to someone else (for example, a relative who no longer uses the account), and ownership needs to be established (such as in cases where the account holder is deceased), Microsoft requires a formal process to claim access to the account before any subscription changes can be made.
    • Without successfully completing that process, Microsoft support cannot cancel the subscription on behalf of someone who cannot sign in.

Given that the computer is defunct and the account credentials are lost, continuing with the bank’s denial of the recurring charge is the correct and effective way to stop the subscription from renewing.

References:

AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

Was this answer helpful?

2 people found this answer helpful.

2 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Deleted

    This answer has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The answer was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.

    Comments have been turned off. Learn more

  2. Deleted

    This answer has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The answer was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.

    Comments have been turned off. Learn more

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.