Minecraft wants me to buy it again and I can't even cancel realms subscription

For both issues, the root cause is almost always account and billing mismatch: the game license and the Realms subscription must be on the same Microsoft account that is being used in the Minecraft launcher and in the Microsoft account billing portal.

To fix the situation, work through these steps in order.

1. Verify the correct Microsoft account

• Sign out of the Minecraft launcher completely.
• In a web browser, go to the Microsoft account sign-in page (for example via any link that leads to account.microsoft.com) and sign in with the account you believe holds your Minecraft license and Realms subscription.
• If Minecraft still shows as not owned in the launcher, repeat with any other Microsoft accounts that may have been used during migration or purchase.
• The launcher will only show Minecraft as owned if the signed-in Microsoft account is the one that owns the license.

2. Check who is billing the Realms subscription If there is trouble cancelling Realms, first confirm who is actually charging for it:

• If the Realms subscription was bought directly from Microsoft (through the Microsoft Store / Minecraft client), it will appear under the Microsoft account’s Services and subscriptions page. In that case, continue with step 3.
• If it was purchased through a third party (for example, a console store, Amazon, Google Play, or Apple App Store), cancellation must be done through that third party’s billing system, not through Microsoft. The guidance for Microsoft 365 subscriptions purchased via third parties applies in the same way to other Microsoft subscriptions: contact the retailer or platform support to cancel and request any applicable refund.
  • For example, for Google Play purchases see “Learn about Google Play refund policies”, and for Apple App Store purchases request a refund from Apple support, as described in the subscription cancellation article.

3. Cancel or turn off recurring billing for Realms (if billed by Microsoft) If Realms is billed by Microsoft and appears under the Microsoft account:
4. Sign in with the same Microsoft personal account that was used to buy Realms.
5. Open the Services and subscriptions page for that account.
6. Locate the Realms subscription entry.
7. Use the option to either:
   • Turn off recurring billing (so it runs until the paid period ends and then stops), or
   • Cancel the subscription (if that option is available).

If there is no cancel/turn-off option visible, follow the official troubleshooting sequence:

1. Check who you bought it from. Confirm it was not purchased via a third party; if it was, cancel through that seller.
2. Check the account. Ensure the signed-in Microsoft account is the one that purchased Realms.
3. Check the billing cycle. If the page shows “Turn on recurring billing”, the subscription is already set to expire on the shown date and no further action is needed to stop charges.
4. Check your credit cards. If there is an overdue balance on the subscription, it may need to be paid before cancellation is allowed. Use the “Change the payment method for a Microsoft subscription” guidance if the payment method is expired or invalid.
5. If cancellation is still not possible, use the guided support link in the cancellation article to contact support.
6. If still unable to manage the subscription If the Realms subscription is past due or there are general purchase issues (for example, being blocked from buying or cancelling anything):

• Follow the “Troubleshoot buying issues with Microsoft Store” steps:
  1. Confirm the payment method is valid and up to date on the Payment options page.
  2. Confirm there are no other Microsoft subscriptions with overdue payments on the Services page.
  3. Make sure the account is not temporarily suspended.
  4. If using Xbox, check that the Xbox account is not suspended.
  5. Ensure antivirus or browser settings are not blocking payment or confirmation pop-ups.
• If problems persist, use the guided support troubleshooter linked from that article.

5. About Realms data retention If the Realms subscription has been inactive for more than 18 months, Realms data may have been deleted from the server according to the Realms usage rules. This does not affect the underlying Minecraft game license, but it does mean the world data may no longer be recoverable.
6. Summary of what to do next

• Confirm and use the exact Microsoft account that owns Minecraft and Realms in both the launcher and the Microsoft account portal.
• If Realms is billed by Microsoft, cancel or turn off recurring billing from the Services and subscriptions page, using the troubleshooting steps above if the option is missing.
• If Realms was purchased via a third party (Amazon, console store, Google Play, Apple App Store, etc.), cancel and request refund through that provider’s support.
• If billing or purchase errors block any of this, resolve them using the Microsoft Store buying-issues troubleshooting article and, if needed, guided support.

References:

• Usage rules for Digital Goods (“Rules”)
• Unable to cancel your Microsoft subscription
• Pay for a past-due Microsoft subscription
• My username and password have stopped working
• Troubleshoot buying issues with Microsoft Store
• Cancel my Microsoft monthly subscription - Microsoft Q&A
• How to resolve being billed on 2 separate charge accounts for the same thing - Microsoft Q&A
• How to connect with Help and Support - Microsoft Q&A
• cancel subscription - Microsoft Q&A
• Cancellation - Microsoft Q&A