Share via

Cancel Microsoft 365 and keep Outlook

Gwynyth Johnson 0 Reputation points
2026-05-26T00:24:37.8+00:00

I wish to cancel my microsoft 365 subscription, but keep Outlook. It is the only product I use.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Subscription, account, billing | For home | Windows

2 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. EmilyS726 242.5K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-05-26T00:58:13.0466667+00:00

    Hello,

    Do you mean the Outlook Email app? If so, if it is Classic Outlook, unfortunately it is part of Microsoft 365, it cannot be purchased as a standalone.

    If you meant the New Outlook, it is free, and it doesn't require the Microsoft 365 subscription.

    If you mean the outlook.com email address you have, then it also doesn't require a subscription, unless you like the premium storage of 100GB for your mailbox instead of 15GB.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments

  2. AI answer

    2026-05-26T00:24:58.4633333+00:00

    Outlook can be used without an active Microsoft 365 subscription, but functionality depends on which Outlook is in use and what license it came with:

    • If Outlook came as part of the Microsoft 365 subscription (for example, Microsoft 365 Personal/Family), canceling the subscription removes the premium desktop Outlook license. Outlook will eventually go into reduced functionality mode and cannot be fully used as before.
    • If Outlook was purchased as a one-time (perpetual) license (for example, Office Home & Student or Office Home & Business) and that license is still installed and activated, canceling Microsoft 365 does not remove that perpetual Outlook license.

    To cancel Microsoft 365 while understanding the impact on Outlook and storage:

    1. Go to the Services & subscriptions page at https://account.microsoft.com/services and sign in with the same Microsoft account used to buy Microsoft 365.
    2. Locate the Microsoft 365 subscription.
    3. Select Cancel subscription (or Upgrade or Cancel) and follow the prompts.
      • If only Turn on recurring billing appears, the subscription is already set to expire and won’t renew.
    4. Review the storage warning: canceling Microsoft 365 Basic, Personal, Family, or Premium reduces cloud storage to the free quota (5 GB for OneDrive/Outlook.com attachments and 15 GB for Outlook.com mailbox). If current usage exceeds the free allowance:
      • New files can’t be uploaded/edited/synced to OneDrive.
      • Outlook.com can’t send or receive email.
      • After a period (6–12 months depending on policy), OneDrive content may be deleted.

    If Outlook.com (web or Mail app connected to Outlook.com) is the only Outlook in use, it can still be used on the free tier after cancellation, subject to the reduced storage limits described above.

    If desktop Outlook from Microsoft 365 is required after canceling, a different license (such as a perpetual Office/Outlook license) is needed.

    References:

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

    Was this answer helpful?

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.