Default payment method

Question

Hi Team,

We are already using azure subscriptions at org level.
To complete my one of the testing lab i was instructed to register myself on
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/purchase-options/azure-account?icid=azurefreeaccount

I used same org mail ID and added my credit card.
Then i got msg that my card is active for auto payment.

When i logged in to azure portal i have been redirected to my org subscription.
I was trying to remove the payment method.
but getting this error -
Payment method Visa ****xxxx can’t be detached from this billing profile for the following reasons. Complete the following actions and try again.​

It is asking me to delete the subscription.
Azure subscriptions

There are active or disabled Azure subscriptions on this billing profile. To detach this payment method, cancel and then delete all such subscriptions.​

Cancel and delete subscriptions >

i found "Azure subscription 1" but unable to identify that its free one or it is of my org level subscription.

How to delete my card from auto payment?

Answer 1

Hello Harshit Aranya Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Q&A platform.

The reason you are unable to remove your credit card is because your payment method is still associated with an active or disabled subscription under that billing profile. Azure will not allow detaching the card until all subscriptions linked to that billing profile are cancelled and fully deleted.

When you signed up using your organization email on the Free / Pay‑As‑You‑Go signup page, Azure created a separate personal billing profile + a new subscription (“Azure subscription 1”). This subscription does not belong to your organization’s billing, it is the personal PAYG/free subscription you accidentally created.

To remove your card, follow these exact steps:

1. Identify the subscription using your card:
2. Go to Cost Management + Billing → Billing profiles
3. Open the billing profile where the card appears.
4. Under Products / Subscriptions, you will see “Azure subscription 1”. This confirms it is the personal subscription created during free‑account signup.

(Org-managed subscriptions never appear under your personal billing profile.)

2. Cancel the subscription: Azure requires cancellation before you can remove the card.

Steps:

1. Open Azure subscription 1
2. Click Cancel subscription
3. Wait for the status to change to Disabled → Deleted (may take up to 72 hours)

Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cost-management-billing/manage/cancel-azure-subscription

3. Remove the payment method: Once no subscriptions exist in the billing profile:

Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cost-management-billing/manage/change-credit-card

Steps:

1. Go to Cost Management + Billing → Billing profiles
2. Select Payment methods
3. Select the ellipsis (…) → Delete / Detach

If the Delete button is disabled, Azure will show the exact unmet conditions you must resolve.

Using your organization email to create a personal PAYG/free account created an additional billing profile tied to your card.

Azure requires all subscriptions under that billing profile, even disabled ones to be fully deleted before the card can be removed.

This behavior is by design.

If you have any other queries, please do let us know.

Thanks,

Suchitra.

Answer 2

Hi Harshit,

With Azure Free if you navigate to the subscription it will have a free services grid that shows your usage of each free service and whether or not you are likely to exceed limit. If you are in the initial 30 days it will show your remaining credit balance at the top, however, if you are within first day or two (after creating free subscription) the balance may not show.

I recommend you create a new billing support request so that you can speak to billing engineer. Billing support is free.

Please carefully follow my instructions below to create new billing support request without getting stuck in endless loop.

If you have issues creating ticket please let me know in a comment.

1. Navigate to this link to start the process:

https://portal.azure.com/#create/Microsoft.Support

2. Enter billing in the box and click Go

3. Select Billing and click Next

4. Select your subscription from the dropdown and click Next

5. At this point there will be a delay of several seconds, and then various options will be displayed. Click Create a support request button at the top. DO NOT CLICK any of the other options.

6. Fill out screen, Summary, Problem type, Problem subtype, then click Next button at bottom. You may need to select different Problem/subtype than shown below

7. There will be another several second delay, and then some solutions will be displayed (this is similar to above). DO NOT CLICK any of the solutions, instead click on Return to support request button in upper left corner, similar to below

8. Now you are back at support case. Click Next button at bottom to continue to Additional details tab. Fill out information as required, one of the items you may need is your Subscription ID.

You can open separate browser tab and navigate to your subscription in portal, the ID is there, click the copy button to the right of it, then paste it into the box on Additional details tab. Click Next to advance to Review + create tab, then click Create.

You should receive an automated email within a few minutes and then be contacted by support within 1 business day.

Please click Accept Answer and upvote if the above was helpful.

Thanks.

-TP

Answer 3

To remove your credit card from auto payment in Azure, you need to ensure that there are no active or disabled subscriptions linked to the billing profile associated with that credit card. Here are the steps you can follow:

1. Identify Subscriptions: Log in to the Azure portal and navigate to Cost Management + Billing. Check under Billing profiles to see the subscriptions associated with your account. You may need to look for any subscriptions that are active or disabled.
2. Cancel Subscriptions: If you find any subscriptions that you want to delete, you will need to cancel them first. Go to the subscription you identified (like "Azure subscription 1") and look for the option to cancel it.
3. Delete Subscriptions: After canceling, you should be able to delete the subscription from your billing profile. Follow the prompts to complete the deletion.
4. Remove Payment Method: Once all subscriptions are canceled and deleted, you should be able to go back to the payment methods section and remove the credit card.

If you are unsure whether a subscription is free or part of your organization, you may need to consult with your organization's Azure administrator or check the subscription details in the Azure portal.

If you encounter further issues, consider reaching out to Azure support for assistance with your billing profile and subscriptions.

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References:

• Manage pay-as-you-go credit cards
• Payment method tasks in the Azure portal