Refund for a Microsoft subscription

Question

I purchased a $19.99 annual Microsoft Outlook email but was not able to use the email address I wanted so I cancelled it and would like a refund. I only had the subscription for a few hours before I found out that I could not use the required email address.

Answer 1

Hi, I'm John!

To help narrow down the issue:

1. Are you referring to a Microsoft 365 (Basic) subscription tied to a personal Microsoft account?
2. When you say you couldn’t use the email address, what exactly happened? Did it say the address is already taken or not allowed?
3. Also, did you cancel the subscription from your Microsoft account already? Refunds usually depend on when it was cancelled.

---

Click "Add comment" to let me know.

Regards,

John J.D.

Answer 2

A refund may be possible, but eligibility depends on how and where the Outlook-related subscription was purchased and the refund rules for that subscription type and country/region.

For Microsoft subscriptions purchased directly from Microsoft:

1. Cancel the subscription first
   • Go to https://account.microsoft.com/services and sign in with the same Microsoft account used to buy the subscription.
   • Find the Outlook/Microsoft 365 or related subscription and select Manage.
   • Select Cancel (or Upgrade or Cancel, depending on what is shown), then follow the on-screen steps to complete cancellation.
   • If you see Turn on recurring billing instead of Manage or Cancel, the subscription is already set to expire and will not be charged again.
2. Check refund eligibility
   • For most Microsoft subscriptions, refund eligibility is evaluated after cancellation. Not all cancellations result in a refund.
   • In certain countries (for example Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Israel, Korea, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Turkey), a prorated refund may apply depending on subscription length and local rules. See the “countries with prorated refunds” information linked in the articles.
3. If the subscription was purchased through a mobile app store
   • If it was bought via Google Play or Apple’s App Store, cancellation and refund must be requested from that store’s support:
     • Google Play: see Learn about Google Play refund policies.
     • Apple App Store: request a refund from Apple support.
4. If the charge is not recognized or there are issues
   • Use the guidance in How to get a refund on a Microsoft subscription and, if needed, contact Microsoft Support via the Contact Microsoft Support link provided there for billing help.

Because the subscription was only held for a few hours, cancel it as above and then follow the refund flow shown in the refund article or the self-help tool for Microsoft 365/other subscriptions. The system will determine and display whether a refund is available for that specific purchase.

---

References:

• How to get a refund on a Microsoft subscription
• Can I speak to someone? -- Billing issues - Microsoft Q&A
• Request refund - Microsoft Q&A
• cancel subscription - Microsoft Q&A
• How to Cancel Microsoft 365 subscription if you do not have account info? Or get anyone to help? - Microsoft Q&A
• i have been charged twice - Microsoft Q&A