New computer with Win11 Pro has free Microsoft 365 --already paying for it

Question

I paid for my yearly subscription to Microsoft 365 last January.

I just bought a laptop with Windows 11 Pro on it, which includes free Microsoft 365.

1- Is that permanently free?

2- Should I cancel my old paid subscription? I don't want to inadvertently cancel the free one. I also want to make sure I won't get charged again, for the paid subscription next January.

3- Is there any chance of a pro-rated refund?

Answer 1

Did the computer store or the PC manufacturer provide the prepaid subscription? Find out from them how to install.

Obviously, if all you got is a one month trial, there isn't much point in accepting the offer. Instead, continue using the subscription you are paying for.

Answer 2

1. The “free Microsoft 365” on a new Windows 11 Pro laptop is typically a time‑limited trial or a partner/PC‑manufacturer offer, not a permanently free subscription. Partner/free offers for Microsoft 365 Family/Personal are time‑bound and then convert to a paid subscription or end, depending on the offer terms.
2. The paid subscription and the “free” one are separate. To avoid being charged again next January on the existing paid subscription, cancel that specific subscription under the Microsoft account it was purchased with:
   • Go to the Services & subscriptions section of the Microsoft account used to buy Microsoft 365.
   • Locate the existing paid Microsoft 365 subscription.
   • Select Manage and then Cancel subscription, and follow the prompts.
   • If instead of Manage it shows Turn on recurring billing, it is already set to expire and will not charge again.
   Cancelling the old paid subscription does not cancel any separate trial/partner offer that might be associated with the new device, because each subscription is tied to its own entry under Services & subscriptions. Before cancelling, be aware that when a Microsoft 365 Basic/Personal/Family/Premium subscription is cancelled and expires, cloud storage reverts to the free quota and, if usage is above the free allowance, OneDrive uploads/sync and Outlook.com email sending/receiving will be impacted, and OneDrive content may eventually be deleted after 12 months.
3. A pro‑rated refund may be possible, depending on region and eligibility. For subscriptions bought from Microsoft:
   • Refund eligibility is checked after cancelling the subscription.
   • Not all cancellations result in a refund.
   • Use the Microsoft 365 refund self‑help tool under the Microsoft 365 section of the refund page to see if a refund is offered for the cancelled subscription.

If the device offer is a partner/free offer tied to Microsoft 365 Family or Personal, it is time‑limited and will typically transition to a paid subscription at the end of the offer period unless cancelled, so it is important to review that subscription’s end date and billing status under Services & subscriptions as well.

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References:

• FAQ about Microsoft 365 Family and Personal free offers from Microsoft partners
• How to get a refund on a Microsoft subscription
• How to unsubscribe microsoft 365 account? - Microsoft Q&A
• Microsoft 365