Microsoft Store refunds on digital goods such as apps, games, add-ons, movies, TV shows and books only happen when the offer or the law where you live says you're eligible, so most PC app and game purchases aren't refundable by default. Physical products bought from Microsoft are different: as of October 2026 there are up to 60-day returns on selected products and markets, requested from your Order history page.
Here's the catch for subscriptions. You can't ask whether you'd get a refund before you cancel. Microsoft decides eligibility automatically during the cancellation itself, and only then tells you whether the subscription qualifies. If it doesn't, you won't even see a refund entry on your order history.
What you can and can't get back
| What you bought | Refund rule, as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Apps, games, add-ons, movies, TV shows or books | Only if the offer or applicable law says you're eligible |
| Digital games for use on Xbox | Microsoft's separate request a refund for digital games process |
| Surface, Xbox controller, VR headset or packaged software | Up to 60-day returns on selected products and markets |
| A subscription bought from Microsoft | Usually within 30 days of first purchase, or before the first recurring billing date, whichever is sooner |
| Your most recent recurring charge | If you cancel within 30 days of paying, once per account per subscription product |
| A subscription bought through Google Play or Apple | Their customer support, not Microsoft |
| A prepaid retail subscription code | The return policy of the retailer you bought it from |
| Any product bought from another retailer | Microsoft won't accept the return |
If you're refunding because you don't recognise a charge, there's a better first step. You can now investigate it on the Manage your payments page of your Microsoft account dashboard. In Australia, none of this affects your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.
Returning a device bought from Microsoft
Physical goods are where Microsoft is most flexible. If Microsoft lowers the price within 60 days, you can contact Sales support and ask for the difference back, again on selected products and markets.
- Open your Microsoft account Order history page.
- Find the item and select Request a return.
- If the item isn't listed, you may not have been signed in when you bought it, so use the Guest Order Lookup.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to get a prepaid shipping label.
- Send the item back. Once Microsoft receives it and finds it eligible, you get a replacement or a refund.
A qualifying return is credited in full, less the original shipping and handling charges, back to the original payment option. Refunds are generally processed within 3 to 5 business days after Microsoft receives the item. Online returns aren't available in every market, so if you don't see Request a return, contact Sales support.
- Single items from inside a bundle can't be returned.
- Return labels expire after a while, so use yours promptly.
- If your product never arrived, don't start a return. Contact Sales support instead.
- Take out any games or storage devices first, because Microsoft isn't responsible for anything left inside.
Getting a refund on a Microsoft subscription
This applies to Microsoft 365 Basic, Personal, Family and Premium bought directly from Microsoft. Sign in with the same account that made the purchase, because that's the only one that can see it.
- Go to account.microsoft.com/services/microsoft365 and sign in.
- Find your subscription and select Manage.
- Select Cancel. Depending on your subscription, it might say Upgrade or Cancel.
- Follow the instructions on the page. During cancellation, Microsoft tells you whether you qualify for a refund.
If you see Turn on recurring billing instead of Manage, the subscription is already set to expire on the date shown, and you won't be charged again. If you bought in Germany, you can cancel without signing in. If no refund is issued, access to Microsoft 365 typically carries on to the end of your current billing period.
Some countries get prorated refunds. For Microsoft 365 Basic, Personal, Family, OneDrive and Clipchamp, customers in places including Canada, Denmark, France, Korea and Türkiye can cancel at any time and get a prorated refund. For Microsoft 365 Premium and Pro in all other countries, you need to cancel within 14 days of first purchase. If you're weighing which plan to keep instead, here are the Microsoft 365 prices compared.
Before you cancel: your storage drops
Cancelling Microsoft 365 Basic or Personal takes your storage back to 5GB of cloud storage, which includes OneDrive and Outlook.com attachments, plus 15GB of Outlook.com mail storage. On Family or Premium, everyone you shared with loses storage and their other benefits too. If anyone is over the free allowance, they can't upload, edit or sync new files to OneDrive, they can't send or receive email in Outlook.com, and after 12 months Microsoft may delete the OneDrive and everything in it. Move files first.
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Checking the status of your refund
Open Order history in your Microsoft account and find the product. It shows the refund status. If Microsoft says it's issued but it hasn't reached your card or bank, wait a few days, because some banks take a few days to process it. If there's no refund entry at all, you either weren't eligible, cancelled recurring billing, or cancelled outside the refund window.
My verdict on Microsoft Store refunds
I'd move fast on subscriptions, because the 30-day window is the whole game and you can't preview the answer without cancelling. I wouldn't count on getting anything back for a PC app or game unless the offer said so when you bought it. For a Surface or a controller, the 60-day return is solid, so keep the box and request it from Order history. And if you only want Office without a subscription, it's worth reading whether Microsoft Office is free before you buy again.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a refund on a game I bought from the Microsoft Store on PC?
Only if the offer or applicable law says you're eligible. Digital goods like apps and games aren't refundable otherwise.
How long is the return window on a Surface bought from Microsoft?
Microsoft offers up to 60-day returns on physical products, on selected products and markets.
How long does a Microsoft refund take?
Device refunds are generally processed within 3 to 5 business days after Microsoft receives the item. Your bank may take a few more days.
Can I get a refund on Microsoft 365?
In most cases, if you cancel within 30 days of your first purchase or before your first recurring billing date, whichever is sooner. Eligibility is decided automatically when you cancel.
Why don't I see a refund on my order history?
You weren't eligible, you cancelled recurring billing, or you cancelled outside the refund eligibility period.
