The topic I canceled Microsoft 365, and I was wrong to dread it is currently the subject of lively discussion — readers and analysts are keeping a close eye on developments.
This is taking place in a dynamic environment: companies’ decisions and competitors’ reactions can quickly change the picture.
The idea of canceling my Microsoft 365 subscription was something I wouldn’t even consider. I didn’t want to lose access to all the great features I could use in Word or Excel. But I noticed that I wasn’t using it as much. One day, I was like, “I’m going to do it, I’m canceling my subscription!” I did it, and weeks later, I just feel relieved that things didn’t turn out to be as chaotic as I thought they would be.
I know I was wrong, but I thought that if I canceled my Microsoft 365 subscription, I would lose access to all my files. The idea of moving all my files was not something I was willing to do. But then, I decided to research that part and see if that was true. Turns out, I didn’t lose access to my files since I had less than 5GB of storage.
It turns out that when you cancel your subscription, your cloud storage drops to 5GB, including your OneDrive and Outlook attachments, and 15GB of Outlook storage. This worked for me since I already have my notes scattered across Word, Google Docs, and Obsidian. It worked because I had less than 5GB stored there. If your storage is higher, it’s worth checking Microsoft’s support page first.
Sure, I lost the convenience of using the apps the way I wanted on my laptop, but the idea of losing that didn’t really hurt. I could still get my work done by simply using Google Docs with all its formatting and sharing features. I opened Google Docs more than Word, and it worked better for me since more of my friends use Google than Microsoft anyway.
Google Docs had all the features I needed, but Word was starting to feel like overkill. I was already paying for Google’s AI plan, so I didn’t see the point of keeping my Microsoft 365 Personal subscription.
I thought canceling my Microsoft 365 subscription would hit me harder than it did. Before I canceled, I kept imagining being in a tight spot where I would desperately need Excel right away, or another feature tied to the subscription, and not be able to use it. But that time never came. After a while, I was more than determined to cancel something I was barely using. Word was the one I worried about most.
I kept thinking I’d sit down to work on a project and try to use a feature that was no longer there in Word and that I couldn’t find in Google Docs. After I canceled, I was surprised to find I wasn’t running into any of the obstacles I had imagined.
On the other hand, I can still see why many people would keep Microsoft 365. Some people really do live inside Word and Excel every day, and for them, the desktop apps and 1TB of OneDrive storage are worth every penny. Also, $8 a month is cheaper than paying $20 for Google AI Pro. If you actually use what’s included, $8 a month is hard to beat for a full office suite plus a terabyte of cloud storage. With Microsoft, you also have a place for your pictures and files. So, even though I don’t use it anymore, I can still see why it would be worth keeping for others who actually use all of that.
All of that is fair if you’re actually using it. What made me cancel wasn’t the price or the lack of features. It was paying for something I was barely using, when I was already paying for other subscriptions, such as:
So, even though it was just $8 a month, it started to feel like something I could do without. If I’m keeping a subscription mostly for a just-in-case moment, I’d rather cut it and save money for something I’ll actually use.
I have to admit that canceling my subscription was not as big a deal as I had imagined it. I let the “What if I need it” idea stay in my head for too long, and worse, let it keep me from taking action. I know I can always sign back up if I ever see myself needing to use everything I lost, but until then, I’m good with my current setup.
Microsoft 365 is the subscription that gives you the desktop version of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, plus 1TB of OneDrive storage for all your files.