How to deactivate this

Cancel the Azure subscription first, settle its final bill, delete the subscription when Azure enables that option, and then remove the card from Cost Management + Billing.

1. Cancel the subscription

Warning: Cancellation disables its Azure services, so back up any data you need before proceeding.

1. Sign in to the Azure portal.
2. Open Cost Management + Billing.
3. Select Subscriptions or Azure subscriptions.
4. Select the active subscription.
5. Select Cancel at the top.
6. Review any listed resources and charges.
7. If required, select Turn off resources.
8. Choose a cancellation reason, then select Cancel subscription.

Billing stops when the subscription is cancelled, although the portal can take up to 10 minutes to show the new status. Azure may issue the final invoice at the end of the current billing period.^1^

2. Settle and delete the subscription

1. Pay any final invoice or outstanding balance.
2. Wait until Delete subscription becomes available. For customer-led subscriptions, this is normally no earlier than three days after cancellation.
3. Open Subscriptions, select the cancelled subscription, and select Delete.
4. Enter the subscription name if requested and confirm deletion.

The card cannot be detached while previous charges remain unpaid. If the billing period is still active, Azure can also require you to wait until that period ends. Subscription deletion can take up to 90 days in some cases.^2^

3. Remove the card

After the subscription and billing conditions are cleared:

1. Open Cost Management + Billing.
2. Select the applicable billing scope if prompted.
3. For a Microsoft Customer Agreement account, open: Billing profiles → select the profile → Payment methods.
4. For a pay-as-you-go account, open: Payment methods under the relevant subscription or billing scope.
5. Select the ellipsis (…) beside the card.
6. Select Delete or Detach, and confirm.

If Delete is unavailable, Azure displays the remaining condition—typically an associated subscription, an unsettled charge, or an active billing period.^2^

You must be the account administrator for a pay-as-you-go subscription. For a Microsoft Customer Agreement, the account creator or a user with the required billing permissions must perform the removal. If cancellation is unavailable because you lack permission, contact the subscription owner.^1^

If you want to keep the subscription rather than deactivate it, add a different card, make it the subscription’s active payment method, and then delete the old card. Azure does not allow removal of the card currently used by an active subscription.^3^

References

1. Cancel and delete your Azure subscription
2. Add, update, or delete a payment method
3. Troubleshoot Azure payment issues