can't detach or remove payment method

Hi FHI,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

I understand your frustration at the moment regarding the issue with unfamiliar credit card bound to your account. Microsoft requires a valid payment method on file for active subscriptions like Microsoft 365 Family. If a subscription is set to renew soon, the system may prevent removal of the current card to avoid interruption. This is likely why you cannot remove the existing card without adding a new one first.

Here are some workarounds for you to resolve this issue:

Verify Subscription Ownership and Status

• Check if you are the primary account holder or a member of a Microsoft 365 Family group. If someone else (e.g., a family member) manages the subscription, contact them to clarify the payment method or have them remove you from the group if necessary.
• Confirm the subscription status by signing into your Microsoft Account Subscriptions page. If the subscription is active and renewing soon, you may need to cancel it before removing the payment method.

Add a New Payment Method First

As you’ve observed, Microsoft often requires adding a new payment method before removing an old one. To do this:

• Go to the Payment options page of your Microsoft account.
• Add a valid card or payment method you control (e.g., your own debit card, PayPal, or a virtual card).
• Once the new payment method is added, you should be able to remove the unfamiliar card. Select the old card and choose "Remove" or "Delete."

Cancel the Subscription if Necessary

If you do not want the subscription to renew, cancel it before the renewal date:

• On the Subscriptions page, find the Microsoft 365 Family subscription and select "Cancel" or "Turn off recurring billing".
• After canceling, the subscription will remain active until the end of the current billing period, but it won’t renew. You can then remove the payment method without adding a new one.

Contact Microsoft Support

• Visit this website: Contact - Microsoft Support
• Type Contact in the search box.
• Now click Get help and Select Contact Support or Sign in to contact support below.
• Go to the Products and services tab, and choose either Microsoft 365 and Office category.
• On the Category tab, choose Manage account subscription.
• Go to Confirm.
• You can now choose the option of Chat with a support agent on your web browser.

Important Note*: The Chat support team only works at certain work times, (Monday to Friday: 9am to 6pm. Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) so if the last window says you are not available, try to open it again the next day. If you prefer phone support, you can leave a phone number. That way, they can call you and help you. *

Thank you for your patience in reading, we hope this information has been helpful to you.

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Hi! My name is Aj and Im an Independent Advisor here to help! Are you the the family primary member? If not you can ask the primary holder to remove it.

You can cancel the subscription so you can remove the old card.

If this wont work contact support page here https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/home/contact and search for "Microsoft 365 and Office," then choose "Manage account subscription." From there, you can start a chat or request a call.

When a payment method is selected, there is no "Remove" or "Delete" option to to delete the credit card. All I can do is add a payment method for my subscription. I now have three cards listed an only one can ever be used as the other two have been canceled.