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I have a Microsoft 365 subscription that I periodically need to view and manage. Normally, I have to sign in to my Microsoft account page to do that. But with Windows 11, I can handle that directly in the operating system.

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Windows 11 includes a section in Settings under Accounts in which you can access all the options for your Microsoft 365 plan. 

The OS lets you view your billing, see who in your family is running the different Office apps, and find out how much space you're using in OneDrive. 

Also: Yes, you can still get a free Windows 10 upgrade

And if you need to check or change other settings, you can access your Microsoft account site right from Windows 11. 

Here's how.

How to manage your Microsoft 365 subscription in Windows 11

1. Go to Settings

The ability to manage your Microsoft 365 account has been available in Windows 11 for the past several months, so the option should be accessible on your PC. To check, go to Settings > Accounts.

If you're running the latest 22H2 update for Windows 11, your Microsoft 365 account information automatically pops up. If you haven't yet updated to this latest release, click the setting for Your Microsoft account to see the Microsoft 365 details.

Under the name of your subscription, the first piece of info shows your subscription price and the type of billing in place, such as recurring billing. The next area shows you the initials of the people currently sharing in the subscription. The third area displays the total amount of OneDrive storage available and the amount currently being used.

View your Microsoft 365 subscription information in Windows 11.

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/

2. Click 'See details' to manage your account

Accessing more details or managing the different aspects of your account requires a trip to the website. But you can easily get to the right place from Windows 11. For billing info, click the link for See details under the subscription price. Sign in to your Microsoft account site. In the Subscription section, you can change your payment method, view your billing history, redeem a code or prepaid card on the subscription cost, turn recurring billing on or off, and cancel your subscription entirely.

Manage your subscription.

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/

3. Manage your sharing

Return to Windows 11 and click the link for Manage sharing. Back at your Microsoft account site, click the drop-down arrow next to Share in the Share subscription section. The names of all the people in your Microsoft family appear along with an indicator as to which ones are sharing your Microsoft 365 subscription.

Also: How to get Microsoft Office for free

Click the link for Start sharing to share the subscription with a specific person and the link for Stop sharing to cut off the subscription access for someone. Click the link above for Add or manage Microsoft family members if you need to add or remove people in your Microsoft family.

Manage your subscription sharing.

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/

4. Manage your OneDrive storage

Go back to Windows 11 and click the link for Manage storage or Open OneDrive. At the Microsoft account site, you can manage your OneDrive storage. The page shows the total amount of storage and how much is being used.

Also: Where do tech pros go for tech support? 4 fix-it strategies

Manage your OneDrive storage.

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/

5. Click 'Empty recycle bin' to free up more space

OneDrive offers its own recycle bin to hold deleted files for up to 30 days. If you're running low on OneDrive storage and need to free up space, click Empty recycle bin to remove older deleted files. After you select that option, a dialog box pops up asking you to delete the files or open the recycle bin. Open the bin first and review the files inside to make sure there are none that you would need to recover. If you still wish to empty the recycle bin, return to the previous page, click the link to empty it, and confirm the deletion.

Empty the OneDrive Recycle Bin. 

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/

6. Find which files are taking up space

To review other files taking up space on OneDrive, click the link for What's taking up space? 

Also: How to secure your sensitive OneDrive files with a Personal Vault

The page reveals the largest files chewing up OneDrive storage so you can delete or move any you no longer need backed up or synced this way.

View the largest files on OneDrive.

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/

7. Click 'View benefits' in your Microsoft account page

Return to Windows 11. The next tidbit shows when your subscription ends or when the next charge kicks in for a recurring subscription. Clicking the Manage button takes you to the Microsoft account page for managing your subscription. Next, click the button for View benefits.

View your Microsoft 365 subscription benefits.

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/

8. Explore the overview page of your Microsoft account site

You're taken to an overview page at your Microsoft account site that tells you how many devices can run the Office apps concurrently, which apps are included in your subscription (such as OneDrive, Skype, and Outlook), how to get the Office apps for mobile devices, and how to access Family Safety and Microsoft Teams.

Check out an overview page on your Microsoft 365 subscription.

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/

Windows 10

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