How to Cancel Amazon Prime Video: A Step-by-Step Guide
Amazon Prime Video offers a vast library of movies, TV shows, and original content, making it a popular streaming choice. However, there might come a time when you decide to cancel your subscription. Perhaps you’re not using it as much as you used to, you’re looking to cut down on expenses, or you’ve found alternative streaming services that better suit your needs. Whatever the reason, this comprehensive guide provides detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to cancel Amazon Prime Video, whether you subscribe directly through Amazon or through a third party.
**Understanding Your Amazon Prime Video Subscription**
Before diving into the cancellation process, it’s crucial to understand how your Amazon Prime Video subscription is structured. There are two primary ways you might be subscribed:
1. **Amazon Prime Membership:** Amazon Prime includes a bundle of benefits, including free shipping, Prime Video, Prime Music, and more. If you cancel your Prime membership, you’ll lose access to all these benefits, including Prime Video.
2. **Standalone Prime Video Subscription:** In some regions, Amazon offers a standalone Prime Video subscription that doesn’t include the other Prime benefits. Cancelling this subscription only affects your access to Prime Video.
Knowing which type of subscription you have is essential because the cancellation process differs slightly. To determine your subscription type, follow these steps:
* **Go to Your Amazon Account:** Visit the Amazon website and sign in to your account.
* **Access Your Memberships & Subscriptions:** Hover over “Account & Lists” and click on “Memberships & Subscriptions.”
* **Review Your Active Subscriptions:** This page displays all your active subscriptions. Look for “Amazon Prime” or “Prime Video.” If you see “Amazon Prime,” you have a full Prime membership. If you see “Prime Video,” you have a standalone subscription.
**Cancelling Amazon Prime Membership (and Prime Video)**
If you want to cancel your Amazon Prime membership, which includes Prime Video, follow these steps. Keep in mind that cancelling your Prime membership will end all Prime benefits, including free shipping, Prime Music, and more. You may be eligible for a refund depending on how recently you signed up and whether you’ve used your Prime benefits.
**Step 1: Navigate to Your Prime Membership Settings**
* **Go to Amazon:** Open your web browser and go to Amazon’s website (www.amazon.com or your local Amazon domain).
* **Sign In:** Sign in to your Amazon account using your email address and password.
* **Account & Lists:** Hover over the “Account & Lists” option in the top right corner of the page. A dropdown menu will appear.
* **Select Prime Membership:** In the dropdown menu, locate and click on “Prime Membership.”
**Step 2: Access Your Membership Management Options**
* **Manage Membership:** On the Prime Membership page, you should see details about your Prime benefits, payment information, and renewal date. Look for the “Manage Membership” button, usually located at the top right or in the center of the page. Click on it.
* **Update, Cancel and More:** A dropdown menu will appear with options like “Update your payment,” “End membership,” and “Manage Prime benefits.” Click on “End membership.”
**Step 3: Confirm Your Cancellation**
* **Review Cancellation Options:** Amazon will present you with information about the benefits you’ll lose if you cancel your Prime membership. It might also offer you alternative options, such as switching to a monthly plan or keeping your membership active until the next renewal date.
* **End My Benefits:** To proceed with cancellation, look for the option to “End My Benefits” or a similar phrase. This button might appear multiple times on the page, as Amazon tries to dissuade you from cancelling. You may need to scroll down to find it.
* **Confirm Cancellation:** After clicking “End My Benefits,” Amazon will likely ask you to confirm your decision one more time. Look for a final confirmation button or link, such as “Cancel Membership” or “Confirm Cancellation.” Click on it to finalize the cancellation process.
**Step 4: Check for a Refund (If Applicable)**
* **Refund Eligibility:** Depending on how recently you signed up for Prime and whether you’ve used your Prime benefits (like free shipping or Prime Video), you might be eligible for a refund. Amazon will typically display information about refund eligibility during the cancellation process.
* **Refund Processing:** If you’re eligible for a refund, Amazon will process it back to your original payment method. The refund may take a few business days to appear in your account.
**Step 5: Verify Cancellation**
* **Confirmation Email:** After successfully cancelling your Prime membership, you should receive a confirmation email from Amazon. This email serves as proof of your cancellation.
* **Check Your Account:** You can also verify the cancellation by going back to the “Prime Membership” page in your Amazon account. It should now indicate that your membership is cancelled and display the date when your benefits will end.
**Cancelling a Standalone Prime Video Subscription**
If you have a standalone Prime Video subscription (without the other Prime benefits), the cancellation process is slightly different:
**Step 1: Go to Your Amazon Account**
* **Open Amazon:** Open your web browser and go to the Amazon website (www.amazon.com or your local Amazon domain).
* **Sign In:** Sign in to your Amazon account using your email address and password.
**Step 2: Access Your Memberships & Subscriptions**
* **Account & Lists:** Hover over “Account & Lists” and click on “Memberships & Subscriptions.”
* **Find Prime Video:** Locate your Prime Video subscription in the list of your active subscriptions.
**Step 3: End Your Subscription**
* **Manage Subscription:** Next to the Prime Video subscription, you should see a “Manage Subscription” or a similar option. Click on it.
* **End Subscription:** You’ll be redirected to a page where you can manage your Prime Video settings. Look for an option to “End Subscription,” “Cancel Subscription,” or a similar phrase. Click on it.
**Step 4: Confirm Your Cancellation**
* **Review Cancellation Details:** Amazon will display information about when your access to Prime Video will end. It might also offer you alternative options, such as pausing your subscription.
* **Confirm Cancellation:** To proceed with cancellation, look for a final confirmation button or link, such as “Confirm Cancellation” or “End Subscription.” Click on it to finalize the cancellation process.
**Step 5: Verify Cancellation**
* **Confirmation Email:** After successfully cancelling your Prime Video subscription, you should receive a confirmation email from Amazon.
* **Check Your Account:** You can also verify the cancellation by going back to the “Memberships & Subscriptions” page in your Amazon account. It should now indicate that your Prime Video subscription is cancelled and display the date when your access will end.
**Cancelling Prime Video Subscriptions Through Third Parties**
If you subscribed to Prime Video through a third party, such as your mobile carrier, internet service provider, or another streaming platform, the cancellation process will be different. You’ll need to cancel your subscription through the third party that provides it.
**Examples of Third-Party Cancellation Processes:**
* **Mobile Carrier (e.g., Verizon, T-Mobile):** If you bundled Prime Video with your mobile plan, you’ll need to contact your mobile carrier’s customer support or log in to your account through their website or app to manage your subscriptions.
* **Internet Service Provider (ISP):** Similar to mobile carriers, if you bundled Prime Video with your internet plan, you’ll need to contact your ISP’s customer support or log in to your account through their website to cancel.
* **Other Streaming Platforms (e.g., Apple TV Channels):** If you subscribed to Prime Video as an Apple TV Channel, you’ll need to cancel through your Apple account settings.
**General Steps for Cancelling Through a Third Party:**
1. **Identify the Provider:** Determine which third party you subscribed through.
2. **Access Your Account:** Log in to your account through the provider’s website or app. Alternatively, contact their customer support.
3. **Manage Subscriptions:** Look for a section related to “Subscriptions,” “Services,” or “Billing.”
4. **Locate Prime Video:** Find the Prime Video subscription in the list of your active subscriptions.
5. **Cancel Subscription:** Follow the provider’s instructions to cancel the Prime Video subscription. This might involve clicking a “Cancel” button, contacting customer support, or following a specific cancellation process.
6. **Confirm Cancellation:** Make sure to confirm the cancellation and keep any confirmation emails or records for your reference.
**Pausing Your Prime Video Subscription (If Available)**
In some cases, Amazon might offer the option to pause your Prime Video subscription instead of cancelling it altogether. This can be a useful option if you plan to use Prime Video again in the future but don’t need it for a specific period.
**How to Check for the Pause Option:**
* **Follow Cancellation Steps:** Start the cancellation process as described above (either for Prime membership or a standalone Prime Video subscription).
* **Look for Pause Option:** During the cancellation process, Amazon might present you with the option to “Pause” your subscription instead of cancelling it. This option might not always be available, and it can vary depending on your location and subscription type.
* **Follow Instructions:** If the pause option is available, follow the instructions provided by Amazon to pause your subscription. You’ll typically be able to choose the duration of the pause.
**Benefits of Pausing:**
* **Maintain Access:** You can easily resume your subscription at any time without having to go through the sign-up process again.
* **Avoid Losing Progress:** You won’t lose your viewing history or watchlist.
* **Save Money:** You won’t be charged for the subscription during the pause period.
**Troubleshooting Common Cancellation Issues**
Even with detailed instructions, you might encounter some issues during the cancellation process. Here are some common problems and how to troubleshoot them:
* **Can’t Find the Cancellation Option:**
* **Double-Check Subscription Type:** Make sure you’re trying to cancel the correct subscription type (Prime membership or standalone Prime Video).
* **Use a Desktop Browser:** Sometimes, the cancellation options are more easily accessible on a desktop browser than on a mobile device or app.
* **Clear Browser Cache:** Clear your browser’s cache and cookies, as this can sometimes resolve website display issues.
* **Contact Amazon Support:** If you still can’t find the cancellation option, contact Amazon’s customer support for assistance. They can guide you through the process or cancel the subscription on your behalf.
* **Cancellation Not Processed:**
* **Check Confirmation Email:** Make sure you received a confirmation email from Amazon after initiating the cancellation.
* **Review Account Settings:** Check your Amazon account settings to confirm that the subscription is indeed cancelled. Look for the cancellation date and the date when your access will end.
* **Contact Amazon Support:** If you didn’t receive a confirmation email or your account settings still show an active subscription, contact Amazon’s customer support immediately.
* **Still Being Charged After Cancellation:**
* **Verify Cancellation Date:** Double-check the cancellation date and the date when your access to Prime Video was supposed to end.
* **Check Payment History:** Review your Amazon payment history to see if the charges are legitimate or if they’re recurring charges from before the cancellation date.
* **Contact Amazon Support:** If you’re still being charged after the cancellation date, contact Amazon’s customer support to dispute the charges and request a refund.
* **Subscribed Through a Third Party and Can’t Cancel:**
* **Identify the Provider:** Determine which third party you subscribed through (e.g., mobile carrier, ISP, Apple TV Channels).
* **Contact the Provider:** Contact the provider’s customer support or log in to your account through their website or app to manage your subscriptions. Follow their specific cancellation instructions.
**Alternatives to Cancelling Prime Video**
Before you completely cancel your Prime Video subscription, consider these alternatives:
* **Switch to a Monthly Plan:** If you have an annual Prime membership, consider switching to a monthly plan. This gives you more flexibility and allows you to cancel at any time without being locked into a long-term commitment.
* **Pause Your Subscription:** As mentioned earlier, Amazon might offer the option to pause your subscription instead of cancelling it. This can be a useful option if you plan to use Prime Video again in the future.
* **Share Your Prime Benefits:** If you have a Prime membership, you can share some of your benefits with other members of your household. This can make the membership more valuable and justify the cost.
* **Explore Other Streaming Services:** If you’re looking for specific content that Prime Video doesn’t offer, explore other streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, or HBO Max. You might find that another service better suits your needs.
**Conclusion**
Cancelling Amazon Prime Video, whether as part of a full Prime membership or as a standalone subscription, is a straightforward process. By following the detailed steps outlined in this guide, you can easily cancel your subscription and avoid unwanted charges. Remember to verify your cancellation and contact Amazon support if you encounter any issues. Before you cancel, consider whether pausing your subscription or exploring alternative streaming services might be a better option for your needs. With careful planning and attention to detail, you can manage your streaming subscriptions effectively and make the most of your entertainment budget.