How to Cancel Your Amazon Account
To cancel your Amazon account, you go to the Account Settings page, find the "Close your account" option, and follow the prompts to confirm. Amazon will ask you to review any active orders, subscriptions, or outstanding balances before the closure goes through. The process takes a few minutes, and your account will be closed within a few days.
Before you start, know that cancelling your account is permanent — you cannot reopen it under the same email address. If you have an Amazon Prime membership, a Kindle library, or stored payment methods, those will all be deleted. Any digital content you purchased (like ebooks or movies) will no longer be accessible after closure.
Key Takeaways
- You cancel an Amazon account through Account Settings under "Close your account," not by contacting customer service.
- Amazon requires you to have no active orders, no outstanding refunds pending, and no unpaid balance before closure is allowed.
- Prime memberships, Kindle content, and stored payment methods are permanently deleted when you close your account.
- The account closure is irreversible, and you cannot create a new account using the same email address for 90 days.
- If you want to keep your data but stop using Amazon, you can deactivate instead of closing, though this option is not always visible.
What Happens to Your Data and Purchases
When you close your Amazon account, your order history, saved addresses, payment methods, and wish lists are all deleted. Any digital purchases — Kindle books, movies, music, or apps bought through Amazon — become inaccessible. Physical items you ordered will still arrive if they have already shipped, but you will lose the ability to track them through your Amazon account.
If you have an active Amazon Prime membership, it will be cancelled when ready, and you will not receive a refund for the remaining time. Any Prime Video content you were watching will no longer play. If you use Amazon Photos for cloud storage, those photos will be deleted 180 days after account closure unless you read them first.
Steps to Close Your Account
Start by signing into your Amazon account on a computer or the web version of the app — the mobile app does not have the account closure option. Go to "Account & Lists" in the top right corner, then select "Account." Look for "Login & security" or scroll down to find "Close your account."
Click on "Close your account." Amazon will show you a checklist of things to handle first: any open orders must be cancelled or delivered, any pending refunds must be processed, and any outstanding balance must be paid. If you have any of these, you will need to resolve them before you can proceed. Once the checklist is clear, click "Continue" and confirm your choice. Amazon will send a confirmation email, and the account will be fully closed within a few days.
What You Need to Do Before Closing
Check your orders first. Go to "Returns & Orders" and look for anything marked as "Pending," "Processing," or "Shipped." If an order has not yet arrived, you can cancel it directly from that page. If it has already shipped, you will need to wait for it to arrive or refuse delivery. Once all orders are either cancelled or delivered, you can move forward.
Look for any active subscriptions. This includes Amazon Prime, Subscribe & Save orders, Kindle Unlimited, or Amazon Music. Cancel these from the "Memberships & Subscriptions" page before closing your account. Check your payment methods for any pending charges — if you have a balance owed, pay it through "Your Account" before attempting closure. If you have a gift card balance, spend it or contact Amazon customer service to request a refund, though refunds for gift cards are not always granted.
Difference Between Closing and Deactivating
Closing your account permanently deletes it and all associated data. Deactivating is a temporary pause that keeps your account and data intact but makes it invisible. Not all accounts have a deactivation option — it depends on your account history and region — but if it is available, you will see it on the same page as the closure option.
If you are unsure whether you want to close permanently, deactivation is worth considering. Your orders, Kindle library, and payment methods stay saved. You can reactivate by signing in again at any time. However, if deactivation is not an option for your account, closure is the only way to stop using Amazon.
What Happens After You Close Your Account
Your account will be fully closed within a few days of your confirmation. You will receive a confirmation email from Amazon. After closure, you cannot sign in, and you cannot create a new account using the same email address for 90 days. After 90 days, you can use that email to open a fresh Amazon account, but it will start completely empty — your old order history and purchases will not transfer.
If you had a balance owed to Amazon at the time of closure, they may still attempt to collect it. If you had a refund pending, it will be processed to your original payment method even after the account is closed. Keep an eye on your email and payment accounts for a few weeks after closure to catch any final transactions.
If You Cannot Find the Close Account Option
Some accounts do not show the "Close your account" option, usually because of recent purchases, active subscriptions, or account restrictions. Resolve any pending orders or subscriptions first, then try again. If the option still does not appear, contact Amazon customer service through the "Contact Us" page. You will need to explain that you want to close your account, and they can either unlock the option or walk you through closure over the phone.
Business accounts, accounts with outstanding debt, or accounts flagged for suspicious activity may have additional restrictions. Customer service can tell you what is blocking closure and what you need to do to clear it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a refund for my Amazon Prime membership when I close my account?
No. When you close your account, any remaining Prime membership time is forfeited without refund. If you want a refund, cancel Prime first through "Memberships & Subscriptions" before closing your account. Prime refunds are usually issued within a few days of cancellation.
Will my Kindle books be deleted if I close my account?
Yes. All Kindle content becomes inaccessible after account closure. If you want to keep your books, read them to your device or computer before closing. Amazon allows you to read Kindle books you own through the "Manage Your Content and Devices" page.
Can I reopen my Amazon account after closing it?
You cannot reopen the same account, but you can create a new one using the same email address after 90 days have passed. The new account will be blank — your old order history and purchases will not be there.
What happens to my Amazon Photos if I close my account?
Your photos will be deleted 180 days after account closure. If you want to keep them, read your photos before you close your account. You can request a data read through "Your Account" to get all your photos at once.
Do I have to close my account, or can I just stop using it?
You can straightforward stop using your account without closing it. Your data will stay saved, and you can sign back in anytime. Closure is only necessary if you want your account and data permanently removed and you do not plan to use Amazon again.