How to Easily Cancel Your Hotspot Shield VPN Subscription

If you’re looking to cancel your Hotspot Shield VPN subscription, you’ve come to the right place. It can sometimes feel like a bit of a maze with these things, but I’ll walk you through it step by step, no matter where you originally signed up. Whether you’ve found a different service that fits your needs better, or you just don’t need a VPN right now, ending your Hotspot Shield Premium subscription is pretty straightforward once you know the ropes. This guide will cover how to cancel your Hotspot Shield premium account, how to cancel Hotspot Shield subscription on Windows 10, remove Hotspot Shield from Mac, and even how to delete your Hotspot Shield account entirely. By the end, you’ll have a clear path to get that done, and you won’t be charged again. Once you cancel auto-renewal, your account will typically remain active with premium features until the current subscription period expires. After that, it usually reverts to the basic, free version of Hotspot Shield, and you won’t see any more charges.

Why You Might Be Saying Goodbye to Hotspot Shield

People decide to cancel their VPN subscriptions for all sorts of reasons. Maybe you just needed it for a short-term project, or perhaps you’re exploring other options in the vast VPN market. Hotspot Shield has been around since 2008 and is known for its Catapult Hydra protocol, which aims for fast speeds and strong security. It offers a free tier and a premium version with unlimited bandwidth and access to a larger server network.

However, some users might look for alternatives due to its U.S. base, which falls under the Five Eyes alliance, meaning the government could compel it to turn over user data, despite its no-logging policy claim. Others might find its 10 simultaneous connections limit a bit restrictive compared to some competitors offering unlimited devices. Whatever your reason, getting your subscription canceled is key to managing your online services and avoiding unwanted charges.

How to Cancel Hotspot Shield Premium Subscription

The way you cancel your Hotspot Shield subscription largely depends on how you originally paid for it. Did you sign up directly on their website with a credit card or PayPal, or through an app store like Apple’s App Store or Google Play? Let’s break down each method.

Cancelling Through the Hotspot Shield Website Credit Card/PayPal

If you signed up directly on the Hotspot Shield website using a credit card or PayPal, this is the most direct way to cancel your subscription. Be ready for a few extra clicks. they really don’t want to see you go! How to Cancel Your HMA VPN Subscription (and Get a Refund!)

1. Log Into Your Account: First things first, head over to the Hotspot Shield website and log into your account. You’ll need the email and password you signed up with.
2. Navigate to Account Settings: Once you’re logged in, look for the ‘Account’ or ‘Account Info’ link. It’s usually in the top navigation menu or sidebar on the left. Click on that to get to your dashboard.
3. Find the Cancellation Link: In your account area, find the section labeled ‘Subscription’ or ‘Membership.’ You should see an option that says ‘Cancel subscription,’ ‘Cancel Plan,’ or ‘Turn off auto-renewal.’ Honestly, sometimes they make this a bit hard to find, so you might have to scan the page carefully. For example, in the membership section, you’ll see your current plan and a ‘Cancel’ button. Click it.
4. Confirm the Cancellation: This is often the part where they try to win you back. You’ll likely have to click through a survey asking for your reason for canceling or a page trying to convince you to stay. Just keep clicking ‘Cancel’ or ‘Continue’ until you see a final confirmation message on the screen. Don’t get distracted by last-minute offers. You might be asked to provide a reason for canceling. just choose one and click continue.
5. Check for Confirmation: You should receive a confirmation email shortly after, letting you know your subscription won’t renew. Keep this email for your records.

Remember, canceling auto-renewal doesn’t usually grant an automatic refund. Your account will stay active until the current subscription expires, and then it’ll revert to a basic status without further charges. If you’re looking for a refund, that’s a separate step we’ll cover later.

How to Cancel Hotspot Shield Subscription on iPhone or iPad

If you subscribed to Hotspot Shield through the Apple App Store on your iPhone or iPad, you have to cancel it directly through Apple. Hotspot Shield’s support team can’t do it for you, but the good news is, it’s pretty simple.

1. Open Settings: Launch the main ‘Settings’ app on your iPhone or iPad. It’s that gray gear icon.
2. Tap Your Apple ID: Tap on your name and Apple ID profile picture, which is usually right at the top of the settings menu.
3. Go to Subscriptions: On the next screen, tap on ‘Subscriptions.’ This will show you a list of all your active and expired subscriptions tied to your Apple account.
4. Find and Cancel Hotspot Shield: Scroll through the list to find Hotspot Shield. Tap on it, and then you should see a red ‘Cancel Subscription’ button. If you don’t see this button, it means the subscription is already canceled and won’t renew.
5. Confirm: Follow any on-screen prompts to confirm the cancellation. The subscription will be canceled across all your Apple devices.

How to Cancel Hotspot Shield Subscription on Android

Just like with Apple, if you subscribed through the Google Play Store, that’s where you need to cancel. It’s a standard process and saves you from having to log into their website for this part.

1. Open the Google Play Store: Launch the Google Play Store app on your Android device.
2. Tap Your Profile Icon: Tap on your profile icon, which is usually located in the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Navigate to Subscriptions: From the menu that pops up, select ‘Payments & subscriptions,’ and then tap on ‘Subscriptions’.
4. Find and Cancel Hotspot Shield: Scroll through the list to find Hotspot Shield. Tap on it, and then select ‘Cancel subscription’.
5. Follow Instructions: Follow the on-screen instructions to confirm your cancellation.

Important Note: Simply uninstalling the Hotspot Shield app from your phone or tablet does not cancel your subscription. You need to follow these steps to stop the recurring charges.

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Hotspot Shield Refund Policy

Sometimes, you might cancel your subscription and also want your money back. Hotspot Shield offers a pretty generous 45-day money-back guarantee for initial purchases. This is great because it lets you try the service out with peace of mind.

Here’s how to go about getting a refund:

1. Check the Timeframe: You’re eligible for a full refund if you cancel within 45 days of your initial purchase. If you signed up for a free or discounted trial, make sure to cancel at least 24 hours before the trial ends to avoid being charged.
2. Contact Customer Support: The fastest way to request a refund is usually through live chat or email.
   • Live Chat: Go to the Hotspot Shield homepage and sign in to your account. Look for a ‘Support’ or ‘Help’ option, which often leads to a live chat feature. When you connect, select “Billing/Offer/Payment” and then “Refund related”. Be prepared to provide your name, account email address, and a reason for the refund. Many users report that live chat is quick and easy, sometimes processing refunds within 10 minutes and returning money in just a day or two.
   • Email: If live chat isn’t available or you prefer email, you can send a request to [email protected]. Make sure to email them from the address associated with your Hotspot Shield account and include your order purchase number if you have it. Expect a response within 12 to 48 hours. They might offer you a discount to stay, but if you still want the refund, just state that clearly.
3. Apple App Store Subscriptions: This is a bit different. If you subscribed through Apple, Hotspot Shield often can’t process your refund directly. You’ll need to contact Apple Support for refund inquiries for purchases made via the App Store.

It’s important to know that generally, Hotspot Shield does not offer refunds for subscription renewals if you forget to cancel. All refunds are issued at their sole discretion.

Deleting Your Hotspot Shield Account

Canceling your subscription stops future payments, but it doesn’t always delete your entire account and associated data. If you want to completely wipe your presence from Hotspot Shield, you’ll need to take an extra step. This option is usually available within the mobile apps. How to Cancel Your Opera GX VPN Subscription (or just turn it off!)

1. Open Hotspot Shield App: Launch the Hotspot Shield application on your mobile device iOS or Android.
2. Tap Profile/Person Icon: Look for a person icon or profile picture, usually at the bottom of the screen, and tap it.
3. Find “Delete Account” or “Remove Account”: Scroll down the settings or account page until you find an option like “Delete account” for iOS or “Remove Account” for Android.
4. Confirm Deletion: A pop-up will appear, asking you to confirm your account deletion. Be aware that this process will delete everything associated with that account. Tap ‘Yes’ or ‘Continue’ to confirm.

After confirming, your account and all its data should be permanently deleted.

How to Remove Hotspot Shield from Your Devices

Canceling your subscription and deleting your account are one thing, but you might also want to remove the actual Hotspot Shield application from your computer or mobile device. This is often called “uninstalling” the app.

How to Remove Hotspot Shield from Windows 10

Removing Hotspot Shield from your Windows computer is just like uninstalling any other program.

1. Open Control Panel or Settings:
   • Windows 10/11: Click the Windows Start button, type “Control Panel,” and press Enter, or go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Apps’ > ‘Apps & features’.
2. Find Programs and Features Control Panel or Apps & Features Settings:
   • Control Panel: Once in the Control Panel, open “Programs and Features”.
   • Settings: Under ‘Apps & features,’ you’ll see a list of installed applications.
3. Locate Hotspot Shield: Scroll through the list of installed programs to find “Hotspot Shield.”
4. Uninstall:
   • Control Panel: Select Hotspot Shield and click “Uninstall” at the top.
   • Settings: Click on Hotspot Shield, then click “Uninstall.”
5. Follow On-Screen Prompts: A wizard might pop up to guide you through the uninstallation process. Follow these instructions to complete the removal. You might be asked to confirm, or provide a reason for uninstalling.

Sometimes, programs can leave behind some leftover files. While for most users, a standard uninstall is sufficient, if you’re experiencing issues or want to be super thorough, you might consider using a third-party uninstaller tool like Revo Uninstaller for Windows which helps to find and remove any remaining registry items or temporary files. How to Easily Cancel Your ExpressVPN Subscription and Get a Refund

How to Remove Hotspot Shield from Mac

Uninstalling Hotspot Shield from your Mac involves a few steps to ensure all associated files are removed.

1. Quit Hotspot Shield: Before trying to uninstall, make sure the Hotspot Shield application is completely closed. If you see the shield icon in your menu bar, click on it, then click the gear icon in the upper left-hand corner, and select “Quit”. You can also press Command + Q when the app is active.
2. Move to Trash:
   • Open ‘Finder’ and go to your ‘Applications’ folder.
   • Find the “Hotspot Shield” application, right-click or Control-click on it, and select “Move to Trash”.
3. Remove Leftover Files Optional but Recommended: Hotspot Shield, like many applications, can leave behind support files in hidden library folders. To remove these:
   • In Finder, click on “Go” in the menu bar, then “Go to Folder” or press Command + Shift + G.
   • Type ~/Library and press Enter.
   • Inside the Library folder, look for and delete folders named ‘com.anchorsfree.hss-mac’, ‘Hotspot Shield’, or containing “anchorfree” or “Hotspot Shield” in the following directories if they exist:
     • ~/Library/Application Support/ look for Hotspot Shield folder
     • ~/Library/Caches/
     • ~/Library/Preferences/ look for files like com.anchorfree.Hotspot_Shield.plist
     • ~/Library/LaunchAgents/
     • ~/Library/LaunchDaemons/ look for com.anchorfree... files
     • ~/Library/Containers/com.anchorsfree.hss-mac.hsshelper
     • ~/Library/Application Scripts/com.anchorsfree.hss-mac*
   • You might also want to check System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items and remove any Hotspot Shield entries there by selecting them and clicking the ‘—’ minus button.
4. Empty Trash and Restart: After moving all related files to the Trash, empty your Trash bin. It’s a good idea to restart your Mac afterward to ensure all changes take effect.

If you run into issues, or if Hotspot Shield is stuck running, you might need to use Activity Monitor to force quit the process first. Open Activity Monitor search for it in Spotlight, search for “Hotspot Shield,” select any related processes, and click the ‘X’ button to quit them. For a more automated cleanup, some users opt for dedicated Mac uninstaller tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a refund after canceling my Hotspot Shield subscription?

Yes, you generally can, but it depends on when you cancel. Hotspot Shield offers a 45-day money-back guarantee for your initial purchase. If you cancel within this period, you can request a full refund through their live chat support or by emailing [email protected]. However, if you subscribed through Apple’s App Store, you’ll need to contact Apple Support directly for refund inquiries.

What happens to my data if I delete my Hotspot Shield account?

When you choose to delete your Hotspot Shield account through the mobile app, it’s designed to delete everything on that account. Hotspot Shield states it has a strict no-logs policy, meaning it shouldn’t log your browsing activity in a way that can be tied back to you. Deleting your account ensures your personal account information is removed from their system. How to Cancel Your ExpressVPN Subscription and Get Your Money Back (A Complete Guide)

Is Hotspot Shield VPN safe to use?

Hotspot Shield uses military-grade 256-bit AES encryption and its proprietary Catapult Hydra protocol for security. It claims a strict no-logs policy and has undergone independent security audits. However, its U.S. base can be a concern for some privacy-conscious users due to U.S. data retention laws and its membership in intelligence-sharing alliances. While it aims to keep your data safe, no VPN can guarantee 100% anonymity against all online threats. The free version also has limitations in bandwidth and features compared to the premium offering.

How long does it take for a Hotspot Shield cancellation to take effect?

When you cancel the auto-renewal of your Hotspot Shield Premium subscription, your account will typically remain active with premium features until the end of your current billing cycle. For example, if you have a yearly subscription and cancel halfway through, you’ll still have premium access until that year is over, and then it will revert to the basic free status without further charges. Refunds, if applicable, are often processed quickly, sometimes within a few days.

Can I restart my Hotspot Shield subscription later if I change my mind?

Yes, absolutely! If you decide you need Hotspot Shield again in the future, you can always sign up for a new subscription. Your account might revert to a free “basic” status after cancellation, allowing you to use limited features. If you had an account previously and just canceled the premium, you can usually upgrade again through their website or the app.

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