Office 2019 lifetime license (one-of) suddenly needs a Microsoft365 license (november 2023)

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Level 1

5 points

Office 2019 lifetime license (one-of) suddenly needs a Microsoft365 license (november 2023)

I bought an Office 2019 license (in 2019) and used it (only Excel and Word) ever since perfectly om my MacBook Air.

As per Microsoft update 16.78 recently, I am forced by Microsoft to update this license to a Microsoft365 license. Excel, etc., can no longer be used to modify and save documents (only viewing).

It looks like Microsoft has detected that the apps like Excel are to be used with an MS365 license, instead of a lifetime use. It also appears to have something to do with downloading Office from the App Store, which I did back in 2019, but what MS says is no longer valid.

Of course, this was not my intension when I purchased Office 2019.

Is anybody familiar with this issue and has a solution? Thanks in advance.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 14.1

Posted on Nov 19, 2023 12:25 PM

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Answer 1

Dah•veed

Level 9

66,343 points

Nov 19, 2023 12:34 PM in response to evanshimself

Seems like an issue with Microsoft. If MS is renigging on an offer that it made back in 2019 through the App Store, it is up to MS to make good on its sale. Apple was just the middleman.

M1 Mac mini, macOS 14.1.1;  Watch, series 7 GPS/cellular, watchOS 10.1.1; iPad Pro 2nd Gen, iPadOS 17.1.1; iPhone 12 Pro, iOS 17.1.1; TV 4th Gen, tvOS 17; HomePods, audioOS 17.1.1 and Airport Express w/ Airplay 2

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