MS Office wrecked

[AvrumLapin]

in 2022 I bought MS Office (not Office 365) and I have updated it regularly, initially with the MS AutoUpdater and more recently through the Apple App store. After the last update it is now an OffIce 365 and they want me to subscribe to use it (meaning Word and Excel the only office apps that I use).

I tried removing it and reinstalling from a clone and that now opens in MS 365. I tried copying it from an 2024 Time machine and that also opens in Office 365. I went to the MS website and tried to download (I still have the code from 2022) but what it opens in Office 365.

Do I have to buy a new copy?

Note that Pages etc, Open Office, Office Libre etc mangle legacy documents that I update regularlywhich is why I bought Office in 2022 when I bought my Mac Mini with the M1 chip.

 

[AvrumLapin]

May have solved my problem. After several hours of searching found a suggestion which worked

Open Word, go to Sign Out (under Word menu) restart, Open word and references to Office 365 are gone.

I really wish that MS would stop making it so hard to avoid 365 (and allow you to skip AI of yoi want to). Oh for Word 5!

 

[Rod]

Regardless of what or how you got MS Office for MacOS you need to completely remove all of it and its associated files before you can change anything about it. That means the Apps and support files. See here;

Uninstall Office for Mac - Microsoft Support

Need to uninstall Office for Mac? It's quick and easy. Just follow these simple steps.

support.microsoft.com

Once you have completed a clean sweep of all things MS you can re-download the free standing versions of Word and Excel from the Apple App store BUT you will notice under each app is the qualification;



Sadly this is how things are these days. Microsoft really prefers you to purchase a yearly subscription to 365.
Alternatively you can still buy "Office" 2024 for Mac or PC here; https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/microsoft-365/p/office-home-2024/cfq7ttc0pqvj

In the past you used to be able to login to your "My Microsoft" page, find your previous purchases and re-download the complete MS Office for MacOS installer as well as revealing it's product key. Sadly that seems to be no longer possible but it may be worth you going here;

Download, install, or reinstall Microsoft 365 or Office 2024 on a PC or Mac - Microsoft Support

Learn how to install, reinstall, or activate Microsoft 365 or Office 2024 on a PC or Mac.

support.microsoft.com

Because I already have it it simply shows as completed. If I was to follow the instructions I gave you above to uninstall it it may show a different option. Obviously I can't test that.

Or, you could buy the new version of Office and save yourself the subscription fee for 365 for as long as you use it, still worth it in my mind. I've been running MS Office Home & Office 2021 for 4 years and it only cost me AU $140.00 that a lot less than the yearly subscription fee.

 

[AvrumLapin]

I think I solved my problem (at least the solution worked after restarting my computer a few times)

After several hours of searching this following suggestion came up -

Open Word, Sign Out (Under the Word Column in the Menu Bar), Restart your mac, Open Word and follow the prompts.

Hopefully Microsoft won't screw this up. Maybe I should stop updating

 

[Jimmysb]

So I checked my account, and I can download my purchase!!

 

[Rod]

Fantastic. So, just make sure you get rid of the apps and associated files. You can download the installer first but don't run it or you won't know what to discard.
Login via MS Word and you should be up an running.

 

[ferrarr]

So I checked my account, and I can download my purchase!!

View attachment 40503

Thanks for that.

I was able to see my $20 purchase of Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac.

 

[Rod]

Ferrari, that's what I see too but no download/install button, unlike Jimmysb.