Problem changing login using Office 365

Question

I have recently uninstalled Office 365 from a MacBook 10.13.6 High Sierra and reinstalled Version 16.43 as part of a troubleshooting problem with Word. When I try to activate using my new 365 Family subscription details it hangs 'Loading' and however long I wait it doesn't complete. If I use an old Office 365 login from when I used it in a college everything works fine. I have run the licence removal tool but to no avail. How can I get through this problem? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

It sounds like you're experiencing issues with activating Office 365 on your Mac after reinstalling it. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can try:

1. Ensure you are signed in with the correct account: Make sure you are using your new Microsoft 365 Family subscription account to sign in. Sometimes, using an old account can cause conflicts.
2. Sign out and sign back in: Open any Office app (like Word), select your name or profile picture at the top, sign out, and then sign back in with your new account.
3. Check for any updates: Make sure that your Office installation is up to date. You can check for updates in any Office app under Help > Check for Updates.
4. Use the Mac License removal tool again: Since you mentioned you ran the license removal tool, ensure that you followed the instructions correctly. You can refer to the guide on how to remove Office license files on a Mac for detailed steps.
5. Uninstall and reinstall Office again: If the problem persists, consider uninstalling Office completely and then reinstalling it. You can follow the instructions for uninstalling Office for Mac and then reinstall it from your Microsoft account.
6. Try InPrivate or Incognito mode: If you're accessing the activation page through a browser, try using InPrivate mode (Microsoft Edge) or Incognito mode (Google Chrome) to see if that resolves the loading issue.

If none of these steps work, you may want to contact Microsoft support for further assistance.

---

References:

• Microsoft 365 Apps activation error: “Your account doesn’t allow editing on a Mac.”
• Sign in issues when activating Microsoft 365 Apps

Answer 2

Hi, I get how confusing that can be when everything looks fine but the sign-in just spins.

The main issue here is that macOS High Sierra is pretty old, and Microsoft stopped supporting it for newer Office builds.

Even though you installed version 16.43, the login process uses modern web components that High Sierra struggles with, so it never completes.

Here’s what I’d try first: make sure you’re really on 16.43, then run the license removal tool again and manually clear any leftover files in /Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office and any Microsoft items in Keychain.

Restart, then open Word and sign in using “Sign in with another account.”

If it still hangs, try logging into your Microsoft account in Safari first, then retry in Word.

Quick question, are you okay keeping AutoUpdate set to manual, so it doesn’t push newer versions that won’t work on High Sierra?

And do you want me to send you the direct download link for the last supported installer?

Regards,
Aron