I can't use Word or Excel anymore

Question

I bought a downloadable Microsoft Office Home 20204 for Mac in Dec 2024 and have been using Word and Excel without a problem. A couple days ago I stopped being able to make any write in Word or save my documents in Excel. It keeps telling me to activate Microsoft 365 in order to make changes but I don't want to. Why are my documents being held hostage?

Answer 1

Hello !

Firstly, uninstall Office for Mac by following this tutorial, and then, this one. Once done, reboot your Mac : Microsoft Office will be completely uninstalled from your Mac. Also, use the Office license removal tool, which is available here : https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/how-to-remove-office-license-files-on-a-mac-b032c0f6-a431-4dad-83a9-6b727c03b193

Secondly, once everything has been correctly uninstalled, try to reinstall Office directly from your Microsoft account dashboard : https://account.microsoft.com/services Scroll to the bottom of the page : you should see an "Install" button next to your Office 2024 license.
Do not use the Mac App Store version : they're not compatible ! Download the .pkg, and install it. Launch any Office app, and log into your Microsoft Account.
You should be good to go !

Please let me know if you have any other question !

Answer 2

It sounds like you're encountering an issue with your Microsoft Office Home 2024 installation where it's prompting you to activate a Microsoft 365 subscription instead of recognizing your standalone license. This can happen if the software is still linked to a previous subscription or if the licensing files have become corrupted.

To resolve this issue, you can try the following steps:

1. Uninstall the current version of Office: Go to your Mac's Applications folder, find Microsoft Office apps, and move them to the Trash.
2. Remove license files: Navigate to ~/Library/Containers/ and delete any folders that start with com.microsoft. related to Word, Excel, etc. Also, check the ~/Library/Group Containers/ for any Microsoft-related folders and delete them.
3. Reinstall Office: Sign in to your Microsoft account at Microsoft Account Services and locate your Office Home 2024 under the Services & Subscriptions section. Download and install the correct version for your device.
4. Activate Office: Open Word or Excel after installation and sign in with the same Microsoft account used to purchase Office Home 2024. This should activate your product without needing a Microsoft 365 subscription.

If the problem persists, you may want to check if your user account has the necessary licenses assigned or consider using the Mac License removal tool to clear any remaining license files.

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References:

• How can I install Home Office 2024 with my Microsoft Account with your directions.
• Microsoft 365 Apps activation error: “Your account doesn’t allow editing on a Mac.”