Subscription

Question

I currently have a monthly subscription to Microsoft 365. I would like to buy a single use program. Can I do this without losing my email address, etc...

Answer 1

For a consumer (home use) product, you are using a personal e-mail, so you won't lose your e-mail.

Keep in mind that you will lose your additional OneDrive storage, if you move from a subscription to a perpetual (one-time purchase) license. If you are using more storage than the amount which is included in a free account, you will have to download files to your computer before you terminate the subscription.

Answer 2

Yes. A single-use (one-time purchase) Office product can be bought and used without losing the existing Microsoft account, email address, or data.

Key points:

1. One-time purchase vs subscription
   • One-time purchases such as Office Home & Student, Office Home & Business, or Office Professional are paid once and tied to a single PC or Mac.
   • Microsoft 365 subscriptions (Family, Personal, etc.) are recurring and include ongoing feature updates and multiple-device installs.
   • Both can coexist on the same Microsoft account; the account (and its email address) is separate from the specific product owned.
2. Buying a single app or suite
   • Standalone apps like Word, Excel, or PowerPoint can be purchased individually for Mac or PC. Go to the Microsoft Store and search for the desired app.
   • Alternatively, a one-time purchase suite (for example, Office Home & Student 2021 or Office Home & Business 2021) can be bought instead of or in addition to a subscription.
3. What happens to the email address and account
   • The Microsoft account (including Outlook/Hotmail email address and associated services like OneDrive) remains the same whether using a subscription or a one-time purchase.
   • Canceling or letting the Microsoft 365 subscription expire does not delete the Microsoft account or email address.
4. Transition approach
   • Option 1: Keep the subscription active and add a one-time purchase product; when ready, turn off recurring billing so the subscription expires at the end of the current term.
   • Option 2: Buy the one-time purchase product and activate it with the same Microsoft account currently used for the subscription.

For pricing and product options:

• Compare Microsoft 365 subscriptions and one-time purchase Office products under “What’s the cost?”
• One-time purchases like Office Home & Student 2021, Office Home & Business 2021, and Office Professional 2021 are listed there.
• Standalone Word, Excel, and PowerPoint can be found via the Microsoft Store.

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References:

• What’s the difference between a Microsoft 365 subscription and free web apps
• What’s the difference between a paid Microsoft 365 subscription and the free web apps?
• Try or buy Microsoft 365
• What happens if I add another Microsoft 365 for home subscription to my account?