Error message 0X0

Question

Error message 0X0

Barbara Stowe 20

Have a current subscription to Microsoft Office 365. Got error message 0x0 yesterday morning, jumped through all the hoops was then told wait 24 hours and I still can't edit! Urgent! I need to be able to work!

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sheri s 0 Reputation points

2026-07-18T03:15:04.05+00:00

I am so sorry. So many people wiht same issue

Answer accepted by question author and recommended by moderator

EmilyS_726 24,890 Volunteer Moderator

Microsoft 365 can run on macOS Ventura 13 only by using an older Office version. Microsoft ended support for Ventura with Office version 16.101, released in September 2025.

Newer Microsoft 365 installations and updates require macOS Sonoma 14 or later.

Uninstall your current Ms365, then downgrade to version 16.101 by using this installer. https://officecdn.microsoft.com/pr/C1297A47-86C4-4C1F-97FA-950631F94777/MacAutoupdate/Microsoft_365_and_Office_16.101.25091314_Installer.pkg

Barbara Stowe 20 Reputation points

2026-07-16T03:03:38.3266667+00:00

Thank you Emily. I will try that. Any idea why Microsoft 365 was running just fine on macOS Ventura 13 up until yesterday?
EmilyS_726 24,890 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-07-16T12:44:21.3166667+00:00

Yes, that's because Microsoft updated the digital certificate used to validate license on July 13th and triggered all of these issues.
Barbara Stowe 20 Reputation points

2026-07-16T15:24:47.78+00:00

Thank you, Emily. I did what you said and the installation was completed but no version of Word is showing up on my computer now. What do I need to do next?
Barbara Stowe 20 Reputation points

2026-07-16T15:55:08.6733333+00:00

Thank you, Emily! The first installation of 16.101 didn't work but the second one did. You have ended my two plus days of hell. I sure hope others see this, I know it is affecting so many people. Microsoft, take note: your bot gave me wrong advice, resulting in a lot of needless agony, and Emily saved my bacon.
Kai-L 17,475 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-07-16T16:06:34.7633333+00:00

Dear Barbara,

Thank you so much for coming back to share the update, and I'm truly glad to hear that Emily's guidance got you sorted after two very long days. What matters most is that you're back to work, and I'm sorry my earlier suggestions didn't get you there directly.

I completely agree that this is affecting a lot of people right now, and I hope your thread helps others who land here searching for the same 0x0 error. Your feedback about the earlier bot interaction is also important, and I'd genuinely encourage you to share it through the Microsoft feedback channels so it reaches the teams who can improve those experiences for future users.

Thank you again for your patience throughout this, and for taking the time to update the thread. Should you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out, we're always here to help. Wishing you smooth sailing from here.
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4 additional answers

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sheri s 0 Reputation points

2026-07-18T03:15:04.05+00:00

I am so sorry. So many people wiht same issue
Barbara Stowe 20 Reputation points

2026-07-16T03:03:38.3266667+00:00

Thank you Emily. I will try that. Any idea why Microsoft 365 was running just fine on macOS Ventura 13 up until yesterday?
EmilyS_726 24,890 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-07-16T12:44:21.3166667+00:00

Yes, that's because Microsoft updated the digital certificate used to validate license on July 13th and triggered all of these issues.
Barbara Stowe 20 Reputation points

2026-07-16T15:24:47.78+00:00

Thank you, Emily. I did what you said and the installation was completed but no version of Word is showing up on my computer now. What do I need to do next?
Barbara Stowe 20 Reputation points

2026-07-16T15:55:08.6733333+00:00

Thank you, Emily! The first installation of 16.101 didn't work but the second one did. You have ended my two plus days of hell. I sure hope others see this, I know it is affecting so many people. Microsoft, take note: your bot gave me wrong advice, resulting in a lot of needless agony, and Emily saved my bacon.
Kai-L 17,475 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-07-16T16:06:34.7633333+00:00

Dear Barbara,

Thank you so much for coming back to share the update, and I'm truly glad to hear that Emily's guidance got you sorted after two very long days. What matters most is that you're back to work, and I'm sorry my earlier suggestions didn't get you there directly.

I completely agree that this is affecting a lot of people right now, and I hope your thread helps others who land here searching for the same 0x0 error. Your feedback about the earlier bot interaction is also important, and I'd genuinely encourage you to share it through the Microsoft feedback channels so it reaches the teams who can improve those experiences for future users.

Thank you again for your patience throughout this, and for taking the time to update the thread. Should you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out, we're always here to help. Wishing you smooth sailing from here.
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Answer 1

Karen McLachlan 0

I have tried every suggestion given and nothing works. I have downloaded and tried to install everything suggested but I repeatedly get a message that says whatever cannot be installed due to an error. I have spent 3 days trying to follow every suggestion but these AI bots are getting me nowhere. By now my computer is probably totally screwed up. Microsoft has been charging me a renewal fee every year and that fee has gone up every year. I really feel like I have been taken to the cleaners. Microsoft is only trying to make more money rather than helping us use their product. How I long for the days when I could make a phone call and get all the help I needed.

Stefan Blom 349K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-07-17T22:55:31.7933333+00:00

I have tried every suggestion given and nothing works. I have downloaded and tried to install everything suggested but I repeatedly get a message that says whatever cannot be installed due to an error.

@Karen McLachlan

You may want to start a separate thread for your question, so that it gets more attention. I suggest that because the error message you cited mentions an install error (rather than an activation error, which is discussed in this thread).

Use the Ask a question option. Good luck.

However, note that if you are running an older version of macOS than Monterey and if you have a license which doesn't let you install Office release 16.83 or later, you won't be able to run Office on your Mac. You may use open source software such as LibreOffice for a replacement (permanently or temporarily). For more, see https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/support/known-issues/unknown-error-0x0-license-not-found-error-microsoft365-macos , https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-apps/mac/certificate-update-mac-ios and https://www.brandwares.com/bestpractices/2023/03/most-recent-office-you-can-run-best-practices/.

Answer 2

Kai-L 17,475 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Dear Barbara,

Thank you for your patience. After investigating further, I believe I've identified the exact cause of your issue, and I want to share it with you because it explains why the "wait 24 hours" advice hasn't worked and why your subscription itself isn't at fault.

This issue is caused by a licensing certificate that Microsoft 365 apps on macOS use for validation, which expired on July 13, 2026. After that date, Microsoft 365 apps on macOS must be running on macOS 12 (Monterey) or later, with Office version 16.83 or later, to keep full functionality. Devices below the required version enter reduced functionality mode, which means files can be opened, viewed, and printed, but not edited, saved, or created.

For reference: Certificate update for Microsoft 365 apps on managed macOS and iOS devices - Microsoft 365 Apps

Several users with a similar setup have reported that a fresh reinstall from their Microsoft account resolves the read-only state, so I'd suggest trying this first:

Quit all Microsoft 365 apps, then drag them from Finder > Applications to the Trash and empty the Trash.
Go to office.com and sign in with your account
Download the Mac installer from there and reinstall Office.
Open Word and sign in with the account tied to your Microsoft 365 subscription.

For reference: 0x0 Error After Mac Update July 14th, 2026 - Microsoft Q&A

If Word still opens in read-only mode after reinstalling, it likely means your current macOS version can't run Office 16.83, which is the build containing the renewed certificate. In that case, the two Microsoft-supported paths forward are to upgrade macOS to Monterey (12) or later if your Mac supports it, or use Microsoft 365 on the web at as an immediate workaround, which gives you full editing access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote directly in the browser.

I hope this information is helpful, and I wish you a quick return to your work.

Barbara Stowe 20 Reputation points

2026-07-15T22:20:24.3733333+00:00

Kai-L. Too bad Microsoft implied they'd fix the issue and told me to wait 24 hours...from what you say that was entirely the wrong advice. I hope the company corrects the working of their bot accordingly so others don't suffer. I am on a Family subscription so if I do the steps you reccommend will they affect the other family members use of Microsoft 365? Also I am not the family member who manages the subscription...should I still do the steps you suggest, or should he do them on his computer? BTW I am running Ventura 13.7.8. I would appreciate answers to these questions asap. And please ask your supervisor what compensation Microsoft will offer for all this trouble and stress. Many thanks! Oh, and this is a genuine question, are you a real human being? I only ask because the bot who gave me the previous advice was so convincing I thought it was a human and talked to it accordingly which now gives me the creepiest feeling. I have never been fooled into thinking a bot was a person before. I only found out it was a bot when I copied and pasted it's advice and sent it to a friend. It operated under the name of a human being, but showed up as a bot in the copy and paste. Thank you.
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Kai-L 17,475 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-07-15T22:49:08.1+00:00

Dear Barbara,

Thank you for the update, and for your very thoughtful questions. Let me take them one by one so nothing gets lost.

On the "wait 24 hours" advice:

From my research, this certificate issue has now been marked as resolved, so the earlier advice to wait may have been given while the issue was still under investigation. I'm not sure which channel your previous conversation went through, or which bot you're referring to, but I want to reassure you that this forum is staffed by real people volunteering their time to help. I'm a human moderator, not a bot, but I completely understand why the earlier experience felt unsettling once you realized it wasn't. I'm sorry that added to the frustration.

On your Ventura 13.7.8 setup, this is actually good news. Ventura is above the required macOS 12 minimum, and your Mac can absolutely run Office 16.83 or later, which is the build containing the renewed certificate. The reinstall path I shared should work for you.

On the Family subscription and other family members:

The steps I shared only affect the copy of Office installed on your Mac. Reinstalling Office on your machine won't touch any other family member's installation, subscription access, files, or settings. Each install is independent, so you can safely proceed on your own device without impacting anyone else.

On who should do the steps:

You can absolutely do them yourself, you don't need the subscription manager to do it for you. The only thing you'll need is to sign in at account.microsoft.com with your own Microsoft account (the one linked to your access to the Family subscription). From there, Services & subscriptions will show the Microsoft 365 Family plan you're part of, and you can download the Mac installer directly. Your family member won't need to touch his computer at all.

On compensation:

I want to be transparent with you here. Compensation decisions sit with Microsoft's billing and customer support teams, not with forum moderators. This is a user-to-user community forum, so no one here has a supervisor to escalate to, and I genuinely have no way to request or influence a service credit or refund from my position. What I can suggest is that you raise it directly with Microsoft Support, either through a Microsoft representative or through the Home support channel at https://support.microsoft.com/contactus, referencing your previous case, and specifically ask for a review of a service credit for the days you've been unable to work. You can also find your local support number here: Contact Microsoft customer support | Microsoft Support. That's the channel with the authority to actually process something like this.

I truly hope this gets resolved swiftly for you. Please know that even though I cannot directly intervene, guiding you to the correct specialized support is genuinely the most effective help I can offer. Please feel free to reach out if there's anything else I can assist with. Wishing you all the best.

Also, if the answer was helpful, please consider clicking “Yes” and giving it an upvote. This small action can make a big difference by helping others with similar questions find this solution more easily.
Barbara Stowe 20 Reputation points

2026-07-15T23:04:49.6433333+00:00

Thank you Kai-L. This is reassuring and looks helpful. I will try the steps you suggest. Fingers crossed. The bot I was referring to, which offered advice when I signed in to my Microsoft account, went by the name Mohammad. However, its name appeared at "bot WC" when I copied and pasted its advice into an email. It was reassuring that your name did not show up as a bot when I copied and pasted your advice into an email.
Barbara Stowe 20 Reputation points

2026-07-15T23:38:05.5266667+00:00
Kai-L. AARGH. No, did not work. Did all the steps you suggested:

Quit all Microsoft 365 apps, then drag them from Finder > Applications to the Trash and empty the Trash.

Go to office.com and sign in with your account

Download the Mac installer from there and reinstall Office.

Open Word and sign in with the account tied to your Microsoft 365 subscription. and my documents still open in read-only mode. I am at my wits end. As you say, "On your Ventura 13.7.8 setup, this is actually good news. Ventura is above the required macOS 12 minimum, and your Mac can absolutely run Office 16.83 or later, which is the build containing the renewed certificate. The reinstall path I shared should work for you." But it did not work. What can I do now? I REALLY REALLY need to get my work done asap and I only work in Word.
Barbara Stowe 20 Reputation points

2026-07-16T16:26:23.24+00:00

Kai-L, I want to thank you again for your courtesy. I was overwrought from the stress and not as restrained in my communication as usual. I am a bit of a Luddite and had not used this forum before. The answer from Emily S saved my bacon. I hope Microsoft is listening because many people are suffering the same problem. Thanks again for your calm communication.
Kai-L 17,475 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-07-16T17:31:54.54+00:00

Dear Barbara,

Thank you so much for these kind words, they really mean a lot. Please don't give it a second thought; two days of not being able to work would test anyone's patience, and I thought you communicated your situation clearly and honestly throughout.

I'm truly glad Emily's guidance got you back on track, and I hope this thread helps others landing here with the same issue. Should you ever have another Microsoft 365 question, big or small, please don't hesitate to come back to the forum, we're always happy to help.

Wishing you all the best.
sheri s 0 Reputation points

2026-07-17T03:51:50.6333333+00:00

Reinstalling office requires operating system Mac OS 14

Answer 3

sheri s 0

It is horrific what is goign on and how much time i have wasted. I could cry with the rest of you and i was forced to buy another subscription and now no one can tell me whcih to cancel. My subscriptions were purchased through apple (and are on 2 differnt apple ids) but i only have one microsft account. Same username and password. Never had a problem before until now. I am a doctor and my notes are in word. You can imagine what i am goign through

Stefan Blom 349K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-07-17T15:20:09.5666667+00:00

@sheri s

What you can do for now is use the open source suite called LibreOffice, which can open and edit Word documents (as well as other Office files).

If you want to use Microsoft Office in the future, you'll need macOS Monterey or later and an Office product which licenses version 16.83 or later. See https://www.brandwares.com/bestpractices/2023/03/most-recent-office-you-can-run-best-practices/ .
sheri s 0 Reputation points

2026-07-17T15:25:46.1533333+00:00

I have word excel and PowerPoint working outlook i deleted as got message and could not download but never used outlook so im good at least for now
sheri s 0 Reputation points

2026-07-17T15:26:41.6866667+00:00

I have word excel and PowerPoint working outlook i deleted as got message and could not download but never used outlook so i am good at least for now. Problem was apple made me purchase again so now hav e2 subscriptions with 2 separate apple ids yet only one Microsoft accoutn and do not knwo which i cna cancel.
Stefan Blom 349K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-07-17T19:30:32.43+00:00

I have word excel and PowerPoint working outlook i deleted as got message and could not download but never used outlook so i am good at least for now. Problem was apple made me purchase again so now hav e2 subscriptions with 2 separate apple ids yet only one Microsoft accoutn and do not knwo which i cna cancel.

@sheri s

Thanks for the follow-up. I'm glad you have seen at least some progress.

You should be able to cancel one of the two subscriptions via the Apple Store. I'm afraid I have never purchased an Office product via the App Store, so I don't know how to tell them apart. Maybe the products are listed with different purchase dates so that you can tell which is which that way?

I recommend that you start a new thread for further assistance with this. Use the Ask a question option (see the screen shot below).

Good luck.
sheri s 0 Reputation points

2026-07-18T03:34:19.79+00:00

I did that . I still ahve no idea.
sheri s 0 Reputation points

2026-07-18T03:40:16.7566667+00:00

As stated my first subscription I have had for years. It is a monthly under Apple ID 1. The second subscription i was forced to buy when this whole debacle started and that was with Apple ID 2. There are no indications at all that i can find anywhere to differentiate. Obviously there are 2 purchase dates but what good is knowing that? I only have one Microsoft account with one username my email and one password. That never changed. After downloading on Tuesday the software again from the App Store after getting the o x o error it directed me to buy the software. It did not recognize i already had an active subscription. But i di. It is listed on the Microsoft account page when I log in there you see the payments by month. Nothing yet is listed there for teis annual one (maybe because the first month is a free trial?). I do not know who to ask, what to do, which i can safely cancel. I need these apps to work and am at my wits end. This is affecting my mental health. I jsut wish someone can give me straight answers

Answer 4

Dear Barbara,

Good day, and thank you for reaching out to the Q&A Forum. I'm truly sorry to hear you've been unable to edit for over a day now, I can only imagine how disruptive this must be when you have work waiting. As a forum moderator, I genuinely wish I could sign in to your device and reset the licence state directly to get you back up and running. Unfortunately, my role here doesn't extend to remote troubleshooting, but I'd like to walk you through the steps that most reliably clear this type of activation error. From my research, a 0x0 error on Mac is commonly associated with Office sign-in, licensing, or cached credential problems. Please follow these steps to see if it helps:

1.Check licence

Sign in at office.com using the account you intend to use with Word. If this is a work or school account, ask the Microsoft 365 administrator to confirm that you have a licence that includes the Microsoft 365 desktop apps. If you don't know who your IT administrator is, please refer to this article: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin? - Microsoft Support

2.Update and restart

Close all Microsoft 365 applications.

Restart the Mac.

Open Word.

Select Help > Check for Updates.

Install all available updates and try signing in again.

Also confirm that the Mac’s date, time, and time zone are set automatically and that the internet connection is working.

3.Reset the Office licence

If the account and licence are valid, use Microsoft’s Office licence removal tool for Mac:

Quit Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Teams.
Download and run Microsoft’s Office licence removal tool.
Follow the prompts to remove the existing Office licences.
Restart your Mac and reinstall the Microsoft 365 desktop applications.
Open Word and sign in using the account associated with the active Microsoft 365 licence.

For references:

How to remove Office license files on a Mac | Microsoft Support

Error 0xD000000C when activating Office for Mac | Microsoft Support

What to try if you can't install or activate Office for Mac | Microsoft Support

I hope this information is helpful and provides you with a clear path forward. Please follow these steps and let me know how it goes. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments so I can continue to support you. Thank you for your patience and understanding. I'm looking forward to your reply.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Yes" and kindly upvote it.

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Barbara Stowe 20 Reputation points

2026-07-15T20:33:08.8366667+00:00

Kai-L. As I said, I already jumped through all the hoops. Here is what Microsoft's Bot said yesterday: "I would like to let you know that this is a known activation issue affecting some Mac users, and our engineering team is already investigating it. Since the issue started recently and matches the current pattern being reported, it does not appear to be related to your subscription or account. For now, I request that you allow some time while the team works on a fix. Unfortunately, we do not have an estimated resolution time yet, but I recommend trying to activate again after 24 hours." At this point I need to know what Microsoft is going to do to compensate me as well as when this going to be fixed. I appreciate that you personally are doing your best but my faith and trust in Microsoft is rapidly declining.