Inquiry Regarding Upgrade Path from Office Home & Student 2019 to Office Home 2021 / 2024

Question

Dear Microsoft Support Team,

I am currently using a licensed version of Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019 on my system. I would like to upgrade my current suite to Office Home 2021 or Office Home 2024.

Could you please clarify the following details regarding the upgrade process?

Upgrade Options & Pricing: Is there a direct, discounted upgrade path available for existing Office 2019 license holders, or is it required to purchase a full new standalone license for the newer version?

License Migration: Will my existing product key/license automatically transfer or convert upon upgrading, or will a new product key be assigned?

Installation & Transition: What is the recommended step-by-step procedure to transition from Office 2019 to Office 2021/2024 without losing my current settings and local files?

Thank you for your time and assistance. I look forward to your guidance.

Answer 1

Unfortunately you'd need to purchase a full, new standalone license or a subscription because AFAIK Microsoft does not offer a direct, discounted upgrade path from Office Home & Student 2019 to Office Home 2021 or Office Home 2024.

Perpetual, one-time-purchase licenses such as Office 2019 do not convert or receive a discounted upgrade to newer perpetual versions. You need to purchase a brand-new standalone license, such as Office Home 2024, or sign up for a Microsoft 365 subscription.

Your old Office 2019 product key does not automatically convert or upgrade. If you purchase Office 2024 or Office 2021, you receive a new product key or digital license that you redeem and associate with your Microsoft Account.

Installing a new version of Office will not delete your existing local Word, Excel, or PowerPoint documents. As a precaution, , you should back up any important local files and custom templates before beginning the installation.

To transition to the new version, first go to your Microsoft account page and redeem the new Office 2021 or 2024 product key or license. Then run the Office installer. In most cases, the installation process detects the older Office 2019 installation and removes it as part of the transition. After installation, open an Office application such as Word and sign in with your Microsoft Account to complete activation.

More at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5961786/procedure-to-update-from-2019-to-2024 and https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/lifecycle/officeinstall/how-do-i-upgrade-office

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hth

Marcin