issue with subscription

Question

when tried to edit a Word document today I was prompted to "activate" subscription. I followed the link and got a message that I dont have an active subscription. This is incorrect as it was renewed on 18/6/25.

what do I need to do now?

Answer 1

Hello Sacha,

Thank you for the update. I'm sorry to hear that reinstalling did not resolve the issue.

Go to https://support.microsoft.com/en-us > Choose the product you need help with (e.g., Windows, Office, Microsoft 365). Scroll down to find the Contact Support option. This may vary based on the product you selected. You may have options for live chat, email support, or phone support. If you prefer to call, look for the phone number listed for your region.

Alternatively, you can use the Microsoft Virtual Agent on the support page. It can guide you through common issues and provide contact options.

You can reach Microsoft Support at https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/custo... this same goes with other region as well.

If you have any further questions or need assistance with anything else, feel free to ask. I hope you get the support you need!

Best regards,

Answer 2

hi Marc

Followed the steppes uninstalled & re installed still the same issue.

Need now to try to find a contact number for MS support team

Thank you very much for your help though, very much appreciated!

Answer 3

Hi Sacha!

Thanks for getting back to me with more details!

Finding Apps in macOS Settings

On a Mac, the Apps section is handled a bit differently than on Windows. You won’t find it in Settings the same way. Here’s how you can manage your apps:

> Open Finder on your Mac.

> Go to the Applications folder. Here, you'll find all your installed apps, including Microsoft Office apps (like Word, Excel, etc.).

> To modify or repair Office apps on macOS, you would generally need to uninstall and reinstall them. There isn’t a "repair" option like on Windows.

> Go to https://office.com/setup and sign in with the same Microsoft account that you used for your subscription.

Since you mentioned that you can log into your account and see your subscription, that’s great! However, if you're having trouble verifying the subscription because of the product key issue, here’s what we can do.

Subscription and product keys: Normally, for Microsoft 365, you don’t need a physical product key because your subscription is linked to your Microsoft account. The product key is only needed for older versions of Office (like Office 2019 or Office 2016).

If you’re seeing the current subscription on your Microsoft account page, it should be active. But I can understand if you’re unsure about the details since you recently downgraded to the basic version.

Since you downgraded to a basic version recently, that might be causing some issues. Try going to Microsoft Services (https://account.microsoft.com/services) and verify whether your subscription shows the basic version. If it does, it could be why some features or apps aren’t working as expected.

If the issues persist, I would recommend reaching out to Microsoft Support to make sure everything is set up properly after your subscription downgrade.

Let me know how it goes or if you need more help, and I’ll be happy to assist further!

Best regards,

Answer 4

thank you Marc

a silly question but I can't seems to find "apps" on Mac laptop Settings. I can see them on iPhone but not on MacBook.

I tried to log out and log back again as you advised but to no effect.

I can nevertheless log in to my account without a problem and see a current subscription. I can't verify subscription though because a product key I took from the invoice (invoice number?) is too short, no other indication of a product code on the invoice.

This is a nightmare, I had subscription ongoing and only recently downgraded to their basic version, could that be a reason you reckon?

Many thanks,

Sacha

Answer 5

Hi there, Sacha! This is Marc. Thank you for reaching out to the community.

Thanks for providing those details. Based on what you've described, here are a few approaches we can try.

Sometimes, signing out and signing back into your Microsoft account can resolve subscription-related issues:

> Open any Office app (Word, Excel, etc.).

> Go to File > Account.

> Under User Information, click Sign out.

> Sign back in with the Microsoft account that’s linked to your subscription.

Also, check the Microsoft account page: https://account.microsoft.com/services to verify your subscription is active.

Sometimes, Office apps need to be repaired to resolve activation issues: Open Settings on your computer. Go to Apps > Apps & Features. Scroll down and find Microsoft Office (or Microsoft 365). Click Microsoft Office and select Modify. Choose either Quick Repair or Online Repair. The Online Repair option is more thorough, but may take longer.

If none of the above steps work, you may want to uninstall and reinstall Office:

> Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & Features.

> Find Microsoft Office (or Microsoft 365) and select Uninstall.

> After uninstalling, go to office.com/setup to download and reinstall Office using the same Microsoft account.

Let me know how it goes or if you need further assistance!

Best regards,