Microsoft is killing perpetual Office licenses on July 13, 2026. Microsoft’s digital licensing certificate will expire, which will transform Word, Excel, and PowerPoint into read-only apps. These apps will still be able to open documents, but they will not be able to edit, save, or create new files.
Currently, this only affects Apple versions of Office (Office 2019 for Mac) to be specific.
Why Office for Mac?
Microsoft uses app signing and licensing certificates to sign and validate Office apps on Apple platforms (macOS and iOS), allowing Apple’s security system to recognize them and ensure they remain fully functional. If one of these certificates expires or is replaced and an older Office build hasn’t been updated, macOS or iOS may stop trusting that version fully, which can lead to reduced functionality, such as losing the ability to edit or save, until the user installs an updated Office build with a renewed certificate. Although Microsoft could easily issue a renewed certificate, they have chosen not to.
Microsoft Messaging
Microsoft’s messaging evolved as the deadline approached. Initially, messaging was along the lines that Office apps would “continue to function” after support ended. This early assurance of continued functionality gradually changed to the current message that data will be preserved, even if the software will not be able to edit or save it. This will obviously disrupt workflows.
What Can You Do?
Spend money! Microsoft recommends buying a new version or subscribing to Office 365.
Could Microsoft Expire Windows Office Certificates?
Technically, yes. Microsoft already controls the following: the Office activation system, the Office update channels, the cryptographic signing of Office builds, and the licensing enforcement logic. However, it would be more difficult. Microsoft has a huge enterprise perpetual install base, so this would trigger pushback from enterprises.
The Future
Nevertheless, it is clear that Microsoft is attempting to phase out one-time purchases of Microsoft Office (such as Office 2021 or earlier ‘lifetime’ licenses) in favor of the subscription-based Microsoft 365 model. There is a concern that perpetual Office licenses may eventually only receive security updates (or limited support), while new features will be exclusive to Microsoft 365.
Microsoft is effectively steering users away from one-time purchases and towards subscriptions as the default model.
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I stopped using Office products years ago and now use Libre Office and Thunderbird as a mail tool. My husband stubbornly clings to Office and Outlook, but I am slowly convincing him it’s not worth the tribulation of Microsoft constantly changing things (and charging more and more!)
Hi Sunnysewsit,
Yes, M$’s business practices and software bugs are angering a lot of users.
These companies have found a way to dupe people into ‘renting their software. Subscribe and pay them every year at an over-inflated price and never own or control your software. Personally, I buy ‘Word’ and when standalone packages are eventually phased out, I will move to free office packages (libreOffice).
Subscription services are, for many companies, ‘money-for-old-rope’, not for consumer benefit.
Hey Mark,
I hear you and I agree!
Exactly! LibreOffice (and OpenOffice) are free, can do everything and more that M$ Office does. For example, one can open, edit and save documents in both current and in older, deprecated MS formats, such as .DOC, which Office not longer can handle.. It also can work with other formats, e.g., .RTF or Markup Documentn (.MD).
LibreOffice is more customizable, and foists fewer GUI changes on unsuspecting users.
Microsoft (& others) wants unfettered access to every bit of your private/personal information– full-stop. You will no longer own a “personal computer”– M$ will own YOU, and all of your data. That’s where they’re headed, they’re not even hiding it now.
They’ve made it difficult to impossible (for most people) to create a local account or to even set up a computer without creating a Windows account thus, “phoning home” every time you turn on your computer. Between TPM and Bitlocker (on by default, which conveniently enables Recall, btw), on Win 11 machines, your soul is already sold to M$haft. Almost no one is aware of this situation or thinks its exaggerated. I try my best to educate people and turn them away from M$haft (& Crapple, the child-sweatshop mob).
I used to use the standard work-arounds to keep people in the Winblows prison they were used to, but now I just can’t be bothered. The people I’ve worked with didn’t run any M$ only software and were rarely using the over-priced Office they were being soaked for. Honestly, most things we do now are browser-based, anyway and have OSS replacements for most of the rest.
I’ve now installed Linux Mint Mate onto 50+ computers so far (some old & some brand new), in roughly the past 18 months. The feedback has been 100% positive. Some folks were even gushing & saying they felt cheated having put up with Winblows for so long (not knowing there was an alternative besides Crapple). I encourage anyone who uses OSS to donate to the OS maintainers, as well as those programs they use daily/often. Even $5 is acknowledged and every dollar helps.
I just do not understand why people are willing to pay for a product when there are excellent and free alternatives like LibreOffice and OpenOffice. Not talking about those who must use MS products at work and then take their work home. It is the home user who uses them a few times a month, Mindblower!
Hey Mindblower,
Yes, there are viable alternatives out there.