Anyone who doesn’t like the current version of Office because Microsoft includes the AI assistant CoPilot, which is difficult to switch off, has previously been able to use various older versions of Office under macOS, iOS and iPadOS, which were also available as a one-time purchase. But unfortunately not for long: Microsoft plans to only fully support newer versions of Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Co. in the future. Some complete apps are turned off, others switch to the useless “read only” mode.
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Old Office is still in use
Users of Office 2019 are hit the hardest. Support actually ended in 2023, but it still ran on supported devices. This will change from July 13, 2026: it will apparently no longer be usable and will have to be exchanged for a subscription. Office 2021 ends up in the so-called “Reduced Functionality Mode”. This means that you can only open and print documents, but editing, saving or creating new files is not possible.
Basically, the reduction in functionality also has to do with the operating system used. In the future, this must be at least iOS 17 or macOS 12, which are, however, older versions that have security gaps. Office must then be upgraded so that the apps can run as usual again. Anyone who wants to continue using older operating systems can only use Office via the web as long as he or she is a Microsoft 365 subscriber, because this service in its full form is not part of the individual purchase. For Office 2019 customers, Microsoft recommends using the free version of Microsoft 365 in the browser or taking out a subscription straight away, provided their devices support the current Office.
Go to the subscription model
In principle, it makes sense to use the latest operating systems and Office versions – if only because of the security gaps. However, Microsoft has increasingly shifted to the subscription business, where you have to pay either monthly or reduced annual fees for the software.
It may be worth waiting for sales events; For example, Amazon sells Office for free during its Prime days, which is now also called Microsoft 365. There’s no harm in taking a look at the Heise price comparison.
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(bsc)
