I cannot use excel after buying office 365 on Mac , I cannot copy a cell

Hello Tania,

It sounds like Excel is opening, but basic editing actions such as copying a cell are not working. Since Microsoft 365 was purchased recently, this could be related to activation, an outdated Office version, or the workbook itself.

Here are some suggestions you can try:

1. Open Excel and create a new blank workbook. Enter some text, then press Command + C and Command + V. If this works, the original sheet may be protected or damaged.
2. In Excel, select Excel > About Microsoft Excel and confirm that it shows Microsoft 365 and the correct licensed account. If needed, sign out, close Excel completely, reopen it, and sign in with the account used to purchase the subscription.
3. Select Help > Check for Updates, install all available Office updates, then restart your Mac. Also check System Settings > General > Software Update, as current Microsoft 365 apps require a supported macOS version.
4. Please also test whether you can create and edit a new document in another Office app, such as Word. If the other Office apps work normally and the problem only affects Excel, install the latest Excel update package from Update history for Office for Mac then restart your Mac and check again.

If the issue continues, please let me know what happens when you try to copy a cell, including any error message you receive.

In the meantime, you can open and edit the workbook in Excel for the web as a temporary workaround.

Tania,

Can you tell me your Excel's version number please?

Also, what is your macOS version?

Is your office product purchased from Microsoft or from Apple?