Word for MAC app not allowing me to log in and use my licence

Suzanne Mulcahy 0 Reputation points
2026-10-16T14:18:58.93+00:00

I have a Mac (using OS Tahoe) and have had a one-time purchase Microsoft Office Home & Student since 2019 (which is showing in my online account as having been Added to my account on 26 August 2019). I have been using this without any issue to use word from a MAC since 2019. Today, I think because I inadvertently updated the Word App, my licence was no longer recognised and I can only read-only and cannot edit or save word files etc. This is from the same laptop, same network etc. The app keeps telling me to activate my subscription. So following the advice of another forum, I logged out from the app and tried to log back in again. Now it won't recognise the password that I used to log in to outlook online so I can't log in to my account in the Word app and am effectively locked out (even though I am logged in online and my mail etc is all working, using that password). I am baffled and very frustrated. Anyone know what to do?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For home | MacOS
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  1. DaveM121 (2) 16,755 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-10-16T14:36:32.82+00:00

    If your version of Office is 2019, then the error you are seeing is caused by an update released in July, many people are seeing the exact same error, after that update, it is no longer possible to update the security certificates on Office 2019 and your Office apps will go into Read Only mode, on the link below they provide full details on that update.

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/lifecycle/officeinstall/update-m365-office-macos-ios#if-you-have-office-2019-for-mac:~:text=Office%202021.-,If%20you%20have%20Office%202019%20for%20Mac,-Office%202019%20for

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