HELP with my old documents to restore my computer

Sign in to Word on the Mac with the exact Microsoft account that owns the renewed subscription, then refresh its license; renewing payment does not automatically reconnect an app that is using an old license or another account.

1. Confirm that the renewal is attached to your account

1. Close Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
2. Open the Microsoft Services & subscriptions page: https://account.microsoft.com/services
3. Sign in with the email address used for the purchase.
4. Confirm that the page lists an active Microsoft 365 subscription and shows the expected expiration or renewal date. Having access to free web apps alone does not mean that the account has a desktop-app license.^1^

If no active subscription appears, try any other email address that may have been used for the purchase. Search your email accounts for the Microsoft receipt to identify the correct address.

If the expiration date is wrong even though the payment cleared, contact Microsoft Support rather than paying again. Microsoft specifically recommends checking the online renewal status before contacting support.[^2^](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID]'re-still-getting-notifications-after-renewing-or-buying-microsoft-365 "A subscription notice appears when I open a Microsoft 365 application | Microsoft Support")

If the renewal was purchased as a card, box, or retail code: payment alone may not start the subscription. Enter the product key from the card or follow the activation link in the receipt.[^2^](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID]'re-still-getting-notifications-after-renewing-or-buying-microsoft-365 "A subscription notice appears when I open a Microsoft 365 application | Microsoft Support")

2. Refresh the Mac license

Once the correct account shows an active subscription:

1. Open Word.
2. On the Mac menu bar, choose Word → About Word → More Info.
3. Select Refresh License, if that option appears.
4. Sign out of any incorrect account, then sign in with the account showing the active subscription.
5. Close all Microsoft 365 applications completely and reopen Word.

This Mac-specific refresh has resolved the same situation where renewal was completed but saving and editing remained disabled.^3^

If Word reports No license found, select Sign in with another account and use the account associated with the subscription.^1^

3. Install the applications if they are missing

Do not delete your documents. If Word, Excel, or PowerPoint is not installed:

1. Visit https://m365.cloud.microsoft/apps and sign in with the licensed account.
2. Select Install apps.
3. In Finder, open Downloads.
4. Double-click Microsoft Office installer.pkg.
5. Complete the installer, then open Word from Launchpad and select Get Started to activate it.^4^

Reinstalling is not the first step here because the applications are present and displaying a renewal notice; verify and refresh the license first.

4. Find the old documents separately

A subscription renewal activates the applications; it does not move documents into them. Check:

• Finder → Documents
• Finder → Desktop
• The OneDrive folder shown by the cloud icon in the Mac menu bar
• https://onedrive.live.com while signed in with the same account
• Any other OneDrive Personal or business account previously used

An expired subscription does not itself delete locally stored or OneDrive documents.^5^

If a document was unsaved when Word, Excel, or PowerPoint froze, check AutoRecover:

1. In Finder, choose Go → Go to Folder, or press Shift+Command+G.
2. Paste the applicable location, replacing <username> with the Mac username:

Word:
/Users/<username>/Library/Containers/com.Microsoft.Word/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery

Excel:
/Users/<username>/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Excel/Data/Library/Application Support/Microsoft

PowerPoint:
/Users/<username>/Library/Containers/com.Microsoft.Powerpoint/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery

Open any recovered file and immediately use Save As to store a separate copy. AutoRecover files may not exist if Don’t Save was selected.^6^

References

1. [Activation](https://support.microsoft.com/microsoft-365-activation-licensing/what-to-try-if-you-can-t-install-or-activate-office-for-mac)
2. [A subscription notice appears when I open a Microsoft 365 application | Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID]'re-still-getting-notifications-after-renewing-or-buying-microsoft-365)
3. Can not "save" or "save as" documents or files. I am prompted to renew my subscription which I did but still does not work - Microsoft Q&A
4. [Need help?](https://support.microsoft.com/office/lifecycle/officeinstall/download-install-or-reinstall-microsoft-365-or-office-2024-on-a-pc-or-mac)
5. Microsoft 365 Renewal Complete, Apps Not Found (MAC) - Microsoft Q&A
6. Recover files in Office for Mac | Microsoft Support