Refund a one time purchase of Excel and purchase a one time Office

David Breault 0 Reputation points
2026-11-08T17:15:45.9333333+00:00

I originally had purchased an Microsoft Office account (Excel/Word/PP) from a third party in 2021. My Excel commands stopped working and I was notified MAC OS not longer supported. I purchased a one time Excel only pkg on 10/15. I was under the impression I could keep my versions of Word and PP. I called back and was told the old versions of Word and PP will not work with 2024 Excel only. I was told I could obtain a refund and either purchase a one time Office for $179 or subscribe to Office 365. I would like to refund the excel and have the one time purchase of Office,

I called about this on Fri Nov 6th and was told I would get a return call but never received a call back

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Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | MacOS
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  1. Ian-T 15,880 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-11-09T03:14:18.37+00:00

    Hi @David Breault

    First, please feel free to check out the AI answer

    I’m sorry the promised callback never came. Before purchasing another Office license, please first confirm where the standalone Excel license was purchased, since only the original seller can process the refund.

    Also, check the exact macOS version on your Mac against the requirements for the Office package you plan to buy. This will help avoid purchasing another license that cannot run on the current device. Once the refund is confirmed, you can choose a one-time Office package that includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

    Please note that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators and contributors cannot access accounts or Microsoft’s back-end systems. We can only provide technical guidance on reported incidents, requests and ideas 

    Thank you for your time and understanding

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  2. AI answer

    2026-11-08T17:16:37.3766667+00:00

    Request the Excel refund through Microsoft Support chat rather than waiting for the missed callback, then purchase Office Home 2024 for Mac as the one-time package containing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

    1. Request the Excel refund

    Because the purchase source was not specified, use the matching route:

    • Purchased directly from Microsoft:
      1. Sign in to your Microsoft account Order history using the account used to buy Excel.
      2. Locate the Excel purchase.
      3. Select Request a return if that option appears.
      4. If it does not appear, contact Microsoft Store Sales Support. Online return options are not available for every purchase or market.^1^
    • Since the promised callback did not occur: open Microsoft Support, enter Office, select Contact Support, and start a chat with an agent. Ask the agent to review the October 15 Excel order for a refund.^2^

    Have these details ready:

    • Microsoft account used for the purchase
    • Excel order number and purchase date
    • Proof of payment
    • The earlier support case number, if one was provided
    • A brief explanation that standalone Excel did not meet the need for compatible Word and PowerPoint

    Refund eligibility must be confirmed by the support agent; this forum cannot access orders or issue refunds.

    If Excel was purchased through the Apple App Store, request the refund from Apple Support instead.^3^

    2. Buy the correct one-time Office package

    For Word, Excel, and PowerPoint without a subscription, purchase Office Home 2024 for Mac. It is a one-time purchase licensed for one Mac.^4^

    Official purchase page:

    Office Home 2024 for Mac

    Office Home 2024 includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, but not the cloud-backed services and features included with a Microsoft 365 subscription.^5^

    Before purchasing, check Apple menu → About This Mac. Office 2024 for Mac supports the three most recent macOS versions; an older macOS may install only an older Office build and will not receive current security updates.^5^

    3. Activate the new license

    After Office Home 2024 is associated with the Microsoft account:

    1. Run Microsoft’s License Removal Tool to clear the previous Office license.
    2. Open Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
    3. Sign in with the Microsoft account used to purchase Office Home 2024.
    4. In an Office app, select Help → Check for Updates.^4^

    This changes the license used by the installed Office applications; the official upgrade instructions state that removing and reinstalling the applications is not normally required.^4^

    References

    1. [Work account](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/manage/get-an-exchange-or-refund-on-devices-bought-from-microsoft#how-to-return-an-item)
    2. Unable to Activate Office 2024 - Microsoft Q&A
    3. Unable to install Office 2024 on my Mac due to it needing MacOS 14 and I am on 12 - Microsoft Q&A
    4. End of support for Office 2019 for Mac | Microsoft Support
    5. Office suites for individuals and families | Microsoft Support
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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