Microsoft stopped officially supporting Office 2019 for Mac in October 2023. At the time, the apps kept working, so most users didn’t think much of it. That is about to change. Starting July 13, Office 2019 apps for Mac will lose the ability to edit, save, or create new files, and Microsoft isn’t planning to do anything about it.

The issue stems from an expiring security certificate that validates Office licenses. Microsoft renewed the certificate and updated all other versions of Office to recognize it, but left Office 2019 for Mac out of the process entirely. 

Is Microsoft forcing users to upgrade?

A Microsoft spokesperson told CNN, “Microsoft is not intentionally limiting or changing Office 2019; the product cannot receive the renewed certificate because no update path exists for an out-of-support product.” 

I am not buying that explanation. Updating the certificate would not require significant engineering resources, and compounding the frustration, Microsoft quietly removed a previous promise from its website stating that the software would “continue to function.”

Office 2019 was sold as a one-time purchase, and many users holding onto it simply prefer the core Word, Excel, and PowerPoint experience without the AI features Microsoft has been adding to newer versions.

Since most people only need basic features, they didn’t deem it necessary to upgrade to the latest Office 365 versions. Now, Microsoft will force them to upgrade to a newer version or, preferably, switch to its subscription model. 

What are your options?

If you want to keep editing documents, you have two choices. You can subscribe to Microsoft 365, which gives you the latest apps across up to five devices on Mac or PC. 

Or you can buy Office Home 2024 for Mac or Office Home and Business 2024 for Mac as a one-time purchase, which is the last version Microsoft currently sells outright. The catch is that it will only work on one Mac.

Due to these shady practices, I switched to using Apple Numbers, Pages, and Keynote, which come for free with Macs. However, I can understand why people need to stick to Microsoft’s offering. If your work depends on it, there’s no other option than to bite the bullet and upgrade to the latest version.