Overview
- On July 13, 2026 Microsoft will change Office 2019 for Mac so Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote can open and print files but cannot create, edit, or save them.
- The trigger is an expiring digital certificate used to validate licenses; Microsoft renewed the certificate but says the fix can only be delivered in a newer Office update that Office 2019 will not receive.
- Users who update to supported builds avoid the problem — macOS users need Office build 16.83 or later on macOS 12 Monterey or newer, and iPhone/iPad users need mobile build 2.93 on iOS/iPadOS 17 or later.
- Windows and Android Office installs are unaffected, but Mac users who cannot run Monterey because of older hardware or app compatibility will face limited paths: subscribe to Microsoft 365, buy a one‑time Office 2024 license, use Microsoft 365 web apps, or switch to alternatives like Apple iWork or LibreOffice.
- Critics note Microsoft altered its Office 2019 support messaging and argue the company could have applied the renewed certificate to older builds, a choice that many say shifts costs onto users and may push future hardware or subscription upgrades; Office 2021 reaches end of support on October 13, 2026.