Microsoft is scrapping almost all of the most useful functionality built into Office 2019 on Apple products.
The software will enter what Microsoft calls "reduced functionality mode" starting July 13, 2026. This means Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote will become a little more than document viewers. You'll still be able to open, view, and print your existing files, but you'll no longer be able to create new documents or edit existing work.
The culprit is an expiring digital certificate that validates Office licences. It's similar to a security key that tells your Mac the software is legitimate – and once it expires, the apps will no longer allow you to use them to their full ability.
However, Microsoft has actually renewed the certificate in question – but it's chosen not to deliver the update to Office 2019 specifically for Apple devices. Windows and Android versions of Office aren't affected by this certificate issue at all and can keep using Office 2019 as normal.
This has left Apple fans very unhappy. A user wrote on Reddit: "I could not care less about the internet features of Office or whatever. I just use it locally on a 2012 MacBook Pro for text editing. This is appalling from Microsoft, will definitely not be supporting them in the future."
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Making matters worse, Microsoft has quietly edited its own support pages.
The original end-of-support notice from October 2023 once reassured customers to "rest assured that all your Office 2019 apps will continue to function." That promise has since vanished, replaced with guidance that user data "can be accessed in a supported Microsoft 365 or Office product."
A Microsoft spokesperson told CNET: "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."
Microsoft began emailing affected customers in May.
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The US tech firm suggests a few routes forward if you find yourself impacted.
The first option is subscribing to Microsoft 365 starting at £8.49 per month, which keeps you on the latest apps across multiple devices. Alternatively, you can make a one-time purchase of Office 2024 — the latest Office for £119.99. Although it'll only work on a single Mac.
If you'd rather not spend anything, Microsoft's free web-based 365 apps remain available, letting you work on documents through your browser.
It's also worth noting that reinstalling Office 2019 won't fix anything. The certificate can't be updated without Microsoft pushing out a software patch.
Apple's iWork suite is a collection of productivity apps designed for creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations across Apple devices. It includes Pages for word processing, Numbers for spreadsheets, and Keynote for presentations.
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If you're looking to break free from Microsoft entirely, you could also take advantage of Apple's free iWork suite across devices. Apple's iWork suite is a collection of productivity apps designed for creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations across Apple devices. It includes Pages for word processing, Numbers for spreadsheets, and Keynote for presentations.
Available on Mac, iPhone, iPad, and through a web browser via iCloud, iWork also offers user-friendly templates, real-time collaboration like you'd find in Google Drive, and compatibility with Microsoft Office file formats. It's also set to be given a refresh with the new Siri AI — launching later this year.
It's an ideal alternative option for personal, academic, and professional projects.