Office365 Abruptly Updated and New "Update License" Option Appears- Unsure What to Do

Hi Don

Thanks for the reply and links.

I checked with our secretary at work, who communicates with the IT staff. She found out there's no need to update the license. It's already activated and paid for. In other words, don't bother clicking the "Update License" button. The apps are good to go if you already paid the subscription.

However, it remains a mystery as to why the button appears in any of the 365 apps in the first place, especially for users that already paid their subscription and activated their software license.

One would think that such a button would appear only when the software is not activated or paid for. It would also help if there was a tooltip to let any user know what that button is meant for or when to use it. Actually, there is a tooltip, but it only says to update the license to make sure you get the latest features (see screenshot below). Maybe it should read something like "Subscription not activated? Click to update your license now and get the latest features."

Incidentally, I just checked my version of Microsoft Visio on my workstation and while the "update license" command does not appear in the blue sidebar under the File tab, it does appear as a button under "Account", just like the other 365 apps.

Yes, I hope Microsoft will address this problem soon.

Rupertsland,

Canada

Hello Rupertsland!

Welcome to the club! There are a number of posts on this issue, and as you've noted, it clearly affects both the Windows and Mac OS platforms. From what I've been able to determine, this new "feature" was deployed in a January 2024 release. None of the release notes I've read have included much useful information on why this change to display the "Update License" link in the "About" menu drop-downs for Excel, Word and PowerPoint applications. It's not present in Outlook..

That said, you can see a lot more of the trials and tribulations that I and others have experienced since users first discovered this new "feature" on their devices, at this link (and others)::

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/seeking-solution-to-office-for-home-business-2021/e40e6848-1a0e-40be-8d19-733c01ece837?page=1

Thanks for sharing your comments! I'm somewhat hopeful that the Office software engineers will resolve this issue in an upcoming release, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

"Update License" command is causing confusion for existing subscribed (paid and activated) users, and it's not helpful.

Hello from Canada.

We are noticing the same problem on our computers... at home and in our office. So, this appears to be an unannounced feature being rolled out by Microsoft globally. And it's causing confusion among a lot of users.

At our office, our PC workstations received the February update for our 365 Office apps (Word, Excel, etc.). As a result, all workstations now all have an "Update License" command under the File menu. Our current 365 subscription has already been paid for and activated a long time ago. So, we are left confused by this "Update License" command. When staff tried to click on that link, they were asked to activate the software, which is PURE NONSENSE because our software is correctly activated. Our IT support team will be investigating. Microsoft Visio is not showing this command, yet.

Home PC laptops that received the February 365 update have also been affected ... they also now display the "Update License" command under the File tab in the 365 office apps. I renewed my 365 subscription last November, and it's already activated. So, why update the license? I'm the sole user at home.

Mac computers are also affected, even with the latest versions of macOS. The "Update License" command now under the app menu (i.e., Word menu, Excel menu, etc.). Clicking on this command creates the exact same problem found on PC's.

Here's what I see in Word...

I don't see the logic of having to update my license, when I paid for the subscription and made no changes, and the software is already activated. I didn't touch anything.

Anyway, the 365 apps appear to work anyway, without any issues, so far.

I'm guessing the support phone lines at Microsoft will likely be ringing off the hook for the next few weeks, as Microsoft deals with the backlash from this.

And one more thing...

Microsoft just announced Feb. 16 that it will discontinue Microsoft Publisher (PC platform) in October 2026. That's got a lot of long-time Publisher users really upset, especially those who subscribe to it individually, or who have it as part of the 365 subscription. The standalone version will not be affected and can be reinstalled later.

Rupertsland,

Canada

Thanks for your comments Dime. If the software engineers' release notes, associated with the January '24 point-release, been more descriptive as to what Office users would see and experience regarding the introduction of a new "Update License" menu drop-down option , it would have saved many people from needless confusion and aggravation.

It's definitely a design change and an additional feature, perhaps to refresh your license if need be. Not something that you need to fix necessarily.