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

Anonymous
2024-02-02T06:59:02+00:00

when I logged on today, Office abruptly decided to automatically update itself which never happens; now when I open Word, there's a subtle new option called "Update License"

I can still open, edit, save, and create documents to my heart's content but this new option just exists now. I also manually updated Office on my laptop once I saw this "Update License" didn't exist there, and after it updated, this option appeared

is this just something that's happened? is it security-related or an annual thing or whatever else?

anyway I'm not sure what exactly I'm meant to do. I have my own Microsoft account and I use Office365 under my Microsoft account but I think it's under my mother's account/subscription, as like a Family

I'm nervous to try and "update the license" using my credentials in case it signs me into a fresh new account or logs me out, or something similar.

I'm not sure if I need to use my Microsoft account credentials with this "Update License" option, even if my account and Office subscription is managed under my parent's account

Microsoft 365 and Office | Subscription, account, billing | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-03-07T02:33:51+00:00

    Just a bug from yet another Indian blunder at Microsoft. The ugly thing is that even their own tech support people have not been informed about this bug which came with the latest update, so when you contact tech support they just walk you through all the regular ... make sure you are updated, check your subscription, restart your computer, unplug your computer, reinstall windows, turn off power to your house, sell your house buy a new house then plug it back in... Apathy and decay in MS staffing due to cultural apathy and lack of attention to detail is making MS software more miserable than ever to use. Edit, imagine Apple being this pathetic.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-03-07T04:59:07+00:00

    Hi MicrosoftApathy! Hahahaha -- you nailed it! Thanks for the laugh -- I needed it!

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-03-14T13:50:36+00:00

    Greetings from Germany

    I am reporting the same problem. The additional “Update License” has appeared since the Office updates were published on our computers via the Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel (Preview) (March 13th). Only for a small group of computers in the preview channel - fortunately. But it may cause users to be confused when an additional update option appears once the update for the Semi-Annual Enterprise Chanel is released (in July) -> many computers. We hope that this is an unwanted feature that Microsoft will correct.

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-03-14T19:43:03+00:00

    What Microsoft Copilot says about Update License . . .

    "Feel free to explore it with confidence!"

    Don,

    Here's what Microsoft's Copilot in Edge generated after I searched for "office update license button"...

    “Update License” Microsoft OfficeOffice 365 subscription

    It’s quite normal for Office to automatically update itself, and this option may have appeared due to a recent update.

    Here are some steps you can take to address this situation:

    1. Automatic Office Updates: While Office typically doesn’t update automatically, recent changes or specific settings might have triggered an update, introducing the “Update License” option^1^. To proceed:
    2. If you’re still uncertain about how to proceed, consider the following:
      • Use the Right Credentials: When updating the license, it’s recommended to use the credentials associated with the subscription to avoid any issues. If your Office subscription is managed under your parent’s account, you may need to contact them to obtain the necessary credentials.
      • Contact Microsoft Support: If you’re unsure or have further questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to Microsoft support. They can guide you through the process and provide assistance^1^.

    Remember, the “Update License” option ensures that your Office subscription remains valid and up-to-date. Feel free to explore it with confidence! 🌟

    Rupertsland,

    Canada

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-03-14T21:58:53+00:00

    Thanks for the sharing the "Update" Rupertsland! So that's the reason for adding this unwanted and useless feature? The turmoil those two little words generated isn't likely to generate any measure of confidence for the vast majority of users. And for those (like me) who had elected to make a stand-alone, one-time purchase of Office, rather than a MS365 subscription product, the "Update License" option is totally irrelevant. May all your Office Updates be painless! ;-)

    Don in Ohio

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