How can I buy Office 365 without Copilot

I've made a decision -- unless Microsoft changes their minds and goes back to the regular non-Copilot pricing in the next 2 months....!!

I have created a new free MS account (you get 5 GB cloud storage and web-based Office), and then if/when needed, increase to the Microsoft 365 Basic offer (100GB cloud storage, web versions of Office, $19.99/year, no Copilot) after my current MS account expires later this year.

I am currently moving my folders over to my new account. For One Note files, I'm exporting/importing them, which has worked fine (I really love One Note!!)

For me, my Microsoft usage for work has declined. So for my personal MS use, I don't need as much storage. The 1TB storage I currently have is great, but I can get by with less.

I wish that it didn't come to this because I've been a satisfied customer. But I think MS is all-in on Copilot AI and forcing subscribers to pay for it.

Google Docs is not a complete alternative, sadly.

No it's not. And once you reach 15GB total storage (Drive, email, photos, etc.) you have to pay for their cloud storage, which I guess is fair, but it's not cheap.

And personally, I prefer Microsoft Office. I especially love One Note, and will miss it terribly.

I had to change payment methods and so my auto-renewal didn't go through. Now I'm getting hounded to pay $99 instead of the usual $69.

Your payment method doesn't matter --- it's a change they are forcing on all subscribers, from $69 to $99.

I'm concerned that if I cancel my subscription, they will have screwed it all up so much that I won't be able to access the $69 Office Personal Classic without losing access to everything.

That has been my concern also. Some people have found work-arounds -- subscribe to the Copilot, and then somehow cancel it and the old subscription option appears. They must have saved all of their One Drive stuff, because once you cancel, I believe the files are lost.

I have also watched videos where people talk about getting rid of Copilot -- but the underlying issue is that we are being charged for it. So we pay for it and then somehow uninstall it?

My subscription ends in September so I am slowly downloading and saving my One Drive files. I have started using Libre Office for documents. All in preparation for ending my Microsoft subscription, which makes me sad, because I've been a satisfied customer!

But I still debate about whether to keep my subscription, mainly for the cloud storage (though I really hate One Drive....).

I do hope they'll have a change of heart, but, oh yeah -- they don't have a heart. And they need us to pay for their foray into AI.

Thank you for this. Microsoft's support is just horrible.

I want to switch back to Office 365 Personal Classic.

I had to change payment methods and so my auto-renewal didn't go through. Now I'm getting hounded to pay $99 instead of the usual $69. I understand that this is Microsoft's sleazy way to get money for the awful, intrusive AI thing that I have ZERO desire to use.

Of course, there is no option to change my subscription or amount in this request to renew and no timeline for the threat to shut off my subscription. Super helpful, more horrible customer service.

I'm concerned that if I cancel my subscription, they will have screwed it all up so much that I won't be able to access the $69 Office Personal Classic without losing access to everything.

Can anyone help with this?

Thanks.

I've never seen any tech company anywhere that refuses to just have human beings - SOMEWHERE! - answering questions. I have no idea who the people are in this forum answering questions. All of it is confusing and bizarre.