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why can’t i used the ms office 2021 that i bought in 2022. My computer will only allow office365 that requires a subscription (macOS)

John Durning 0 Reputation points
2025-10-17T19:33:30.1966667+00:00

I have MS Office 2021 on my mac that I purchased in 2022. However, Office 365 was loaded by MS onto my computer without my consent and now I can’t use Office 2021. My computer will only allow 365 and I need to agree to a subscription before I can use my Office tools. When I go the microsoft.com and click Office 2021 download, the site only lets 365 be downloaded. How can I revert back to Office 2021?

Moderator note: thread updated with operating system (macOS)

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | Other | MacOS
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  1. Kayece Jan Mae Amizola 12,200 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-10-18T01:02:22.8833333+00:00

    Hi,

    This might happen due to the office version you installed on your PC. Please uninstall all of the MS Office on your PC. Please go to your Windows Settings >Apps > installed apps. Search for the MS Office app installed on your PC to check if you have installed MS Office. Uninstalled the apps.

    After uninstalling them completely, install Office 2021. Please make sure to sign in to the account where you purchased Office 2021.

    Then, activate your Office.

    If you require further assistance, please don't hesitate to let me know.

    Stay Safe!

  2. Kayece Jan Mae Amizola 12,200 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-10-19T23:05:16.41+00:00

    I see. Thank you for clarifying. It seems that you have MS 365 version on your Mac. You need to uninstall the MS 365 first. After successfully uninstalling, restart your Mac. Please make sure that you have no other Office apps remain on installed.

    Install MS Office 2021 and activate it.

    If you still have trouble installing Office 2021, please try this guided support

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