Office 2016 for Mac Claims “Office Upgrade Required”

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I believe that Microsoft’s message is highly misleading.  An upgrade might be required in order to receive support beyond an upcoming cut-off date, but I would be incensed if the software ceased to function in the absence of an update.  If I had wanted a product whose license was limited to a given term, I would have chosen Office 365.  Instead, I purchased Office 2016 for Mac because I wanted to use it indefinitely without paying an additional fee.

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Nathan Parker

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Marty: What claim by MS about Office 2016 for Macs are you referring to? Where did you find it?

Could you elaborate further? Thanks.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

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Nathan Parker

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[Marty]

The message showed up after my most update to Office 2016 for Mac.  Although it indicates that the apps are up to date, it insists that an Office “Upgrade” is required.  I’m attaching a screenshot.

I believe that this is an unsavory attempt on Microsoft’s part to trick users into thinking that they need to buy a new product, when in fact the old one will presumably remain perfectly functional, even if security updates are eventually suspended.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Marty.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Marty.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Marty.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Marty.

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Nathan Parker, Elly

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Marty,

You probable knew this already, but it won’t hurt to write it here again for the benefit of those who don’t:

Office 2016 reaches End Of Life (EOL) and therefore runs out of support in mid-October this year. My interpretation of those red-letter warnings is that they are just reminders. If one does not care to upgrade to Office 2019 and does not mind not having more patches sent for Office 2016 after its EOL, I don’t really think that MS will stick a hand into one’s machine and rip out the Office 2016 executables, etc. installed there.

If anyone knows more about this, please, write it down here, because I would really want to know that, as may others.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

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Nathan Parker

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[OscarCP]

More about the EOL of Office 2016 for Mac here:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/end-of-support-for-office-2016-for-mac-e944a907-bbc8-4be5-918d-a514068d0056

(Curiously, it is the same day as the EOL of Office 2010 for Windows.)

From the article (emphasis mine):

“Support for Office 2016 for Mac will end on October 13, 2020. Rest assured that all your Office 2016 apps will continue to function—they won’t disappear from your Mac, nor will you lose any data. But here’s what the end of support means for you:

<li style=”list-style-type: none;”>

• You’ll no longer receive Office 2016 for Mac software updates from Microsoft Update.
• You’ll no longer receive security updates. Security updates are what help protect your Mac from harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.
• You’ll no longer receive phone or chat technical support.
• No further updates to support content will be provided. In fact, most online help content will be retired.“

Hmmm…

It goes on to add, among other things, that support for Office 2016 was meant to be for only five years and these are going to run out in less than two months and a half from now.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by OscarCP.

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Nathan Parker

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Marty, can you click on the question mark next to the warning? What does it say?

cheers, Paul

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Nathan Parker

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It says: “Update Microsoft Office to get further security and feature updates” and then these two buttons: “Learn More” and “Upgrade Now”.

“Learn More” takes one pretty much to the Web page I gave the link to in my previous comment. Looking around I found MS “life cycle” information. It turns out that Office 2019 for Macs EOL is in October of 2025. I’ve also found that Office 2019 for Macs price is $149.95. According to MS (again in “Learn More” article), before installing it, one has to remove the Office 2016 license and, for that, one has to download from MS and run a “license removal tool”. It says there also that one will still have the 2016 applications, so I assume that means one should still be able to use them after removing their license and installing 2019. Apparently the Mac version available is only “Home and Office” (e.g., is there no “Professional” for Macs?)

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

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Nathan Parker

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I am in the same boat with my imac , office suite 2016 wont  be supported anymore, somewhere in october!  But I won’t upgrade no way!

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Nathan Parker

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This is likely do to 2016 going EOL, so it’s enticing users to upgrade.

Microsoft could have worded it a little better (it should have said something like “Office 2016 is reaching EOL. To continue to receive software updates to Office 2016 after EOL, check out upgrading to the latest version of Office.”

In terms of those who choose not to upgrade, while you’ll lose the ability to receive updates, Office itself will continue functioning if you’re on a perpetual license. Office 2008 for Mac still runs on my PowerBook. 🙂

For those on Office 365, Microsoft may push those into downloading the latest version since the license is tied to a subscription. Not exactly sure there.

Nathan Parker

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More details on Office 2016 for Mac EOL:

https://www.macrumors.com/2020/08/03/microsoft-stop-supporting-office-2016-october/

Nathan Parker

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