[DigitalToday reporter Jinju Hong (홍진주)] Some users of Microsoft (MS) Office 2019 for Mac are expected to be unable to use document editing and saving functions from next year. Reports that software bought as a perpetual licence could effectively shift to a "view-only" state are also fuelling user backlash.

On June 1, local time, online media outlet Gigazine reported that MS has warned Office applications could switch to Reduced Functionality Mode in some macOS and iOS environments after July 13, 2026. Under the mode, users can open and view files in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote, but cannot edit or save documents.

The cause of the move is the expiry of a digital certificate used for licence verification. MS said the certificate expires on July 13, 2026, and apps that are not updated to the latest version that includes the renewed certificate could switch to Reduced Functionality Mode.

Office for macOS requires at least version 16.83, and Office for iOS requires version 2.93 or later. Using those versions requires macOS 12 Monterey or later, or iOS 17 or later.

Office 2021 for Mac and MS 365 users can avoid the issue by updating the operating system and apps to the latest versions. The situation is different for Office 2019 for Mac users, because Office 2019 cannot be updated to version 16.83 due to its product structure. MS support documents also state that Office 2019 for Mac cannot resolve the issue through updates or reinstallation alone.

The controversy is growing because Office 2019 and Office 2021 were sold as purchase-based products rather than subscription services. When Office 2019 was launched in 2018, it was sold as a perpetual licence product that did not receive feature updates. Users are complaining that software they have already paid for could later lose core functions.

How MS communicated about end of support is also under scrutiny. As of 2023, an MS support page included wording that Office 2019 applications would "continue to work" even after support ended.

But as of May this year, that wording has been removed from the same page. It now only says that the data itself will remain and can be accessed through compatible MS 365 or the latest Office products. Industry sources say user confusion could grow because of differences between the previous guidance and the actual functional restrictions.

MS has been sending guidance emails since May to users who could be affected. The email reportedly also included an MS 365 Personal free trial programme. But because the structure automatically starts a paid subscription after the free trial, some users have raised suspicions that it is a strategy to shift buyers of purchase-based products to a subscription service.

For Office 2019 for Mac users, the remaining choices are effectively limited. Options include continuing to use it while accepting reduced functionality, moving to the MS 365 web version, or using the paid subscription service MS 365. Another option being suggested is to buy Office Home 2024, the latest purchase-based product.

Backlash is also spreading across online communities. A related post on Hacker News drew hundreds of comments as the debate continued. Some users argued that a product sold as a perpetual licence effectively facing functionality limits could amount to an infringement of consumer rights. Suggested alternatives include LibreOffice, OnlyOffice and Apple's Pages, Numbers and Keynote.

In corporate environments, however, MS Office document formats are still effectively used as a standard. Critics also point to issues such as the latest co-editing features and compatibility with enterprise workflows, making a complete replacement difficult.

Industry sources say the issue could go beyond a simple end of technical support and lead to broader debate over software ownership and the expansion of subscription models.