Microsoft Office 2019 for Mac Won't Get a Needed Update, Making Your Files Read-Only

If you’re still using Microsoft Office 2019 on your Mac, it’s about to become a read-only document viewer.

Starting July 13, Office 2019 apps for Mac — including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote — will enter a “reduced functionality mode” that disables editing, saving or creating new files, while allowing only viewing and printing. This restriction also affects outdated iPhone and iPad applications, according to Microsoft.

That’s because Microsoft Office 2019 stopped being officially supported in October 2023, and the version no longer receives software or security updates. 

Subscribers of Microsoft 365 on newer supported versions of Office on MacOS, as well as customers of the nonsubscription Office 2021, will need to update their software before July to avoid the same fate.

The heart of the issue is an expiring security certificate that validates Office licenses. Microsoft renewed the certificate and updated other versions of Office to properly recognize it, but not…