MS Office on my laptop - got 365 personal currently, expires soon

[Infrasonic]

If you're air gapped and never go near the internet on the installed machine fair enough, but I wouldn't run an unsupported software package with as much potential sensitivity as Office.

Ah thank you, shows how little attention I apply to the machine as having checked I see I have professional plus 2016 which I remember I installed from USB about a year or so back. The box of 2010 CDs are still on the shelf.

Looks like you'll be good 'til October 14th 2025 with Office 2016 - which is also the date W10 support runs out...https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifec ... terms=2016

[Infrasonic]

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microso ... 5-products

Is internet access required for Microsoft 365?

Internet access is required to install and activate all the latest releases of apps and services included in all Microsoft 365 subscription plans. Note that if you are an existing subscriber, you do not need to reinstall or purchase another subscription.

For Microsoft 365 plans, Internet access is also needed to manage your subscription account, for example to install Office apps on other PCs or to change billing options. Internet access is also required to access documents stored on OneDrive, unless you install the OneDrive desktop app.

You should also connect to the internet regularly to keep your version of Microsoft 365 up to date and to benefit from automatic upgrades. If you do not connect to the internet at least every 31 days, your apps will go into reduced functionality mode, which means that you can view or print your documents but cannot edit the documents or create new ones. To reactivate your apps, simply reconnect to the Internet.

You do not need to be connected to the Internet to use the Office apps, such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint, because the apps are fully installed on your computer.

Cont.

What it doesn't say is if that is tier dependent i.e. if basic/personal and family tiers all have offline capability. (I know free doesn't... )

[Infrasonic]

Looks like there is an Office 2024 in development so the standalone license option is not dead (yet)..https://www.neowin.net/news/more-info-a ... ve-leaked/

[jaizan]

If you do decide to stay with MS 365, to renew for another year is £60 - you probably know that.

But it is only £54 from Amazon.

I bought an MS office license from an Amazon seller. I checked the customer reviews and checked that the software is downloaded from Microsoft and approved via the correct Microsoft website.
That's a one time payment and it will probably last me between 5 & 10 years, before Microsoft sabotage it with pop ups nagging me to upgrade. This is far cheaper than a subscription.

I've dabbled with Libre office. I didn't get on with it, but would choose it ahead of 365, on principle.

[Infrasonic]

Office 2021 support runs out on 13 October 2026, after which you'll no longer get security updates. If you have an internet connection to your PC then you don't want to be running software that no longer gets security updates...
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifec ... terms=2021

[AleisterCrowley]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Pers ... =8-12&th=1
If I buy this from Amazon, will it just update my subscriptions, or do I have to uninstall and reinstall 365?

[Watis]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Personal-subscription-Protection-multilingual/dp/B08V5J1TDD/ref=sr_1_12?crid=16SFHQ18I5AZM&keywords=office%2B2021&qid=1700502795&sprefix=office%2B2021%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-12&th=1
If I buy this from Amazon, will it just update my subscriptions, or do I have to uninstall and reinstall 365?

Based on my experience, activating the code you'll receive by email will update your subscription. There should be no need to uninstall and reinstall MS365.

HTH,

Watis

[AleisterCrowley]

I may give it a go , as a 'middle way'
Not sure if McAffee is much use if I've already got the Windows antivirus (Defender?) but the 15 month 365 sub kicks the problem down the road for a mere £46!

[Howard]

I may give it a go , as a 'middle way'
Not sure if McAffee is much use if I've already got the Windows antivirus (Defender?) but the 15 month 365 sub kicks the problem down the road for a mere £46!

Or you could download Office 21 from Livecards for just over £8 and kick the problem down the road for the life of your computer. No subscription required! And no McAfee competing with Windows antivirus software and slowing your computer down.

regards

Howard

[AleisterCrowley]

I'm sure if I get the one from Livecards I'll mess something up and end up without a working laptop ... not confident about the 365 uninstall, and have visions of some infinite loop/blue screen of death
But, I'll go away and think about it again.

[servodude]

I'm sure if I get the one from Livecards I'll mess something up and end up without a working laptop ... not confident about the 365 uninstall, and have visions of some infinite loop/blue screen of death
But, I'll go away and think about it again.

I don't want to frighten you but the next blue screen of death or infinte loop or kernel panic is always around the corner waiting for you to let your guard down

So put yourself in a position to not worry about it

To do that grab two goats, some black candles and draw a pentagram on the floor in salt (kosher or sea - it doesn't need to be ionised) and turn to the section in the Kitab al-Azif (I'm assuming you still have yours) on cloud backups (I think it's under the heading off That is not dead which can eternal lie.) and see how you get on

Alternatively, make sure all the stuff you care about is backed up/copied on to something outside the laptop (USB or cloud or kid velum - whatever your choice)
- that way your data is safe and you can try whatever Office suites (MS- XXXX/Open/Libre - Google) you like knowing that you can always get back to the info you had even if your laptop bricks - because one day your laptop will brick, or get physically mangled

-sd

[Itsallaguess]

I'm sure if I get the one from Livecards I'll mess something up and end up without a working laptop ...

not confident about the 365 uninstall, and have visions of some infinite loop/blue screen of death

But, I'll go away and think about it again.

The following link is for a genuine, stand-alone, single-PC install of Microsoft Office 2021 (Home and Student) for £68, sold by and dispatched from Amazon themselves -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Compatible-Office-Student-2021-1/dp/B09BQ2V4QB

It looks like the box is a German one, but a recent review from just a few days ago says -

Ordered from Amazon as seller. This is a genuine boxed product key with Microsoft hologram on box. The language on the box is German, but the product activates successfully in the UK.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/customer-reviews/R3MDDA81ZMRHLS

Given that it's coming from Amazon themselves, and it clearly states 'Multilingual' in the product description, along with all the other important details that you'd want to rely on as an Amazon customer, then I think that product, at that price-level, provides a good solution for you that doesn't expose you to any of the third-party risks that you're currently wary of.

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[Howard]

I have no axe to grind for Livecards but like you I was concerned not to mess up my computer and I contacted their help desk for advice. Their service was excellent given that it was a weekend. By the next day I had a reply which was authoritative, reassuring and helpful.

To be frank I don't know if you would have to uninstall 365 before installing Office 2021 but that is a good question for customer service before buying. I do know that after installing the Office download (which took an amazingly short time - less than a coffee break) it was essential for me to contact Microsoft and enter the long product code which was emailed to me along with the download, this confirmed the authenticity of the product.

Obviously I was dealing with an international firm (based in Singapore, I believe) but my experience of their customer service was that it was dramatically better than my high street bank and energy supplier. Their positive reviews are impressive.

regards

Howard

[AleisterCrowley]

https://download.winandoffice.com/Volum ... 64Bits.exe
The actual download link is as above, for English 64-bit
This is on the site;
https://shop.winandoffice.com/manuals/m ... -2021-st/#
Headquarters: 463/88 Thanon Pattaya Sai 1 Pattay City, Chon Buri Bang Lamung District, Thailand
So not the 'official' MS site, although they could be an approved supplier. Not saying there's anything wrong with the company - obviously have good reviews

[Infrasonic]

This lot have been mentioned a few times over the years...
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07946 666786 / 01444 300321

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https://pckeys.uk/about

In the last 6 years; We have serviced countless thousands of buyers and end users. Our customers range from business owners, home users, government agencies, IT resellers, charities, and students. Having supplied to some big-name brands such as RBS, Mercedes, Ernst & Young, Barclays, CISCO, KPMG, JP Morgan, NHS, Brother, HSBC, Wetherspoons, Hilton, BlackRock, Morgan Stanley, HP, PwC, Vodafone, SKY, Santander Bank and more. We regularly supply IT companies globally as well as accountants, solicitors, financial establishments and more with our software solutions

Each to their own but I'd feel more confident about dealing with a UK based ltd company like this rather than an overseas one.

[AleisterCrowley]

1 PC - Digital Email Delivery - One time install
1 PC - Digital Email Delivery - Reinstallable from Official Office website office.com Extra + £19.95#

What does this mean in practice? If my hard drive fails or I change laptop, I have to buy again?

[monabri]

I bought a new Dell Inspiron in the Black Friday "sales" to replace my 16+ yr old Dell Inspiron. It came pre-installed with Office 365 (in multiple languages). I decided to pay the £8.33 for Microsoft Office 2021 Standard 1 User PC from Livecards.co.uk

https://livecards.co.uk/en/microsoft-of ... -1-user-pc

All is "well" and installation is reasonably straight forward but there were some things to note.

(1) It took quite a while to download Office 2021 from Livecard and I have fibre to premises so a reasonable broadband connection - but I simply went away and did something else!

(2) I found that it was necessary to uninstall Office 365 and One Note in ALL installed languages (French/Italian/US/German/Dutch). This took a good time to do.. ... ...over 1 hour. I found this out because Office 2021 complained that it could not install unless Office 365 was removed first. It listed out what needed to be uninstalled.

(3) One must deactivate any virus checker before installing Office 2021.

(4) Installation of Office 2021 was "Right Click - Run as Administrator"

(5) Livecards sends a 25 digit product key by email which one cuts and paste into (I used) Word (account - change product key).


Nothing that difficult..it was the deletion of the various Office 365 & One Note that took the time!

[AleisterCrowley]

I have ADSL (but close to exchange) so max 20Mbps
Was your download link to the Thailand-based site as per above?
(https://download.winandoffice.com/ etc)

[monabri]

I have ADSL (but close to exchange) so max 20Mbps
Was your download link to the Thailand-based site as per above?
(https://download.winandoffice.com/ etc)

I honestly don't know but the deletion of the various language versions of both Office 365 and One Note (5 languages x 2) is what took the time and was a bit of a PITA. I had absolutley no issues with Livecards.

Not that I was timing it but I reckon/guess that it took 40 mins to download the Office 2021 software which then had to be installed.

I had no reason to contact Livecards as it went smoothly.

[AleisterCrowley]

I've had severe 'brain fog' for the last month or so - I need to put all the options down on a big sheet of paper and have a think!
My 365 expires on Saturday