Microsoft 365 Support to End on Older Macs and iPhones Starting in July

Microsoft has announced that it’s ending editing support of Microsoft 365, Office 2019, and Office 2021 on older Macs and iPhones next month.

Starting on July 13th, users running Office apps on older versions of macOS and iOS won’t be able to edit or create files. Instead, users running older hardware will only be able to view existing files. Within a blog post, Microsoft states that this is being referred to as “reduced functionality mode.”

Users will still be able to open and print files. However, those running older software won’t be able to edit, save or create new files. “This happens when support for Microsoft Office apps is no longer continued for older operating systems or devices,” the blog post reads.

“This issue affects both Microsoft 365 subscribers on macOS, iPhone, and iPad, and those with non-subscription software, including Office 2021 or Office 2019 on macOS,” the company says. The changes will be made across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote, as well as Office 2019 and Office 2021.

To maintain regular access and functionality, Microsoft urges all users to ensure they are running macOS 12 or later on their Mac devices. On iPhone, users must have iOS 17 or later installed to avoid issues on July 13th and beyond.

If your device isn’t compatible with macOS 12 or iOS 17 or later, there are a few workarounds. Microsoft says users can use the browser version of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Users can copy local files to OneDrive and access them online. Alternatively, and humorously, Microsoft suggest simply using another device. In this case, you can sign in with your Microsoft account and install Microsoft 365 on a supported device.