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Logged into 365 basic in but account says buy sub to edit

peter pounds 0 Reputation points
2026-03-19T18:02:37.98+00:00

I have a 365 basic account which works fine on hp laptop & Motorola phone &:allows me to create & edit documents. When I log into Microsoft account on my Samsung tablet displays my files but will not allow create or edit, pop up says buy a subscription. How can I fix this please?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | Other | Android
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  1. EmilyS726 234.9K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-03-19T18:37:17.49+00:00

    Hello

    Microsoft 365 Basic is a plan that doesn't include Office apps, but only includes 100GB of OneDrive storage.

    Are you sure that's what you have? You need Microsoft 365 personal or family to use the desktop version of Office Apps.

    You said it worked fine on your HP laptop, are you using the web version or desktop version? Web version via www.office.com > Apps, and mobile versions are always free - so that can be why you could use it?

    If you are for sure using the desktop version on HP, you might have a different license there. In any of the apps, like Word, or Excel, can you go to Files > Accounts, and see what it says, See example of what it says on mine

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    Once we have a clear idea what license you are on, I will have a better idea what was wrong and what options you have.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-03-19T18:02:55.6933333+00:00

    Microsoft 365 Basic does not include the full mobile app premium features on all devices. On devices where there is no qualifying subscription for the signed-in account, the Office apps allow viewing (and some basic editing in limited cases) but show a prompt to buy a subscription when trying to use premium features.

    To create and fully edit documents in the Office mobile apps (Word, Excel, etc.) across devices, a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription is required, such as Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, or one of the listed business/enterprise/education plans. Microsoft 365 Basic is listed as a non‑qualifying plan, which means:

    • It does not unlock the extra mobile app features.
    • When accessing premium features, the apps will show a message to purchase a subscription.

    On the Samsung tablet, the apps are behaving as expected for a non‑qualifying plan. To fix this:

    1. Keep using the apps in view/basic mode where allowed, or
    2. Use the free web versions via a browser at Office.com, or
    3. Upgrade the subscription to a qualifying plan (for example, Microsoft 365 Personal or Family) so that full mobile editing is enabled on all devices when signed in with the same account.

    Details on qualifying vs non‑qualifying plans and what can be done in the mobile apps are in the referenced documentation.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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