My microsoft basic wont allow me to save my files any more. even though they just rebilled me in June

Doug Brewer 0 Reputation points
2026-09-08T17:29:04.36+00:00

What is up with Microsoft not allowing me to save my file in 365 basic all of a sudden they rebilled me in june.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | MacOS
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  1. Thomas4-N 21,530 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-10T07:13:01.48+00:00

    Hello Doug Brewer,

    I understand why this is frustrating, especially when you’ve already paid for the subscription and were able to save your files before.

    There are a couple of different things that can cause this on a Mac, so I don’t want to send you through troubleshooting that may not apply.

    Could you please tell me:

    • The exact message Excel shows when you try to save.
    • Your macOS version.
    • In Excel, select Excel > About Microsoft Excel and tell me the version shown.

    Those details should let us narrow down what actually changed and what your next step should be.

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  3. AI answer

    2026-09-08T17:29:21.15+00:00

    Microsoft 365 Basic does not include the installed desktop Office apps for Word or Excel. It mainly provides 100 GB of OneDrive storage and access to the web versions of Microsoft 365 apps. If a previous plan with desktop apps ended and the account is now on Basic, the desktop apps can go into reduced functionality, which means files can open, but editing, creating new files, or saving can stop working.

    What to check:

    1. Go to the Services & subscriptions page and confirm which subscription is active.
      • If it shows Microsoft 365 Basic, that explains why the Mac desktop apps no longer allow normal save/edit behavior.
    2. In the Mac Office app, make sure the app is signed in with the same Microsoft account that was billed.
    3. If the app still shows the old license state on Mac, try a license refresh:
      • Open Word or Excel.
      • In the menu bar, select the app name.
      • Select About the app.
      • Select More Info…
      • Select Refresh License.
      • Then fully close and reopen all Microsoft 365 apps.
    4. If saving is needed immediately, use the web apps through Office.com, which are available with Basic.
    5. If desktop Word and Excel are required on Mac, a plan such as Microsoft 365 Personal or Family is needed.

    If the subscription page shows a desktop-app plan such as Personal or Family, but the Mac apps still cannot save after rebilling, that points to a sign-in or license refresh problem rather than a Basic-plan limitation.

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

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