Microsoft 365 Family

Office 2021 is sold as a one-time purchase, which means you pay a single, up-front cost to get Office apps for one computer. One-time purchases are available for both PCs and Macs. However, there are no upgrade options, which means if you plan to upgrade to the next major release, you’ll have to buy it at full price.  

Microsoft 365 is a subscription that includes the most collaborative, up-to-date features in one seamless, integrated experience. Microsoft 365 includes the robust Office desktop apps that you’re familiar with, like Word, PowerPoint and Excel. You also get extra online storage and cloud-connected features that let you collaborate on files in real time. With a subscription, you’ll always have the latest features, fixes and security updates, along with ongoing tech support at no extra cost. You can choose to pay for your subscription on a monthly or yearly basis, and the Microsoft 365 Family plan lets you share your subscription with your family for up to 6 people, and use your apps on multiple PCs, Macs, tablets and phones.

This means that your Office 365 subscription will automatically be renamed Microsoft 365. Get everything you love about Office 365, plus the additional benefits as they are released, all at the same price. No action is needed from your end. Changes will begin starting 21st April, 2020.

Microsoft 365 is compatible with PC, Mac, Android and iOS. See system requirements for compatible versions of your devices, and for other feature requirements. 

No. Microsoft 365’s applications are tailored for each platform and each operating system. The applications available for Mac users and the specific features included may be different from those available for PC users. With Microsoft 365, you can be flexible. With your account, you are not limited to exclusively Mac or exclusively PC, so you can transition across devices. 

Yes. Documents that you have created belong fully to you. You can choose to store them online on OneDrive or locally on your PC or Mac.

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.

Your Microsoft account is the combination of an email address and password that you use to sign in to services like OneDrive, Xbox LIVE and Outlook.com. If you use any of these services, you already have a Microsoft account that you can use or you can create a new account. Learn more about a Microsoft account.

As part of signing up for a trial or purchasing Microsoft 365, you will be prompted to sign in with a Microsoft account. You must be signed in with this account to install and manage your Microsoft 365 subscription, or to use some subscription benefits, including OneDrive storage

You can share Microsoft 365 Family with 5 other people in your household, for a total of 6 users. Microsoft 365 Personal can be used by one person.

If you have an active Microsoft 365 Family subscription, you can share it with up to five members of your household. Each household member you share your subscription with can install Microsoft 365 on all their devices and sign in to five devices at the same time.

To add someone to your subscription, visit https://account.microsoft.com and follow the on-screen instructions to add a user. Each person you add will receive an email with the steps they need to follow. Once they have accepted and completed the steps, their information, including the installs they are using, will appear on their My Account page. You can stop sharing your subscription with someone or remove a device they are using at https://account.microsoft.com. 

Visit this page to learn more about free apps.

The Microsoft Family Safety app empowers you and your family to create healthy habits and help protect the ones you love. With the Microsoft Family Safety app, you can set appropriate filters, limits and permissions for your family. As a Microsoft 365 Family subscriber, you get additional benefits in the Family Safety mobile app, including location and driving safety alerts. Learn more by visiting: https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/family-safety?rtc=1

Note: 
Microsoft 365 Family subscription required for location alerts and drive safety features. Availability varies by operating platform and market. Location permissions must be active to receive automatic arrival and departure alerts. Drive safety only available in US, UK, CA and AU.

This means that your Office 365 subscription will automatically be renamed to Microsoft 365. No action is needed from your end.

No, your subscription cost will not change.

Changes begin from 21 April 2020.

If you are an Office 365 Personal subscriber, you will be switched to a Microsoft 365 Personal subscription. 

If you are an Office 365 Home subscriber, you will be switched to a Microsoft 365 Family subscription. 

If you are an Office 365 Solo subscriber (available only in Japan), you will be switched to a Microsoft 365 Personal subscription.

You can access new features through your Microsoft account portal. Learn more about a Microsoft account.

You do not need to take any additional action to start using Microsoft 365 as your existing Office 365 subscription will transition automatically to Microsoft 365.

Yes, you will be able to open Office 365 files in Microsoft 365.

The subscription will be automatically converted to Microsoft 365 at redemption. The user will receive a transition message communicating that Office 365 is now Microsoft 365.

Microsoft 365 includes everything you love about Office 365 and more, at the same price. We’ve added value to the Office 365 subscription to make it Microsoft 365. With Microsoft 365, you receive additional benefits including Microsoft Editor, Money in Excel and premium creative content in Office, plus more to come.

We changed the name to be more reflective of the range of benefits within the subscription, which now extend beyond premium Office apps to include more value.

You will still have the same users on your new Microsoft 365 Family subscription – up to five other family members within your home, (unrelated) roommates or even remote family members.

The files and folders you store in OneDrive are private. If you’d like, you can use OneDrive to share photos, Microsoft Office documents, other files and entire folders with people. You can see who a OneDrive file is shared with or stop sharing at any time. 

Microsoft 365 plans are available in most countries/regions. In countries/regions where Microsoft 365 plans are not available, you can still buy an Office 2021 suite, a one-time purchase which includes 2021 versions of the Office apps, but no additional security or storage features. When buying Microsoft 365, it’s important that you select the country/region in which you will be billed and in which you’ll use the software. Selecting a different country/region may cause problems with subscription set-up and renewal.

Yes. Microsoft offers simple and cost-effective solutions for multilingual individuals, families and small businesses. Each time you install Office apps on an additional PC or Mac, you can choose the language in which to install them.

To manage your billing information, install or remove Microsoft 365 or Office apps from additional PCs or Macs, and manage your installations of Office apps on other devices at any time, visit Install & Account management.

If you purchased a recurring billing subscription, your subscription starts when you complete your purchase. 

Recurring billing subscriptions may be purchased from Microsoft Store, the iTunes® Store, the Mac App Store and some other retailers. If you purchased a pre-paid subscription, your subscription starts when you activate your subscription at https://setup.office.com/. Pre-paid subscriptions may be purchased from a retailer or reseller, or a Microsoft support agent.

OneDrive is an online storage service that you can use to store documents, notes, photos, music, videos or other types of files. With OneDrive you can access your files from nearly any device, and you can share them with others. Sign up for OneDrive. The amount of additional storage that you get depends on your subscription: 

Customers with an active Microsoft 365 Personal subscription receive an additional 1 TB of OneDrive storage per subscription plus 5 GB of storage for free. 

Customers with an active Microsoft 365 Family subscription receive an additional 1 TB of OneDrive storage per user, for up to 6 users, plus 5 GB of storage for one user. Each additional user must have their own Microsoft account and be added to the Microsoft Account site. 

The additional storage is applied to the OneDrive account that is linked to the Microsoft account used to create the Microsoft 365 subscription. For Microsoft 365 Family, the storage is tied to the Microsoft accounts of the household members who have been added to the subscription.

To access documents stored on OneDrive, sign into Microsoft 365 with the Microsoft account that you used to set up Microsoft 365. If you have shared your Microsoft 365 subscription with other members of your household, they should sign in with their Microsoft account. Learn more about signing in to Microsoft 365. You can also sign in to OneDrive directly at OneDrive.com.

Yes. If you’re using Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, OneDrive is preinstalled. To access your documents when you’re not connected to the internet, open File Explorer on your PC and go to the OneDrive folder. When you reconnect, OneDrive updates the online versions with changes you made offline.

Visit the OneDrive for Windows 8.1 and OneDrive for Windows 10 support pages for more details. 

You can also download and install OneDrive on Windows 7, Windows Vista or on your Mac. The OneDrive app creates a folder that automatically syncs between OneDrive and your computer, so you can work on your documents – even when you’re offline.

Your Microsoft account can have only one active Microsoft 365 consumer subscription. You can either convert your Microsoft 365 Family subscription to Microsoft 365 Personal, or you can wait until your current subscription expires before purchasing your Microsoft 365 Personal subscription.

For help and how-to content, visit support.microsoft.com. For free video-based training, visit www.office.com/training.

Recurring billing is the simplest way to ensure continued service. You can set up monthly or annual recurring billing by visiting the Microsoft Account site.

If you have a monthly subscription you can save money by converting it to an annual subscription at the Microsoft Account site.

As the expiration date approaches, you will receive notifications in the Office apps and via email, alerting you to the upcoming expiration. If you choose to let your subscription expire, the Office apps enter read-only mode, which means that you can view or print documents, but you can’t create new documents or edit existing documents. 

In read-only mode, you can still access and download your files for up to three months by signing in to OneDrive directly using the Microsoft account you used to set up Microsoft 365. However, the additional storage that comes with your subscription is lost, so you must save your files elsewhere or buy more OneDrive storage if your OneDrive account exceeds the free storage quota of 5 GB. 

Note: If you need to create or edit Office documents, you can use online versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote for free at Office.com. If you’re using a Windows 10 device, you may already have the free Office Mobile apps installed. To learn more, see Office Mobile apps for Windows 10: Getting started.

They can still access and download their files by signing in to OneDrive directly using their Microsoft account. If their OneDrive account exceeds the free storage quota of 5 GB, they’ll need to save files elsewhere or buy more OneDrive storage.

You will be notified before you’re charged to continue your subscription for another year if you have an annual subscription. If you are signed up for a monthly subscription, your payment will be debited each month and you won’t be notified in advance. You can change your payment method or cancel your subscription to stop future charges at any time by visiting your account and signing in with the Microsoft account that you used to buy Microsoft 365.

You have a few options to continue your subscription. Regardless of the option you choose, be sure to use the same Microsoft account that you used when setting up your subscription.

If you have a recurring billing subscription, it will continue until it’s cancelled. Your billing settings are shown on the Microsoft Account site after you sign in with the Microsoft account that you used to buy Microsoft 365.

If recurring billing is not enabled, visit www.microsoft365.com/renew to purchase a Microsoft 365 recurring billing subscription. The additional time will be automatically added to the remaining time on your existing subscription. 

Yes. When you pay early to the same Microsoft 365 plan that you already have, the additional time is added to your existing subscription. For example, if you have two months left on your current subscription to Microsoft 365 Family and you pay for a one year subscription (12 months), your subscription will run for 14 more months.

If you purchased a recurring billing subscription from Microsoft via Microsoft Store or microsoft365.com, you have two options for cancelling: 

You can cancel online by visiting the Microsoft Account site, signing in with the Microsoft account that you used to buy your subscription, and then turning off recurring billing. With this approach, your subscription will automatically expire when your remaining subscription time is up. 

To cancel immediately, contact Microsoft support and request an immediate cancellation. 

If you purchased a recurring billing subscription from another retailer, you may have to cancel your subscription with that retailer. You can confirm this by visiting the Microsoft Account site.