Microsoft degrades functionality of perpetually licensed offline products

Microsoft is reportedly planning to let older perpetually licensed Office apps lose features or switch to read-only mode after a digital certificate expires.

The change could affect offline users of products like Office 2021 and Office 2024 unless they install updates, buy a newer version, or subscribe to Microsoft 365.

The move raises concerns about how long “perpetual” software really lasts and whether customers retain full control after purchase.