Updating Microsoft in order to use Mac updated system. Payment twice?!!!

If you want a compatible, non-subscription Office for Mac solution on macOS Catalina or later, you will need to purchase Office 2021 for Mac. This is partially because Microsoft has retired all prior Office products that are not the current Microsoft 365 subscription, or the single-purchase choice of Office 2019/2021 for Mac. Additionally, macOS Catalina and later require 64-bit applications and Office 2011 for Mac is 32-bit. Your documents are not impacted by this issue though.

People get hung up about purchasing Office 2011 for Mac and believing it is Microsoft's version of forever stamps. You can continue to use it indefinitely on versions of macOS (<= macoS 10.14.6) that support 32-bit applications and for which it was designed for compatibility.

You can get Office 2021 for Mac Home and Business for just $50 here (time sensitive) if using macOS Catalina or later. I am not affiliated with that site and receive nothing by mentioning it.

I suggest that you contact Microsoft Office sales. In my case, I have a single computer license f but there are other licensing options. Usually such "one time purchase" software only works for about 5 years (or more). As such, you may also want to consider a subscription type of license (see Office 365).

Anita2022 wrote:

With the system update on my computer, all my Microsoft programs also needs updating in order to function with this new system update but that requires a Microsoft license fee which I've never had to pay before (I bought the entire program years ago with unlimited use). I have two computers I use with the same files/programs. Will I have to pay for the same update with Microsoft for each computer separately which of course means double the fee?

all of the Microsoft licenses and single-purchase software are available via the Apple Online Store, and the Microsoft 365 applications are in the Mac App Store (and require Mojave or later for installation).

The current Office for Mac; Office 365 or Office 2019 (One-time purchase) are OK with Catalina/Big Sur/Monterey

To activate a Microsoft Office 365 subscription you simply enter the email address you used when you extended the subscription with Microsoft.


https://support.microsoft.com/

Microsoft Corporation/Customer service

1 (800) 642-7676