Microsoft Office is restricted on Apple: 4 alternative apps you should try

Limited Microsoft Office functionality on Apple products

According to information from Microsoft, from July 13, some Apple users will no longer be able to fully use the features of the Microsoft Office office suite if the device does not meet the update requirements.

Specifically, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote applications will enter a state of limited functionality.

At that time, users will still be able to open and print the document as normal, but will not be able to edit, save changes, or create new files.

The reason comes from the fact that the digital certificate used to authenticate Office copyright is about to expire.

This change not only affects Microsoft 365 subscription users but also affects those who have purchased permanent versions of Office such as Office 2019 or Office 2021 on the macOS operating system.

To continue using full functionality, Microsoft requires Macs to be running macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later with Office version 16.83 or later. For iPhone and iPad, the device needs to use iOS or iPadOS 17 or later with Office version 2.93 or later.

However, the problem is that not all Apple devices can be upgraded to new operating system versions. Most Apple products that have been around for a long time are often not supported with software updates.

At the same time, some Office versions such as 2019 themselves will not receive new certificates through updates. The reason is that this version has officially reached the end of the company's support life cycle from October 2023.

Thus, users who own older Apple devices that are not supported with new operating system updates or who are using Office versions that are no longer supported will be at risk of having all document editing features limited.

Alternative solution

Thanks to its complete ecosystem, high compatibility and widespread use globally, Microsoft Office is always considered a popular standard in handling office work.

However, in case you do not want to upgrade your device or switch to another version of Office, users still have many other options to continue handling office work.

1. Apple's iWork

For Apple users, the trio of applications including Pages, Numbers and Keynote are options worth considering.

These applications are developed specifically by Apple for its ecosystem and are available for free on Mac, iPhone and iPad.

Pages is a text editor application that allows creating documents from simple text to publications with complex graphics.

Numbers is a spreadsheet application with a flexible interface that allows you to create Excel-like tables and charts. Meanwhile, Keynote is an application capable of creating and presenting professional presentations.

Although it cannot completely replace Microsoft Office in all situations, iWork still meets the text editing, spreadsheet processing and presentation creation needs of most common users.

2. Google Workspace

The second is the Google Workspace suite of applications including tools such as Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Slides.

It's one of the most popular office options today thanks to its ability to be free to use and allow for easy collaboration with others.

By simply having a Google account, users can create and edit documents right in the browser without needing to install software.

The ability to automatically save, synchronize data and work in groups in real time are great advantages that help this platform be used by many individuals, schools and businesses.

Besides the advantages, the application's limitations mainly lie in its dependence on Internet connection. Even though there is an offline working mode, the usage experience is still more inconvenient than software installed directly on the device.

3. LibreOffice

Another free option is LibreOffice, an open source application suite that is available for free and does not require a subscription.

LibreOffice provides almost full tools equivalent to Word, Excel and PowerPoint through Writer, Calc, Impress.

The toolkit supports most popular file formats. At the same time, thanks to being developed according to the open source model, the software is continuously improved and added with extensions by the community to meet the diverse needs of users.

However, the application's interface is somewhat less modern than some other competitors. Besides, compatibility with some documents with complex formats is not really perfect in many situations.

4. WPS Office

Finally, there is WPS Office. The strength of this toolkit lies in the interface, which is quite similar to Microsoft Office, helping users easily get used to it without spending a lot of time relearning how to use it.

The free version of WPS Office generally meets most basic usage needs.

However, the free version may appear ads, affecting the user experience. In particular, some advanced features will require upgrading to a paid plan.

Above are 4 alternatives to Microsoft Office that users can consider. This is the right time to reassess your needs and consider switching to another office solution that is more suitable in terms of cost and long-term usability.