Can Microsoft 365 A3 and Office 365 A1 Licenses Be Assigned Together?
Question details
An organization wants to determine if it is safe or necessary to assign both Microsoft 365 A3 and Office 365 A1 licenses to the same user.
- Product
- Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Managing organizational software licenses and preventing subscription conflicts for end users.
- Observed behavior
- Evaluating whether keeping redundant licenses assigned concurrently creates activation issues or other adverse effects.
Ensure you have global administrator or license administrator permissions in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center before attempting to modify user licenses.
Review and Remove the Redundant Office 365 A1 License
Since Microsoft 365 A3 includes all the features of Office 365 A1, assigning both is unnecessary and removing the A1 license prevents potential activation conflicts.
While there are generally no immediate adverse effects to assigning both licenses, keeping them simultaneously active is redundant. Microsoft 365 A3 is a more comprehensive tier that already encompasses the web-based applications and services provided by Office 365 A1.
In some specific organizational environments, maintaining dual licenses can lead to minor backend licensing conflicts or user confusion when accessing specific Office features. It is best practice to streamline user accounts by keeping only the higher-tier license active.
Log in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center using your administrator credentials.
In the left-hand navigation pane, click on 'Users' and then select 'Active users'.
Find and click on the name of the user who currently has both the A3 and A1 licenses assigned to open their properties panel.
Click on the 'Licenses and apps' tab within the user's properties panel.
Uncheck the box next to 'Office 365 A1' while ensuring 'Microsoft 365 A3' remains checked, then click 'Save changes' at the bottom.
Avoid Complex Licensing Tiers with WPS Office
Navigating different subscription tiers like Microsoft 365 A3 and Office 365 A1 can be confusing and costly for organizations. If you are looking for a straightforward, cost-effective solution, WPS Office offers a highly compatible and lightweight alternative without the headache of complex user license management.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Microsoft 365 A3 and Office 365 A1?
Office 365 A1 is a completely free, web-based version of Office for educational institutions that does not include installable desktop applications. Microsoft 365 A3 is a paid, comprehensive tier that includes full desktop Office apps, advanced security, device management, and Windows OS upgrades.
Will a user's access be interrupted if I remove their Office 365 A1 license?
No, as long as the user still has an active Microsoft 365 A3 license assigned to them, their access to emails, files, and applications will remain completely uninterrupted since A3 covers all A1 capabilities.
Can licensing conflicts prevent a user from activating their desktop Office apps?
Yes, in rare cases, if a system detects a lower-tier web-only license (like A1) before the higher-tier desktop license (like A3), it may cause an activation error on the desktop client. Removing the redundant A1 license easily resolves this.
