License & Subscription Issues

How to Make Office 2019 the Default Version Instead of Microsoft 365

Guest Writer Sep 28, 2026 871 views

Question details

The user wants to configure their Microsoft Office applications to use a permanent Office 2019 license instead of an active Microsoft 365 subscription.

How to Make Office 2019 the Default Version Instead of Microsoft 365

Product: Microsoft Office
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: After accepting a prompt for Microsoft 365, the user's Office applications automatically switched licenses, overriding their preferred Office 2019 perpetual license.
Observed behavior: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint default to a different Microsoft account or Microsoft 365 license rather than continuing to use the existing Office 2019 license.

Before you start

Ensure you know the exact Microsoft account email and password associated with your original Office 2019 purchase before attempting to switch the active license.

Solution 1Recommended

Change License via Office Account Settings

Use the built-in account management tools in Word or Excel to manually select your Office 2019 license.

Microsoft provides a direct way to toggle between available licenses linked to your account. This is the fastest way to revert to Office 2019 without uninstalling any software.

Open Account Settings

Launch any Office application, such as Word or Excel. Click on 'File' in the top-left corner, and then select 'Account' from the menu on the bottom-left side.

Access License Options

Locate the 'Product Information' section on the right side of the screen. Click on the 'Change License' button.

Select Your Account

If prompted, sign in using the Microsoft account associated with your Office 2019 purchase.

Choose Office 2019

A list of available licenses will appear. Select your Office 2019 license, confirm your choice, and then restart your Office applications for the changes to take effect.

Change License via Office Account Settings

End of Support Notice for Office 2019: Office 2019 has reached the end of its support lifecycle. It no longer receives security updates, bug fixes, or technical support from Microsoft. Upgrading to a supported version is highly recommended for security purposes.

Solution 2

Sign Out and Remove Microsoft 365 Credentials

Sign out of the Microsoft 365 account completely to force the application to rely on your Office 2019 credentials.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Switch to WPS Office for a Free, Supported Experience

Tired of dealing with confusing Microsoft 365 subscription prompts and unsupported software? Because Office 2019 no longer receives vital security updates, switching to WPS Office provides you with a modern, fully-supported, and free productivity suite without the hassle of license conflicts.

1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the Free Download button.
2. Install WPS Office: Run the downloaded setup file and follow the quick installation instructions on your screen.
3. Open Your Files: Launch WPS Office and directly open all your existing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents without worrying about license errors.

Completely free to use with no forced subscription prompts or sudden license switches.Highly compatible with Microsoft Office formats, ensuring seamless editing of your .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx files.Regularly updated with the latest security patches and features, keeping your data secure unlike EOL Office 2019.Familiar interface design makes migration effortless and requires zero learning curve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my Office 2019 automatically switch to Microsoft 365?

This commonly happens if you accept a free trial prompt for Microsoft 365 within the app, or if you sign into your Office software using an email address that has an active Microsoft 365 subscription linked to it.

Is it still safe to use Office 2019?

Because Office 2019 has reached the end of its support lifecycle, Microsoft no longer provides security updates for it. While the programs will continue to function normally, using unsupported software can expose your device to future security vulnerabilities.

Can I have both Microsoft 365 and Office 2019 installed at the same time?

It is generally not recommended. Installing a perpetual license (like Office 2019) alongside a subscription version (Microsoft 365) on the same computer frequently leads to license conflicts, default application errors, and account synchronization issues.

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