Microsoft 365 on macOS read-only issue

Problem

You encounter a “read-only mode” message upon launching any Microsoft 365 apps.

Solution

1.  Sign out and sign back in with your Douglas College account.

Otherwise try the following steps:

2.  Launch each Microsoft 365 app installed on your Mac, click on the application name (e.g. PowerPoint) menu and choose Sign Out. Then quit the application.

  • Open Finder, click on the Go menu item and choose Go to Folder
  • In the dialog box, type: ~/Library
  • Click on the Group Containers folder
  • Locate the following three files/folders and move them to Trash:
  • UBF8T346G9.ms
  • UBF8T346G9.Office
  • UBF8T346G9.OfficeOsfWebHost
  • Empty the Trash and launch a Microsoft 365 application, sign in with your Douglas College email and check to see if you can now edit documents.

3. Fully remove the Microsoft 365 license from your macOS computer by following this Microsoft article: https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/office/how-to-remove-office-license-files-on-a-mac-b032c0f6-a431-4dad-83a9-6b727c03b193

4. Fully uninstall all Microsoft 365 apps by following this Microsoft article: https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/office/troubleshoot-office-for-mac-issues-by-completely-uninstalling-before-you-reinstall-ec3aa66e-6a76-451f-9d35-cba2e14e94c0

 

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