Microsoft 365 users are facing a frustrating issue: random product deactivation errors. These errors disrupt work, create confusion, and leave users searching for solutions. Let’s break it down simply and figure out how to fix it.
Table of Contents
What’s Causing the Problem?
The issue stems from changes in user licenses. Here’s what could be triggering it:
- Users moved between license groups (like Azure Active Directory or on-premises security groups).
- Switching subscriptions (e.g., Office 365 E3 to Microsoft 365 E3).
- Admins removing/re-adding users to license groups.
- Adjusting license or service plan settings.
- Enabling/disabling the “Newest version of Desktop apps” service plan.
These changes confuse the system, leading to deactivation errors.
If you’re seeing the error, don’t panic. Here’s what you can do:
Solution 1: Click “Reactivate”
When the error pops up, hit the “Reactivate” button and log in if prompted.
Solution 2: Log Out and Restart
- Log out of all Microsoft 365 apps.
- Close them completely.
- Restart the apps and sign back in.
If these steps don’t work, it might be a bigger issue with your subscription.
Solution 3: Run the Office Licensing Diagnostic Tool
This tool collects data about licensing issues and helps identify the root cause.
Provide support engineers with log files stored in %temp%/diagnostics. These files help Microsoft investigate further.
When to Contact Your Admin
Still stuck? It’s time to reach out to your admin. Ask them to:
- Check if your subscription is active in the Microsoft 365 subscription management portal.
- Verify that no recent changes were made to your license or group settings.
What’s Microsoft Doing About It?
Microsoft knows about this problem and is actively investigating. While there’s no permanent fix yet, they encourage users to stay updated through official support channels.
Related Issues You Should Know About
This isn’t the first time Microsoft 365 has had hiccups. Last month, a bug caused Outlook to crash when copying text. In September, another issue made apps like Word and Excel crash during typing or spell-checking.