Microsoft has revealed it will retire some of its Microsoft 365 companion apps later this year.
Calendar, People, and Files will be retired and become non-functional on December 16, though some users may lose access sooner depending on organisational timelines.
The apps were included free of charge with eligible Microsoft 365 or Office 365 licenses and offered users a simple way to access calendar information, contacts, and files.
Their removal will not affect any existing data or core Microsoft 365 services.
Alternatives for retiring Microsoft 365 app
The tech giant has advised that alternative apps are already available within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
For calendar and contact information, users can switch to Outlook and Teams.
Files can be accessed through familiar tools such as File Explorer, SharePoint, OneDrive, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Microsoft’s AI assistant, Copilot, can also help users find information even with limited details.
Do I need to do anything to remove the apps?
The retirement process will require action from IT administrators, particularly for managed devices.
Tenant admins are responsible for removing the companion apps from all devices in their organisation.
If devices are not managed by the organisation, individual users will need to uninstall the apps themselves.
The apps can be removed through Windows Settings under Installed Apps, or by searching for Calendar, People, or Files in the Windows Search Box and selecting Uninstall.
Uninstalling one of the companion apps will remove all three.
Microsoft has confirmed that no data will be lost as a result of the retirement.
Files, calendar events, and contacts are all stored within Microsoft 365 services, not within the companion apps themselves.
The company has provided detailed guidance for IT administrators to ensure a smooth removal process, which can be found on the Microsoft website.
What happens if the companion apps reappear after being uninstalled?
In some cases, the companion apps may reappear after being uninstalled.
This could be due to a Required assignment for the Microsoft 365 companion apps Win32 app in Intune.
To resolve this, admins should remove the Required assignment and uninstall the apps again.
No further updates or security fixes will be provided for the companion apps during the retirement period.
If issues arise, Microsoft advises that uninstalling the apps is the recommended solution.
Microsoft ends support for Office on Apple devices
This latest announcement comes after Microsoft ended support for Office on Apple devices earlier this year.
As of July 13, Microsoft 365, Office 2021, and Office 2019 no longer function on Apple devices.
This leaves users unable to edit or create documents in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, or OneNote.
The apps will enter a “reduced functionality mode”, allowing users to open and print files but preventing any editing, saving, or creation of new documents.
So I can officially not use @Office because my Mac is apparently out of date. This is alienating to many who can’t update their software systems because of the year of their computer and very disappointing when you’ve paid for the program. Will not be renewing my subscription 😌
— Sephyr Patriq (@Sephyrpatriq) July 14, 2026
What happened?
The change affects both Microsoft 365 subscribers and users of non-subscription Office software such as Office 2021 and Office 2019 on macOS, iPhones, and iPads.
A Microsoft spokesman said: "Starting July 13, 2026, some users may notice that Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, or OneNote) can open and print files, but cannot edit, save, or create new files – called “reduced functionality mode"."
The decision is part of Microsoft’s policy to end support for software running on older, unsupported operating systems.
Without security updates or technical support, continued use of these versions could pose security risks for users.
Microsoft has reassured users that their files remain safe even if the apps become read-only.
Which devices are affected?
This issue affects both Microsoft 365 subscribers on macOS, iPhone, and iPad, and those with non-subscription software, including Office 2021 or Office 2019 on macOS.
Microsoft added: "For most users, updating your OS and updating your apps will resolve it."
To continue using Microsoft 365 or Office 2021 on Apple devices, users must be running macOS 12 (Monterey) or later on Macs, and iOS 17 or later on iPhones and iPads.
Devices unable to upgrade to these operating systems will not be able to update the Office apps.
For users of Office 2019 on Macs, the news is more final.
Support for Office 2019 for Mac ended in October 2023, and the apps can no longer be updated to the required version.
This means users of Office 2019 on unsupported Apple devices will lose the ability to edit, save, or create files, with no upgrade path available for the existing apps.
A Microsoft spokesman said: "If your Mac doesn't support macOS 12 (Monterey), or your iPhone or iPad doesn’t support iOS 17, you won’t be able to install the required updates.
"Because Office 2019 cannot be updated to the required version, this issue cannot be resolved by updating or reinstalling Office 2019 for Mac."
Windows and Android users are not affected by this change.
Do you use any of the Microsoft 365 companion apps being retired in December? Let us know in the poll above or in the comments below.
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