What will happen if I don't renew my Microsoft 365 subscription?

[BIWI]

... to all the documents/spreadsheets I have using Word, Powerpoint and Excel?

I have a MacBook, which comes with Pages, Keynote and Numbers, but I don't really use those very often, and I know I can use Google Docs and Sheets if I need to create Word-type documents and Excel-type spreadsheets.

However, I'm assuming that everything Word/Excel I have saved will still be accessible - but will this be the case once my subscription lapses?

I'm a bit annoyed at having to pay a yearly subscription for something I don't need - and I really don't need it as I'm no longer working!

You get a certain amount of storage free, it used to be 5gb, but how that's allocated when you are already over the allowance I'm not sure. But if you want to keep your files over that allowance you will need to move them before the end of your subscription.
Obviously they aren't going to store them for free.
It might be worth purchasing a separate hard drive for back up.

Watching with interest because I am also considering not renewing 365.

Also for the same reasons. I used Excel heavily in my work, but not any longer.

I have moved all my files from One Drive to the C: Drive on my laptop and am considering just buying a stand alone copy of Excel / Word. The real issue for me though is Outlook. I never print out Emails and need copies of them for at least 6 years to satisfy HMRC requirements.

But they're saved onto my computer, are they not? I know that some of my files are using cloud storage, but I don't think all of them are.

I assumed from your post they were on OneDrive as you have a subscription, if they are actually on your computer's hardrive, then you will still have access to your files, but not the software. There are other programs that can open word/excel files, although formatting can go astray.

You can also access free online versions of Microsoft apps online, they can only be used whilst online and have fewer features, but are a free option

Edited for clarity

You lose access to Word, Excel etc.

Do you just need to view them going forward? Maybe turn them into. Pdfs instead?

DH has access to Microsoft Office on his personal laptop through his work package. He is due to leave his job shortly and I was wondering what will happen to all his documents, photos and personal emails when they pull the plug on his access.
I pay for 365 family and have spare codes to share but when he's tried to use my code before it wouldn't accept, presumably because he already had MS Office on his laptop.
I'm just wondering if he will still be able to access past documents and keep his current email address if he manages to switch to our 365 family package when he leaves his job. Anyone know?

This always confuses me, I don't pay for M365, I have an (old school!) Hotmail email account and OneDrive, I use Excel religiously, daily, and word. I am able to use them no problem, I even have the Excel app and can access my spreadsheets, start new ones etc. I've never had a subscription.

Precisely this. Just transfer everything to your Mac or Google Drive.

I used to export them all to pdf and then they are all saved for any audits etc.

Well yes, I know that - but my query/concern is being able to open/access/use documents/spreadsheets that I already have on my Mac.

Have you tried Open Office?

There are a few quirks sometimes and if I remember correctly you can view Excel without a sub but you can't edit it. So I had to open, copy the whole lot onto Open Office and then use it from there.

@AlisonDonut are you sure? Because I don't have an Office paid sub and I am able create and edit spreadsheets and docs.

I have an Office 355 subscription for a volunteer role and use it on my ipad. If I want to use Word or Excel for personal reasons I save into Files and either the ipad itself or Icloud. I don't get on very well with Pages and Numbers either on my desktop Mac or the Ipad but will use them if I have to. If I am not logged onto the M365 I can still open Word and Excel files that I receive as email attachments but can't save changes or print them. I think you might lose anything saved to OneDrive.

@BIWI

To check whether the files are on your C:Drive or stored on One Drive just open them and check the directory reference at the top.

Microsoft 365 usually tries to save mine to One Drive, I just redirect them to my own C:Drive filing.

Just be aware though that if you are not saving to One Drive you need to manage your own Data backups.

I have a stand alone hard drive that contains all my precious photographs with enough space spare to hold my Data. I just do a Data dump onto every month replacing the one from three months previously.

TBH I find One Drive very hit and miss data wise. When I used to store there I often couldn’t find or access things. I am much more comfortable in charge of my own Data and knowing that if we get Cyber issues or the Internet goes down I can still access what I need,

I’ve never renewed my subscription and can still access all my documents 🤷‍♀️

You can buy a standalone version of office (for as little as £40) but it does not get all the 'upgrades' that you get with a 360 subscription. We recently ended our subscription having been locked out of our account several times, made to change the password three times and then send proof of id! Had Microsoft subscription for years so it got too annoying. Tried LibreOffice but it was very cumbersome to use so just bought an Office 'key' from a reputable online retailer and happily use word, outlook and excel but without the associated nonsense.

That's good to hear @JayAlfredPrufrock!

Thing is, for what I'm likely to use now (now that I'm not working), Google Docs/Sheets would be fine. And if I ever have to make another presentation, then I'm very happy using Keynote. Actually prefer that to Powerpoint.

I have a 365 subscription and it's only £5.99 I pay monthly. I don't use Google sheets any more because whenever I needed to do my tax return the spreadsheet often disappeared! I lost trust in it after that happened a few times. I've never had any issues with OneDrive and the storage is generous. But if you want to keep all your documents re save them as Open document text format.

I think your old Word documents will open up in Pages if you have that on your Mac? And Excel docs will open up in Numbers etc…

You won’t be able to email the Pages docs to anyone else unless they have Mac, but you still have the choice to export Pages to a Word doc so someone else can open it up if you email the document.

I remember editing a Word doc in Pages and then trying to export it as Word again via email attachment and it wouldn't work for the recipient on Windows no matter what I tried a couple of years ago, I had to use my work laptop in the end.

Open Office is your friend here

You may be using an older version, which you own outright or it may be the online free version?
Onedrive also has a limited free amount of storage.

@Swisscheeseplanted it must be the online free version as I haven't bought Microsoft since the days you'd buy the CD ROM with your PC ha. I'm just surprised how much I can do with the free version, haven't come across any restrictions on what I've needed to do.