Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise - Your Account Doesn't Allow Editing on a Mac

Overview

In some cases when using Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise on a macOS system the software may display the following error message:

Your account doesn't allow editing on a mac. To learn more, contact your Admin about your office plan.

This is usually caused by the software's inability to detect the correct licenses, or there are corrupt files in your Mac's Library folder, either of which stops an individual from being able to edit their documents.

This can usually be resolved via one of several options documented below provided in the recommend order of troubleshooting.

In this article:

• Method 1: Signout and Signin to your Office 365 @ UA account
• Method 2: Clear Microsoft application cache files
• Method 3: Clear Microsoft application passwords from macOS Keychain
• Method 4: Uninstall and Re-install Office

How do I use this technology?

Before trying any of the methods below, first verify your account has been assigned an Microsoft 365 apps for Enterprise license

1. Login to Office 365 portal.
2. Click Account Manager.
   
   
    
3. Click View Account.
   
   
    
4. Click Subscriptions.
   
   
    
5. Under the Licenses section, make sure The latest desktop version of Office is listed.
   
   

If you have been assigned a license that includes the desktop version of Office, follow the steps below to see if the issue can be fixed. If you do not have the desktop Office license, submit a support request using the appropriate Office 365 @ UA form.

Method 1: Signout and Signin to your Office 365 @ UA account

1. Open a Microsoft Office application (e.g. Microsoft Word).
2. From the menu bar click the application name (e.g. Word, Excel, etc.)
   
   
    
3. Click Sign Out.
   
   
    
4. At the Are you sure you want to sign out of this account: UaUsername@alaska.edu? prompt click Sign out.
   
   
    
5. Quit all Microsoft Office applications.
6. Open a Microsoft application (e.g. Microsoft Word).
7. In the Home dialog window click Sign in.
   
   
   1. Enter your UA Email address, and click Next.
      
      
       
   2. At the Enter password prompt enter your UA password, and click Sign in.
      
      
       
8. Open an existing document, or create a new one.
9. Verify that the error message is no longer present, and you are now able to edit documents.

Method 2: Clear Microsoft application cache files

1. Make sure your Mac is connected to the Internet.
2. Sign out of Office (see steps documented in Method 1 above).
3. Quit all Office applications.
4. In the macOS finder hold down the Option key on the keyboard and click the Go menu.
   
   
    
5. Click Library.
   
   
    
6. The Library folder for the current signed in person (i.e. ~/Library) will open.
7. Open the Group Containers folder.
   
   
    
8. Right-click (or Control-click) the following folders, if present, and select Move to Trash.
    
   Warning

   Deleting the UBF8T346G9.Office folder will delete your Outlook data too if you use Microsoft Outlook to manage your email. It is recommend that you backup your data before proceeding.
    
   • UBF8T346G9.ms
   • UBF8T346G9.Office
   • UBF8T346G9.OfficeOsfWebHost
   
   
9. Empty the macOS Trash.
10. Open an Office application (e.g. Microsoft Word), and signin with your UA account.
11. Verify that the error message is no longer present, and you are now able to edit documents.

If Office is still displaying the same message, try the steps below.

Method 3: Clear Microsoft application passwords from macOS Keychain

1. In the macOS Finder open the Applications folder.
2. Open the Utilities folder.
   
   
    
3. Double-click Keychain Access.
   
   
    
4. From your account's Login keychain delete the following application password and ADAL entries, if present.
    
   Note

   There may be more, or less, Microsoft related entries within the Login keychain. Only those in the table below should be deleted as part of this troubleshooting effort.
    

   Login Keychain Office Entries to Delete

   Name	Kind
   com.microsoft.adalcache	application password
   com.microsoft.office.rmscache	application password
   Microsoft Office Credentials	MicrosoftOffice15_2_Data:ADAL:******
   Microsoft Office Identities Cache 2
   Microsoft Office Identities Settings 2

   
   
   
    
5. Quit Keychain Access.
6. Logout of your Mac, and login again.
   • Alternatively, restart your computer.
7. Open an Office application (e.g. Microsoft Word), and signin with your UA account.
8. Verify that the error message is no longer present, and you are now able to edit documents.

Method 4: Uninstall and Re-install Office

A final choice would be to fully uninstall Microsoft Office, deleting associated cache files, then downloading the latest version of Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise installer and re-installing Office onto your Mac; however, typically this issue is resolved with one of the methods documented above.

Need additional help or have issues

For support, requests may be submitted anytime using the appropriate Office 365 @ UA form. Requests generate a Ticket which will be worked in order received and urgency by IT Employees with the knowledge and permissions to assist with the request.

For immediate assistance please review the Contact IT page for the appropriate support group.