Technology Microsoft Adds Unremovable "Upgrade Your Plan" Button to Office App Title Bars

[lokamoka820]

Content source

https://www.ghacks.net/2026/07/30/microsoft-adds-unremovable-upgrade-your-plan-button-to-office-app-title-bars/

Microsoft is now displaying an "Upgrade your plan" button in the title bar of Office apps such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This prompt cannot be dismissed or hidden, even for users with an active Microsoft 365 subscription. Selecting the button opens a window that displays the user's current plan and provides options to upgrade to other personal or business plans.

Microsoft has not commented on the prompts or the complaints they have generated.

Microsoft’s Office Apps Show an Unremovable Upgrade Prompt​

The banner appears in the title bar of Office apps, featuring a diamond icon and the message "Upgrade your plan." This message remains visible for all users, including active Microsoft 365 subscribers, and cannot be removed.

Clicking the banner opens a window that shows the user's current plan and upgrade options. This window also promotes Microsoft 365 benefits, which are not relevant for existing subscribers.

Microsoft has previously used its software to promote its own products, including through Windows 11. The Office title bar button continues this pattern, with the absence of a dismiss option being the main concern in current reports.

 

[Marko :)]

Upgraded! Thanks Microsoft!

 

[Sorrento]

They just cannot help themselves, OnlyOffice here too & several I know have dumped MS Office in favor of alternatives, some prompted by me somewhat

 

[Marko :)]

I am patiently waiting for Euro-Office though. Then I'm switching from ONLYOFFICE to Euro-Office. But God knows when they'll release it.

 

[Sorrento]

Same here, have you applied? I got an email from them yesterday.

 

[Marko :)]

Same here, have you applied? I got an email from them yesterday.

Applied where? For what?

 

[Jonny Quest]

So far, LibreOffice has been working very well on my end, including AI help charts copied into LibreOffice. But, it's also nice to read some of the feedback recently posted regarding OnlyOffice, to possibly see what it looks like and is about, but for now, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

 

[Antimalware18]

Linux! Linux! Linux!

now if only they had comparable gaming

 

[Jonny Quest]

Linux! Linux! Linux!

now if only they had comparable gaming

What is the default office app used, a favorite, or comes "pre-installed" with Linux? I ask in total ignorance.

 

[Parkinsond]

I do not have as I use Office 2024 baseline version with no updates.

 

[Antimalware18]

What is the default office app used, a favorite, or comes "pre-installed" with Linux? I ask in total ignorance.

from what I remember its changed over time, it went from OpenOffice to most distro's i know of now use Libreoffice some might use differently.

my reply is mostly based around the baking in of upgrade buttons in windows. I am highly against that.

 

[Marko :)]

So far, LibreOffice has been working very well on my end, including AI help charts copied into LibreOffice. But, it's also nice to read some of the feedback recently posted regarding OnlyOffice, to possibly see what it looks like and is about, but for now, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

ONLYOFFICE has portable version (look for .zip file) you could use for trying it out. That's exactly what I did. As soon as I opened documents I have on my PC and saw they opened exactly like they should, I immediately went and installed the normal version.

But if you're happy with LibreOffice, that's great!

What is the default office app used, a favorite, or comes "pre-installed" with Linux? I ask in total ignorance.

LibreOffice is default on most Linux distros.

I do not have as I use Office 2024 baseline version with no updates.

I always knew all Microsoft products spy on us and are privacy nightmare. The recent GDID controversy actually made me reconsider everything I use from them and whether there might be better alternatives. While I didn't use a lot of their products even before, now I'm using one less. The only two things I use from Microsoft are Windows and Outlook.com; totally disconnected one from other—that's it!

On Android I moved from Office long time ago when it became garbage. ONLYOFFICE is on my phone as well.

 

[Khushal]

seems like it is not affecting older versions as I updated it now and fortunately no such intrusive buttons yet!

 

[Parkinsond]

I always knew all Microsoft products spy on us and are privacy nightmare

Install, activate, block all components from internet.

 

[Jonny Quest]

ONLYOFFICE has portable version (look for .zip file) you could use for trying it out. That's exactly what I did. As soon as I opened documents I have on my PC and saw they opened exactly like they should, I immediately went and installed the normal version.

But if you're happy with LibreOffice, that's great!

LibreOffice is default on most Linux distros.

I always knew all Microsoft products spy on us and are privacy nightmare. The recent GDID controversy actually made me reconsider everything I use from them and whether there might be better alternatives. While I didn't use a lot of their products even before, now I'm using one less. The only two things I use from Microsoft are Windows and Outlook.com; totally disconnected one from other—that's it!

On Android I moved from Office long time ago when it became garbage. ONLYOFFICE is on my phone as well.

Thank you, you always post such informative and helpful replies Since my other PC's have the Microsoft Office disc install version, I'm still opening old documents with that, so I've never had to open any of those older docs with LibreOffice.

I did a little research as far as comparing LibreOffice with OnlyOffice, and I think I came up with the look and feel being closer to Microsoft Office which I've been used to. But, LibreOffice is quite the heavy install

 

[Marko :)]

View attachment 299138 View attachment 299137
seems like it is not affecting older versions as I updated it now and fortunately no such intrusive buttons yet!

And there won't be an intrusive button. Only Microsoft 365 has various plans and get feature updates.
Standalone Office versions such as Office 2021 or Office 2024 only get security updates and bugfixes (until the end of mainstream support).

So feel free to upgrade to 2024 if you want. You won't see any buttons as long as you download standalone version.

Install, activate, block all components from internet.

As soon as you install, run and activate Microsoft product, they get your hardware ID and additional parameters so they know everything about PC, who uses it and other info. Blocking all components from internet only prevents Office from sending additional data while you use it. It doesn't delete what's already on Microsoft servers.

They made that very clear when they revealed GDID.

Thank you, you always post such informative and helpful replies Since my other PC's have the Microsoft Office disc install version, I'm still opening old documents with that, so I've never had to open any of those older docs with LibreOffice.

I did a little research as far as comparing LibreOffice with OnlyOffice, and I think I came up with the look and feel being closer to Microsoft Office which I've been used to. But, LibreOffice is quite the heavy install

View attachment 299140

ONLYOFFICE wins! Ha-ha!

Jokes aside, I don't really care how much storage does an app take. As long as it's fast and works the way I want. I have more than enough storage.

 

[Jonny Quest]

And there won't be an intrusive button. Only Microsoft 365 has various plans and get feature updates.
Standalone Office versions such as Office 2021 or Office 2024 only get security updates and bugfixes (until the end of mainstream support).

So feel free to upgrade to 2024 if you want. You won't see any buttons as long as you download standalone version.

As soon as you install, run and activate Microsoft product, they get your hardware ID and additional parameters so they know everything about PC, who uses it and other info. Blocking all components from internet only prevents Office from sending additional data while you use it. It doesn't delete what's already on Microsoft servers.

They made that very clear when they revealed GDID.

ONLYOFFICE wins! Ha-ha!

View attachment 299143

Jokes aside, I don't really care how much storage does an app take. As long as it's fast and works the way I want. I have more than enough storage.

View attachment 299144

And I agree, we have plenty of storage on our devices, and since they don't run in the background (just on access), even less of an issue

 

[Sorrento]

Applied where? For what?

Join wait-list?

 

[Marko :)]

View attachment 299149
Join wait-list?

Oh, that? I'm not interested in cloud Office solution. I'm interested in desktop Office suite which they are developing as well. The project is called Euro-Office.