UAF Technology News

Microsoft Office/O365 License Changes and Next Steps

October 24, 2025

You may have recently seen a pop-up in your Microsoft Office 365 applications (like Word or Excel) stating that your license is expiring or has been downgraded. This is the result of a mandatory, system-wide change by Microsoft, which has decided to discontinue the M365 A1 Plus license.

Who is affected by this change?
This license downgrade specifically impacts the following groups:

  • Crafts & Trades staff
  • Adjunct/Temporary faculty
  • Emeritus faculty members
What is the change?
Affected users are being transitioned from the M365 A1 Plus license to the M365 A1 license. The primary impact is the loss of access to the Office desktop applications.
All affected users will continue to have full access to the online versions of Microsoft Office. You can still create, edit, and view all your documents directly in your web browser, and can access this in two ways:
  • Directly: Navigate to (requires UA login)
  • Via OneDrive: For files located in your OneDrive folder, you can right click the file, hover over 'OneDrive', then select 'View Online' to open them in the web app associated with their filetype.
 

What's Next?
We understand this loss of desktop software is a significant change. UA is actively investigating long-term solutions for affected users. We are currently evaluating the feasibility of purchasing other licenses (such as M365 A3) to restore desktop application access.

This investigation is ongoing, and we do not have a final decision at this time. We will provide updates as soon as more information is available. 

Where do I go for support?

For More Information
If you have questions about the features available in your new M365 A1 license or need help using the web applications, please contact the for assistance. 


Phone: (907) 786-4646
Email: uaa.techsupport@alaska.edu

For users not in the groups above: This article specifically addresses the M365 A1 license change. If you are not a Crafts & Trades staff, Adjunct faculty, or Emeritus faculty member but are still experiencing issues with your Microsoft 365 license or application access, please contact the NTS Service Desk so we can investigate your individual account. 

You can also view the current status of any system degradations or outages involving Microsoft products and licenses at the UA and UAA status pages below:

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We appreciate your understanding as we navigate these Microsoft-mandated changes-- thank you so much for your time. 

UAF NTS Service Desk
Phone: (907) 450-8300
Email: helpdesk@alaska.edu