Microsoft bricks Help features in MS-Office 2019? Seriously?


Levitate11

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I rarely use Help, but Office 2019 is still relatively unexplored for me... so when I needed to do something I hadn't before, I clicked on the Help option.

Imagine my surprise when I found that when they ended support in Oct 2025 they actually deleted the on-line Help data. Gone. The only Help you can get is help on how to upgrade to a newer version of Office.

Wow. I've always preferred local Help files, but I can see the advantage to a company putting them on-line in terms of updates for changes, etc. However, I never expected that they'd kill it when they ended support. That's just downright nasty.

I'm not an MS basher by any means, but this certainly doesn't make me like them more.
 

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File > Options > General > Privacy Settings

Are these checked?:

Let office download online content

Enable connected experiences
 

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I don't see that in Office Pro Plus 2019. I see the same thing in Office Pro Plus 2021.

Office2019PrivacySettings.webp

BTW, I have 2 x Office Pro Plus 2019 and 3 x Office Pro Plus 2021 licenses. Office 2021 support will end in October 2026 so it will have the same problem.

In any case I rarely use Office online support so it won't be missed much. I usually search online for help or use my old Office 2010 books because some things haven't changed in a long time.

Shutting down Office online support for perpetual licenses is apparently on purpose. They must think if they annoy us enough we will give up and subscribe to Microsoft 365. :(
 

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