Solved Microsoft Office Professional 2019 - Do I need to be signed-in?

I have had Office 2019 installed since January 2021 and from day one I have always saved my files locally. I have never stored files in OneDrive and I do not have OneDrive installed on my computer.

I have always known that I have been signed-in but only now am I asking myself do I need to be signed-in?

I see that ‘OneDrive - Personal’ is a ‘Connected Service’ even though I do not use it.

What are the Pros and Cons of being signed-in?

What happens if I click on the ‘Sign out’ link (see photo)? Will my Office Activation be revoked? Will the ‘OneDrive - Personal’ ‘Connected Service’ disappear?

In short is it safer to stay signed-in?

Have a read of the first 5 or 6 posts in the Ten Forum thread? Or read the whole thing, it’s 3 pages long.

I signed out of my MSOffice Pro Plus 2021 months ago and the apps still work.
I have to be signed in to MSOffice Outlook 2021 and have not found a way to avoid that.

All the best,
Denis

Since it isn't office 365 (which recieves updates and your license is linked with your microsoft account), no you do not need to be signed in.

Although, to make things more confusing when I am in one of my Office 365 apps, I can be signed in with an account other than the one that owns the license to 365, and everything still works well. (the owner account still in the list of account options) Hmm..

So in conclusion - since your license is local to your PC, you are fine.

Try3 said:

I signed out of my MSOffice Pro Plus 2021 months ago and the apps still work.

Click to expand...

James said:

no you do not need to be signed in.

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Thanks guys. That's reassuring. I don't use Outlook so that is not a factor.

@Try3 - When you signed out did Microsoft employ scary pop-up warning messages to try persuading you to stay signed in? If so did you simply ignore them?

Hi,
I've got 2021 and 2-2016 pro plus and have never signed into any of them and they work just fine.

None of mine are monthly/ yearly subscriptions though.

wiganken said:

When you signed out did Microsoft employ scary pop-up warning messages to try persuading you to stay signed in?

Click to expand...

No.


Denis

@Try3 - So you did not get any pop-up warnings? This is what I get when I click on the 'Sign out' link. It mentions 'sync to server' but I don't think that applies to me if I only store files locally.
I am thinking of completing the sign out process but thought I would check here first. Am I correct that it will be safe to do this?

Hi,
Do you use a MS account for login to your machine/ pin number... ?

After switching the PC on Windows launches to the sign-in screen where I enter a password to access my Windows profile and then, if I click on 'Settings' I can see my full name and my email address at top-left of the window. Is that what you mean?

wiganken said:

So you did not get any pop-up warnings?

Click to expand...

No.
I've checked my notes and did not make any record of them [I would at least have taken a screenshot of a dialog like that even if I did not intend to take any notice of its warnings].
This is all I felt worth posting at the time:-
MSAccount was only required for the initial download, installation, activation - my post #18 - TenForums
MSAccount was only required for the initial download, installation, activation - my post #93 - ElevenForum
I discussed the topic with @Edwin and he made no mention of any such dialog either.
MSO2021 MSAccount not needed - Edwin #85 - ElevenForum


Ken, personally, I'd make a new system image, backup my own files then go ahead.


Best of luck,
Denis

wiganken said:

After switching the PC on Windows launches to the sign-in screen where I enter a password to access my Windows profile and then, if I click on 'Settings' I can see my full name and my email address at top-left of the window. Is that what you mean?

Click to expand...

Yes, your user account is an MSAccount-linked user account rather than a local user account.
It's your choice. I only use local user accounts.
It explains the reference to syncing in that dialog. Syncing is apparently a benefit of using an MSAccount-linked user account.

Some or all of the relative benefits are mentioned here:-
Switch to Local Account from Microsoft Account - ElevenForumTutorials
Switch to Microsoft Account from Local Account - ElevenForumTutorials

I log in using a local account.
- I check my email using MSOffice Outlook [2007 normally, using the pop method]. It gets email from my MSAccount.
- I have my MSAccount password saved in Edge and so can also check my MSAccount online through that.


Denis

Try3 said:

Ken, personally, I'd make a new system image, backup my own files then go ahead.

Click to expand...

I'll definitely consider that. Thanks.

wiganken said:

After switching the PC on Windows launches to the sign-in screen where I enter a password to access my Windows profile and then, if I click on 'Settings' I can see my full name and my email address at top-left of the window. Is that what you mean?

Click to expand...

Hi,
Yeah that's an MS email login

You could simply switch to a local user account and see what all changes.
No system imaging necessary on that bit.

wiganken said:

@Try3 - So you did not get any pop-up warnings? This is what I get when I click on the 'Sign out' link. It mentions 'sync to server' but I don't think that applies to me if I only store files locally.
I am thinking of completing the sign out process but thought I would check here first. Am I correct that it will be safe to do this?

View attachment 90027

Click to expand...

Don't worry about that..
"It will remove all customizations" - You may not have any anyway, but this can be reverted very quickly. Customisations include dark mode, patterns etc. Then, "and your documents and notebooks may not sync to the server until you sign back in.", as you say in the original post, you don't upload your files to onedrive so this is fine.

Feel free to go ahead with the sign out, but if you are wary, as @Try3 said you should maybe make a system image.

Then just sign into apps you want to be signed in

I don't get the fuss about signing out of office
Hardly warrants a system image

All you'd need to do is sign back in lol

ThrashZone said:

I don't get the fuss about signing out of office
Hardly warrants a system image

All you'd need to do is sign back in lol

Click to expand...

You could probably stick to your own lane you know. There is more than one way of doing things and your input is only one.

I looked at the tutorial Switch to Local Account from Microsoft Account in Windows 11 Tutorial but I see that step 5 'Making sure it's you' is asking for a PIN?
I am 100% sure that I only ever provided a password, not a PIN when I set up the original Windows 10 and I upgraded to Windows 11 when it was offered by MS in October 2022.
Does 'PIN' mean a PIN in the strictest sense or could it mean 'password'? If it means PIN then I am unable to proceed.

You could check with Brink if you wanted but I think that use of PIN was just an example. If you had not set up a PIN on the computer then it would ask for the password instead.

And your password remains valid even if you have set up a PIN.
A PIN is just a convenience. It is shorter than a password and is only valid on that single computer.


Denis