Microsoft has halted the distribution of the KB5002907 update for Microsoft 365 after a wave of complaints from users who found their perpetual Office 2016 and Office 2019 installations deactivated or entirely removed.
The update, which was rolled out to a large portion of the Microsoft 365 user base, triggered a problem that caused the licensing engine to treat older Office versions as invalid. As a result, several users reported that their Office suites were no longer accessible, with the software either disabling itself or uninstalling completely.
In response, Microsoft announced that it has paused the rollout of KB5002907 while the company investigates the root cause. The company has not yet released a fix or a timeline for when the update will be re‑issued.
The issue has affected users who rely on the long‑term support versions of Office 2016 and 2019, which are still widely used in businesses and educational institutions. Until Microsoft resolves the problem, the company advises affected users to refrain from installing the update and to keep their systems in their current state.
Microsoft will provide further updates as the investigation proceeds, and users are encouraged to monitor official channels for a resolution or a replacement patch that restores full functionality to their Office installations.
<small>Source: Bleeping Computer — read the original story there.</small>