Microsoft pauses KB5002907 after it deactivated or removed Office 2016 and 2019

Microsoft pauses KB5002907 after it deactivated or removed Office 2016 and 2019

26 September 2026 — Microsoft has paused KB5002907, an optional Windows update, after reports that it left perpetual copies of Office 2016 and Office 2019 showing as unlicensed and, in some cases, removed them entirely. The pause is recorded on Microsoft's support page for the update, and a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed it to BleepingComputer on 26 September 2026.

What the update was for

KB5002907 is described by Microsoft as an optional update for Microsoft 365 Apps installations on Windows that are more than 90 days out of date, on Current Channel or Monthly Enterprise Channel. It starts the update process and moves those installations to a current build. It was not meant for perpetual, one-off-purchase Office.

What went wrong

Microsoft's support page now says it is investigating "unexpected results on some devices running Office 2016 or Office 2019 after this update is installed", and that it has paused the rollout. The page lists the symptoms: Office or Microsoft 365 Apps stop working, products appear unlicensed, and in rare cases products are removed. The spokesperson told BleepingComputer that further guidance "will be communicated via appropriate channels".

BleepingComputer reports that, although listed as optional, the update installed automatically on some systems, and that machines with a mix of 32-bit and 64-bit Office components may be more exposed. Those two points come from user reports gathered by the outlet, not from Microsoft.

How to recover

Microsoft's guidance for affected Office 2016 and 2019 users is to reactivate the purchased product, and to reinstall Office 2016, 2019 or 2021 where it was removed. BleepingComputer reports that reactivating with the original product key restored Office in most cases.

Microsoft's lifecycle pages show Office 2016 and Office 2019 reaching end of support on 14 October 2025, so a clean reinstall of either leaves an organisation on software that no longer receives security fixes.

Who is affected

Organisations still running perpetual Office 2016 or 2019 alongside, or on the same machines as, Microsoft 365 Apps, and small businesses where users approve optional updates themselves. IT providers who manage fleets for clients may be fielding the calls.

What to do

• Check whether KB5002907 is installed on any machine with Office 2016 or 2019, and whether Office still opens and shows as activated.
• Make sure you can find the product keys for perpetual Office licences; reactivation needs them.
• Where you manage updates centrally, decline or hold KB5002907 until Microsoft publishes further guidance.
• Treat this as a prompt to finish moving off Office 2016 and 2019, which no longer receive security updates.
• If a provider manages your PCs, ask it which machines received the update and whether any were affected.

Sources

• Microsoft Support: KB5002907, Optional update for out-of-date Microsoft 365 Apps installations (read 2026-09-27) — 27 September 2026
• BleepingComputer: Microsoft pauses KB5002907 update after Office license deactivations — 26 September 2026
• Microsoft Learn: Ending Support in 2025 (Office 2016 and Office 2019, 14 October 2025; read 2026-09-27) — 27 September 2026
• gHacks: Microsoft Pauses KB5002907 After the Update Deactivates or Removes Office 2016 and Office 2019 — 26 September 2026