Microsoft is now displaying an “Upgrade your plan” button in the title bar of Office apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This prompt cannot be dismissed or hidden, even for users with an active Microsoft 365 subscription. Selecting the button opens a window that displays the user’s current plan and offers options to upgrade to other personal or business plans.
Microsoft has not commented on the signals or complaints they generated.
Microsoft’s Office apps show a non-removable upgrade prompt
The banner appears in the title bar of Office apps, showing a diamond icon and the message “Upgrade your plan.” This message remains visible to all users, including active Microsoft 365 customers, and cannot be deleted.
Clicking the banner opens a window showing the user’s current plan and upgrade options. This window also promotes Microsoft 365 benefits, which are not relevant to existing customers.
Microsoft has previously used its software to promote its own products, including Windows 11. The Office title bar button continues this pattern, with the absence of a dismiss option being the main concern in current reports.
User options and open questions
Currently, there is no supported setting to remove the “Upgrade your plan” button; It does not provide any user controls. Affected users have limited options:
- Avoid clicking on the banner, as it only opens the upgrade window instead of providing the option to dismiss.
- Check for Office app updates if Microsoft introduces a control or changes this behavior in a future release.
- To file a complaint directly with Microsoft, file through the in-app feedback option in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, then submit feedback under Feedback.
Because the button is managed server-side and tied to a user account rather than local settings, standard app configuration options won’t remove it.
Microsoft has not confirmed whether the “Upgrade your plan” button is a permanent addition, a phased rollout, or a test, and has not indicated whether it plans to add a dismissive option. It’s also unclear whether the prompt appears across all Microsoft 365 tiers or just in specific plans, as Microsoft hasn’t made any public statements about the feature or complaints.
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