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Short answer: with Microsoft 365 Personal you can install the apps on all your devices and be signed in on five devices at the same time: any mix of PCs, Macs, tablets and phones. If you sign in on a sixth device, Microsoft signs you out of another one automatically. With Microsoft 365 Family, each of up to six people gets the same five-device limit on their own account.
This guide explains how the Microsoft 365 devices limit works, what happens when you sign out, how to sign out of a device you no longer use, and what other people can do on your computer. It is based on Microsoft Support, checked in October 2026.
- Install: on as many devices as you like
- Signed in: 5 devices at the same time per person
- Sixth device: Microsoft signs you out of another automatically
- Signed out: view and print only, no editing
- Family: up to 6 people, 5 devices each
Table of Contents
How the Microsoft 365 devices limit works
Microsoft says that with Microsoft 365 you can install Microsoft 365 or Office on all your devices and sign in on five devices at the same time, including any combination of PCs, Macs, tablets and phones (Microsoft Support). So the limit is not about installing: it is about how many devices are signed in at once.
Office stays activated as long as you are signed in. When you install the apps on a new device, you are asked to sign in the first time you open Word, Excel or another app.
| Plan | People | Devices signed in |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 Personal | 1 | 5 at the same time |
| Microsoft 365 Family | Up to 6 | 5 each (up to 30) |
| Office 2024 (one-time) | 1 | 1 PC or Mac |
What happens on a sixth device?
If you have more than five devices, Microsoft 365 signs you out of devices automatically to stay within your limit. Nothing is deleted: to use Office on a device where you were signed out, you just sign back in, and another device is signed out instead.
In practice this means you can keep Office installed on an old laptop, a work PC and a tablet, and simply sign in where you need it today. You do not need to uninstall anything to free up a place.
What happens when you sign out?
Microsoft says that if you sign out, your account’s license is removed from that device and the app is deactivated. You can still view and print files, but you cannot create or edit them until you sign in again (Microsoft Support). That is why Microsoft recommends staying signed in on the devices you use.
Signing out of an Office app also disconnects it from services like OneDrive, removes your settings and clears the list of recent documents. It does not sign you out of the OneDrive sync app on your computer.
How to sign out of Microsoft 365 on a device
Microsoft’s steps (Microsoft Support):
On a Windows PC
In any Office app, go to File > Account (or Office Account in Outlook) and select Sign out. Then close all Office apps.
On a Mac
In any Office app, select the app’s name in the top menu, then Sign Out. Quit all Office apps.
On iPhone or iPad
In any Office app, tap Account, tap the account you use, then tap Sign Out and confirm.
On Android
From the Recent screen, tap the person icon, tap your name, then tap Sign Out and confirm.
From any browser (remote sign-out)
Lost the laptop, or sold an old PC? Go to the Installs page of your Microsoft account, find the device under Devices and select Sign out of Microsoft 365 or Office. Microsoft says it can take up to 72 hours for the device to notice.
Three examples
- A student with a laptop, a phone and a tablet uses 3 of the 5 places. A library PC can be the 4th: sign out there when finished.
- A freelancer with a desktop, a laptop, a Mac, a phone and a tablet uses all 5. Signing in on a new laptop signs one of the others out automatically.
- A family of four shares Microsoft 365 Family: each person signs in with their own account on up to five of their own devices.
Microsoft 365 on phones and tablets
Phones and tablets count toward your five devices when you sign in. Microsoft says the free mobile apps give basic editing on tablets or phones under 10.1 inches, and you get extra features when you sign in with a Microsoft 365 account (Microsoft Support). If you only read documents on your phone, you can leave it signed out and keep the place for a computer.
Setting up a new device
- If you have a new key, redeem it first at microsoft365.com/setup.
- Install the apps from your Microsoft account (Services & subscriptions) or the app store on a phone.
- Open Word or Excel and sign in with the account that has Microsoft 365 when asked.
- If you are already signed in on five devices, another device is signed out automatically.
Cannot sign in?
Microsoft offers a sign-in helper tool on its Sign in to Microsoft 365 page: it checks the email or phone number you are trying to use and tells you what to fix. Microsoft also warns that its support agents are not allowed to send password reset links or change your account details, so be careful with anyone who offers to do that for you.
Can other people use Microsoft 365 on my computer?
Each person who uses Microsoft 365 on a device needs their own account linked to Microsoft 365. Microsoft says that if someone signs in on your device without a subscription, they can view and print files, but not create or edit them.
With Microsoft 365 Family you can share your subscription with up to five other people. Each person signs in with their own Microsoft account, on your PC or theirs, and can create and edit their own files on up to five devices at once. See Microsoft 365 Personal vs Family to compare the plans.
Personal, Family or Office 2024: which fits your devices?
- One person, several devices: Microsoft 365 Personal (5 devices at once).
- A household: Microsoft 365 Family (up to 6 people, 5 devices each).
- One computer only: Office 2024 can be installed once on one PC or Mac.
Not sure about a one-time purchase? Read Microsoft 365 vs Office 2024.
Tips for using Microsoft 365 on many devices
- Stay signed in on the devices you use every day, so the apps stay activated.
- Sign out remotely from a device you sold or lost, from the Installs page of your account.
- Check your devices now and then: the Installs page of your Microsoft account lists the devices where you are signed in, so you can spot one you no longer use.
- Use one account on all your devices, so your files and settings follow you through OneDrive.
- Do not share your password. If others need Office, Microsoft 365 Family gives each person their own account.
- Renew in time. When the subscription ends, the apps can no longer edit files. See how to redeem a Microsoft 365 product key to add a year.
Common questions about devices and sign-in
Does a phone count as a device? Yes. Microsoft says the five devices can be any combination of PCs, Macs, tablets and phones.
Do I need to uninstall Office from an old PC? No. If you go over five devices, Microsoft signs you out of one automatically. You can also sign out of the old PC remotely.
Is the limit the same for Family? Yes, per person: each of the up to six people can be signed in on five devices at once with their own account.
Get Microsoft 365 Personal from IQSIX
IQSIX sells a Microsoft 365 Personal 1-year key for PC and Mac. One subscription covers all your devices, with five signed in at the same time.
- Delivery: after your payment is confirmed, we send the key by email.
- Redeem: at microsoft365.com/setup with your own Microsoft account.
- Payment: crypto, card, or a Remitly bank or mobile money transfer at checkout.
- Help: not sure which plan you need? Ask us on WhatsApp.
Microsoft 365 devices FAQ
How many devices can I use Microsoft 365 Personal on?
You can install it on all your devices and be signed in on five at the same time: any mix of PCs, Macs, tablets and phones.
What happens if I sign in on a sixth device?
Microsoft signs you out of another device automatically to stay within the limit. To use Office there again, just sign back in.
What happens when I sign out of Microsoft 365?
The app is deactivated on that device. You can still view and print files, but you cannot create or edit them until you sign in again.
How do I sign out of Microsoft 365 on a device I no longer have?
Go to the Installs page of your Microsoft account, find the device under Devices and select Sign out of Microsoft 365 or Office. It can take up to 72 hours.
How many devices does Microsoft 365 Family allow?
Up to six people can share Microsoft 365 Family, and each person can be signed in on five devices at the same time with their own account.
Can someone else edit files with my Microsoft 365 on my PC?
Not with their own account unless they have a subscription or you share Microsoft 365 Family with them. Without one, they can only view and print files.
Sources, checked 18 October 2026: Microsoft Support: Sign in to Microsoft 365, Sign out of Office and Microsoft 365 plan comparison.
