Microsoft Nudges Pirates to Pay 2rpg Offers 50 Percent Discount on Microsoft 365 Subscriptions

Microsoft is also warning s about the risks of using unlicensed, pirated software. 29281d

By David Delima | Updated: 9 December 2021 15:59 IST

Microsoft Nudges Pirates to Pay, Offers 50 Percent Discount on Microsoft 365 Subscriptions

Photo Credit: Unsplash/ Nghia Nguyen 5x5o1m

Microsoft is not currently offering a discount on the standalone version of Microsoft Office

Highlights

Microsoft 365 Personal and Family versions are discounted for pirates
The discount is valid for the first year only, for eligible customers
s with valid licenses do not appear to be eligible for the offer

ment

Microsoft is offering 50 percent off its cloud-based Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions as part of the company's efforts to turn software pirates into paying customers. The company is reportedly nudging s who have unlicensed versions of Microsoft Office installed on their computers to subscribe at a discounted price for the first year. Microsoft is also warning s about the risks of running counterfeit software on their PCs, and it appears that only s who have pirated the software are eligible to claim the discount online.

The company's discounted subscription offer for Microsoft Office. Clicking on the banner, which s a 50 percent discount, takes the to a website that warns s about the risks of using pirated software on the left and has a purchase button with the annual subscription prices of Microsoft 365 Personal (Rs. 4,899) and Microsoft 365 Family (Rs. 6,199) on the right. It has a message alongside that says 50 percent discount for "eligible customers".

Microsoft has a webpage that nudges pirates to switch to a paid Microsoft 365 subscription
Photo Credit: Microsoft

However, not all s appear to be eligible, according to Microsoft. Visiting the official URL through a normal browser shows the appropriate web page, but Gadgets 360 was unable to avail of the offer. s have to sign in so Microsoft can check if they are eligible for the discount, and s that have a genuine Microsoft Office license key (or Office 365 subscription) appear to be excluded from the offer, according to the report.

As Microsoft Office is one of the most widely used office and productivity suites in the world, it is also pirated by several s. The move seems to be aimed at turning those running pirated software into paying customers. It is worth noting that the discount offer was still available, assuming Microsoft deems a eligible, at the time of publishing this article. However, the discounted price of Rs. 3,100 for Microsoft Office 365 Family will be valid for the first year only, after which the company will charge s the regular Rs. 6,199 price for the software.

s who are not keen on paying an annual subscription or wish there was a discount on the standalone version of Microsoft Office can also look at open-source and free alternatives such as LibreOffice, Onlyoffice, and SoftMaker Office. s who want to use Microsoft services for free can also use the company's Microsoft Office Online tools for free, which allows them to access and edit files in a browser window, without needing a license or subscription.

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Further reading: Piracy

David Delima

Email David Delima

As a writer on technology with Gadgets 360, David Delima is interested in open-source technology, cybersecurity, consumer privacy, and loves to read and write about how the Internet works. David can be ed via email at [email protected], on Twitter at @DxDavey, and Mastodon at mstdn.social/@delima. More