DraftPilot Compatibility with MS Word Perpetual Licenses from before 2022 (e.g., Office LTSC 2021 and earlier)
If you're receiving the warning message "Old MS Word perpetual license detected," you may be using a version of Microsoft Word under a perpetual license (e.g., Office LTSC 2021, Office LTSC 2019, Office 2016, or Home & Office perpetual versions). Even though your version of Word may appear up-to-date with recent security patches, these perpetual licenses do not include ongoing feature updates provided by Microsoft to users of subscription-based licenses (Office 365/Microsoft 365).
Why does this matter?
DraftPilot uses modern Word features delivered via Microsoft's Word.js API. Unfortunately, some crucial API functions were introduced after your perpetual Word version's release. As a result, certain DraftPilot features will not function correctly or will behave unexpectedly on your current Word installation.
What specific features may not work?
Highlights: Highlights are visual cues that appear as blue highlighting in your document where DraftPilot has identified drafting suggestions (see the highlights article here). DraftPilot relies on modern Word API features to precisely manage these highlights. If you are not on Office 365 and your perpetual Word license was issued before 2025, you won't see the highlights. You will need to upgrade to Office/Microsoft 365 to see the highlights (upgrading to Office LTSC 2024 won't be enough).
Track Changes Recognition: DraftPilot may mistakenly interpret deleted text as still present because your version of Word does not properly communicate tracked deletions to DraftPilot. This can result in DraftPilot providing inaccurate or confusing suggestions whenever you use DraftPilot on a document that already contains track-changes when you run a review, or if you use 'Redraft Selection' on a section that contains track-changes. If you are currently on Office LTSC 2021 or a Home & Office perpetual version, upgrading to Office 365, or to Office LTSC 2024 will solve this issue.
But I think my Word is up-to-date?
Your perpetual license might seem up-to-date since you regularly receive security updates. However, these updates do not include new API features or functional enhancements that DraftPilot requires.
Recommended Solution
To fully utilize DraftPilot's capabilities, we strongly recommend upgrading your Microsoft Word to a subscription-based license (Office 365/Microsoft 365). This upgrade ensures access to continuous feature updates and compatibility with the latest Word.js APIs.
You can learn more about upgrading and compare licensing options directly on Microsoft's website.
Still need help?
If you have further questions or need assistance, please contact DraftPilot support at contact@draftpilot.ai —we're here to help!