I am getting message, 'to edit files in this free version of word, they must be saved to Onedrive.'

hi Sharjeel Faiz​ That message usually appears when you’re using the free (web-based) version of Microsoft Word or an unlicensed desktop copy of Office. The free version requires saving files to OneDrive because it’s tied to your Microsoft 365 account in the cloud.

Here are a few things you can try:

Check if Word is activated

Open Word → Go to File > Account

Under Product Information, see if it says “Product Activated.”

If not, you’ll need to sign in with a Microsoft 365 subscription account or enter a product key for Office 2021.

If you’re using Word for the web (browser version):

The web version only supports saving and editing files on OneDrive.

To edit local files, download and open them in the desktop version of Word.

If you already have the desktop version installed:

Make sure it’s fully updated via File > Account > Update Options > Update Now

Then restart Word and try opening the file again from your local drive.