Receiving an error that my product key is invalid

Anonymous
2010-01-18T17:07:08+00:00

My Office program is asking me to enter my product key, and when I do, it keeps giving a message saying that my product key is invalid.  I don’t know what else to do, I’m sure I’m entering the right numbers and letters.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2010-01-18T17:14:38+00:00

Hi Sangeetha

This is a very common question, and the answer is usually one of these two scenarios:

1.       Did you just install Office from a retail box you just purchased?  If so, go to Control Panel, Programs, Programs and Features and see if there is another copy of Office installed besides the suite you just installed.  Some pre-installed Trial Office 2007 suites can conflict with the product key validation process.  If you see a duplicate copy of Office installed, then uninstall it and try to run your new Office program again.  Chances are your product key will work now.

2.       If you are using the 25-digit product key that you found on a sticker on the bottom of your laptop or on the back of your desktop case, then you are using the wrong key.  This key is the product key for the Windows operating system, and NOT for the Office Suite.  The correct product key for the Office suite will be in one of these places:

a.       Inside the retail Office 2007 box (if you bought Office from a retail store)

b.      Inside an e-mail from the online website where you purchased Office

c.       On the outside of the CD case, on a sticker

Microsoft has a knowledge base article that goes into more detail around the invalid product key scenario.  It is located at

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/836178  , and would be a good place to go if these instructions above do not resolve your issue.

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-02-16T00:51:42+00:00

    I bought a cardboard card with a plastic-coated, credit-card-size card inside.  I used the 25-digit number to download the product and experienced no difficulty.  When I began to use Word, however, I was ask again to ender my product number.  I tried repeatedly, making sure that the number was correct, but each time I was told that my number was invalid.

    It's hard for me to believe the number is invalid, since I used it successfully to download the program.  Now I would like to use it!

    Thanks,

    William B. Roberts

    **email removed

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-10-18T23:13:32+00:00

    Thank you for your reply. I ended up spending 4 hours with two different Techs from Microsoft. It was not an easy fix. There were many things involved. But the problem has been resolved.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-10-18T20:31:29+00:00

    Do you have any pre-installed office trial version that you failed to uninstall?

    If downloading the installation file from MS backup site you download/save - do not run the installation - once the download has completed then you run the downloaded installation file

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-10-18T20:28:31+00:00

    Where are you getting the Key from?

    If from a label fixed to the PC that is the win Key

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