Word for iPad won't activate

Anonymous
2014-03-29T03:20:57+00:00

I downloaded Word, Powerpoint and Excel for iPad yesterday and purchased a 365 Home Certificate. I tried to activate Word and am always given the message "Cannot Activate. This account doesn't have a paid Office 365 subscription." Then I tried activating Powerpoint and Excel -- knowing if you activate one, they're all activated -- and those won't activate either.

I have the receipt and Order ID from Apple and their phone support has been great, including today, Saturday. But ultimately, they can't help, because it's up to the developer (Microsoft). Everything is fine on the Apple side.

I have done everything possible, from rebooting, to reinstalling, to resetting my network connections, without success. So I tried to call Microsoft Support (through a link Apple kindly supplied) only to find they don't work on weekends.

I've searched the internet for solutions, but the program is so new that I appear to be the only one so far with a problem -- or maybe no one's buying a 365 Home subscription for the first time.

Any thoughts that don't include all the things I've already done would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Don

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

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Anonymous
2014-07-08T14:32:22+00:00

Go to settings and look for the app there..  Do u see it?...  If so try doing a Word reset" and then reload or open from AppStore page..  Report back..

This worked for me on my iPad. These are the full steps I used:

  • Open up Settings
  • Scroll all the way to the bottom in the left hand pane, select Word
  • In the right hand pane, select Reset Word
  • Turn on Delete Login Credentials
  • IF you already have Word running on your iPad, as I did: Double-press the iPad's home button to bring up all currently running programs, swipe back and forth until you see Word, flick the Word screen up to stop the program 
  • Press the iPad's home button to get back to the home screen
  • Select Word
  • Swipe all the way through the introductory screens until it says "Sign in now" - select Sign in
  • Enter your e-mail address, selected "Next"
  • Sign in to your Microsoft account with your e-mail and password, select "Sign in"
  • Select "Buy Office 365"
  • At the bottom, select the "Restore previous purchase" link
  • Enter your iTunes password

Yeesh.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-04-30T17:06:37+00:00

    Hi all,

    I am in Melbourne Australia and I have exactly the same issues as some of the people who have written in from Hong Kong. That is: I downloaded the iPad Office App using my iTunes account but the Microsoft App won't let me 'Activate' my account even though I purchased on the iPad a 365 Microsoft Account.

    An error message comes up each time I try to activate the account saying that I don't have paid account but my iTunes purchases show I have a one-year Microsoft 365 subscription ($139.99 AUD) which expires April, 2015. 

    I rang Microsoft and they listened but then when the operator realised what the problem was she just hung up on me. Really poor service Microsoft for your much heralded new iPad software!

    Hi,

    Sorry for the inconvenience. Few things to do:

    1. Goto the settings on your iPad. Then under "General->International-> Region Format", could you tell me what is that set to on your device?
    2. Log into office.com/microsoft with the microsoft account you were signed into while purchasing from Apple, can you see if you have office subscription on this account?

    Thanks,

    Sumesh

    I have done both of these things - my region is USA and my microsoft account does not show I purchased it, but I have the receipt for it.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-04-29T17:57:04+00:00

    I am having the opposite problem. I purchased Office 365 through Microsoft. When I try to activate the product code on my ipad, I am directed to the apps, which gives me a message "regrant failed. Please purchase a subscription for this device." I DO have a paid subscription. Very frustrated. Please help.

    Hi,

    If you are still having trouble activating your office on iPad, please try the following steps:

    1. Log into your microsoft account at office.com and then use the code to enable subscription on your account. Alternatively you can goto https://officesetup.getmicrosoftkey.com/ to redeem your code into your account also.
    2. The you can use this account to activate office on any platform including iPad.

    Hope this helps,

    Sumesh

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  3. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2014-04-25T00:13:21+00:00

    Exactly what steps are you taking to activate it on the iPad?

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-04-24T14:29:11+00:00

    I am having the opposite problem. I purchased Office 365 through Microsoft. When I try to activate the product code on my ipad, I am directed to the apps, which gives me a message "regrant failed. Please purchase a subscription for this device." I DO have a paid subscription. Very frustrated. Please help.

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