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
    2014-04-01T20:57:59+00:00

    In case my experience helps:

    1. Yes, through Hong Kong App Store.
    2. English language setting.
    3. New 365 subscription.

    Cheers,

    Don

    Thanks, Don!

    All, purchasing from the HK App Store with a device language set to English is a unique case that we're currently investigating. Sumesh (also replying in this thread) is driving the investigation from our side. More info to come from Sumesh as soon as we have it.

    If your case does not involve HK App Store + English device language then we'll address these issues separately. Also more to come from Sumesh.

    Thank you for your patience.

    Matt

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-04-01T20:47:27+00:00

    Has anyone gotten resolution to this issue? I am in the same boat in Hong Kong and still cannot get this to work even after subscribing to the service on two Microsoft accounts!!

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-04-01T16:26:04+00:00

    Truemann,

    Sorry to hear about your experience.

    I see that when trying to buy form Excel, it did tell you that you already have the subscription (as expected). Did you get the same message when you tried to purchase from powerpoint?

    If you saw the same messge, Apple should not have charged you the last 2 times.

    Would you be alright with me getting in direct contact with you to resolve this issue?

    Thanks,

    Sumesh

    (Microsoft Office Engg.)

    Thanks Sumesh,

    I did not expect the attempts to make the activation work would turn out to be 3 purchases.  So I did not pay much attention to the messages.  I did not capture the screen for record neither.  Pity.

    Despite what you say.  What I see on the purchase history are 3 purchases - 1 for Word, 1 for Excel and 1 for ppt.  All were done through in-App Activate button.

    I do not know what you could do to resolve it, since I have filed my claim for refund from Apple.

    Maybe I would wait until this issue to be officially and permanently fixed.

    Regards,

    truemann

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-04-01T15:56:53+00:00

    Truemann,

    Sorry to hear about your experience.

    I see that when trying to buy form Excel, it did tell you that you already have the subscription (as expected). Did you get the same message when you tried to purchase from powerpoint?

    If you saw the same messge, Apple should not have charged you the last 2 times.

    Would you be alright with me getting in direct contact with you to resolve this issue?

    Thanks,

    Sumesh

    (Microsoft Office Engg.)

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