Install Office 2016 OEM without Live account

Anonymous
2015-10-07T18:12:57+00:00

I manage IT services for several small businesses and periodically need to purchase new computers with Office. I just purchased a new Dell laptop with the OEM version of Office 2016 Home & Business. It will not let me activate it without adding it to a MS account.

I know this is a perennial question, beginning with Office 2013, that is a major headache for independent technical consultants that support small businesses, as I do. But I have never seen a solid answer as to how to get this installed on the computer without the MS account--just a lot of try this, try that. This is NOT Office 365, just Office H & B 2016!

 I will not:

  • Add it to my MS account, or it will be forever stuck to me--which is inappropriate, since I will not own the computer or software once I am paid for the system by my client.
  • Make my client set up a MS account just for this.
  • Pry into my client's information to get his MS account information (if he even has one).

But I must have Office installed, activated, and updated before I give the system to my client. The activation dialog, in fact, gives me the option of using a product key instead of a login, but then proceeds to "Redeem Online"--which I believe will end up with the same result that requires a MS account.

At this point, I now have a bigger issue. I backed up the Program Data folder that contains the cached Office installation files, then uninstalled MS Office, hoping that a reinstall would give me some option to truly install without being forced to figure out a MS account for my client. The uninstallation removed the original setup folders. Good thing I backed it up, but then when I reinstall from any of those, it installs Office 2013, not Office 2016. And while it still validates the key when I click the option to use a key instead of a logon, it (as before) takes me to "Redeem Online".

Hello, Microsoft: this issue alone has just eliminated my entire profit from this project, given the time I have already spent trying to get this done, then uninstalling and attempting to reinstall.

I know there are versions that can be activated without a MS account, but I do not buy in bulk and can never seem to figure out which is which.

How do I get this installed for my client without being required to use a MS account?

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

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-09-24T06:28:27+00:00

    kdmtech, the only downside of OpenOffice/ LibreOffice is the lack of an equivalent Exchange Client like outlook. I posted a great solution to the outlook replacement problem many  pages back - I am rolling it out to more and more clients who are very happy with it as a fully functional outlook replacement (that works with exchange server). Check out "eM Client" at emclient.com. I am in no way affiliated with them but I have been using eM Client in small business environments for well over a year now, and it is a rock solid replacement to outlook.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-06-12T12:51:51+00:00

    "....That link did not help at all.  There needs to be a fix immediately.  Otherwise the giant of Microsoft will suffer great losses in sales.  I think that many IT companies like mine will start looking at alternate products at this point...."  Alex

    Alex,

    Microsoft does not care. Microsoft would rather not sell one-time-purchase version of Office. Microsoft want us all on the 365 subscription service.

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-06-12T12:38:36+00:00

    So am I to understand there is no official reply to a very clear concern?

    What is the answer to the question:

    How do I install Office WITHOUT a Microsoft account.

    Very simple.

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-11-11T00:26:11+00:00

    I am both a small business owner and an IT professional.  I am having the same problem with two newly created workstations for my small business.  I have voiced this issue with the VP of my day job's IT department.  He just placed his project to explore Office2016 on hold.

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  5. Anonymous
    2015-10-21T14:55:19+00:00

    Has anybody tried the option in the Office 2016 activation wizard to create a Microsoft account using a Phone Number?

    I'll have to take a screenshot the next time I install for a client.

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