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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:
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?
Processes in Microsoft 365 for setting up Office apps, redeeming product keys, and activating licenses.
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
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.
saveme66:
Note that when I did follow Sushma Reddy's advice (more properly passing-of-the-buck) to post the question on the Office 365 forum, it generated a thread about as positive toward MS as this one turned out to be. Here is the link:
https://community.office365.com/en-us/f/156/t/412487
Not one respondent has replied to either of my posts with anything positive to say about the process. The only semi-official MS responses were to replace the question with instructions on how to use account-based activation, not how to activate without an account.
And despite the fact that MS has attempted to turn this into an OEM provider (e.g. Dell) vs. Microsoft issue, my understanding (based on responses to my post) is that the situation does not change even with a retail purchase of H&B 2016. So it is really MS vs (us) the customer, despite what they would like to make us think.
Clearly, MS must reconsider this activation nonsense if they want to retain their customer base. I have exactly zero clients that want subscription-based services like Office 365; they all want to outright purchase the software. Not one of them balks at the cost of the software itself, but the level of nonsense in this account-based activation process and the amount of time it is consuming for me as the sole proprietor of their technical services has just cause me, for one, to now begin testing and seriously considering the free LibreOffice for all my clients.
There are issues even with a MS Live account. To be clear, this is how it has worked for at least two years through this summer:
go to the following link: https://officesetup.getmicrosoftkey.com/
type in 25 character key, hit enter
get MS login page type in account and password
Next page displays two questions, Country and Language
type these in and hit enter, brings you to download page with all the downloads for this account.
However, now as soon as you type in the login information, I am redirected to a page to install Office 365?
No options for Office 2016.
This is the second laptop in a week. The first laptop I received from Dell this week, had a product key that apparently was assigned to someone elses MS Live Account, according to Microsoft. So I said, disable it and assign it to mine, since I have the valid key. Right? We can't do that, says Microsoft, you have to figure it out with Dell.
Let the finger pointing begin!
I heard from my dell rep that this is something they're conscious of and working on @ Microsoft, take that with appropriate grains of salt.
Timeline was suggested to be weeks not months away, as it's been a major annoyance for all the manufacturers and their support trees.
why would he post a question about Office 2016 H&B on the Office 365 site? I would really like to understand this, since every time I try to find an install site for Office 2016, all I seem to find is more information on Office 365. What is the link between office 2016 and office 365?