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

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.

0 comments

515 answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2018-04-20T17:41:54+00:00

    No offense - but there are limitations to non-MS products and sometimes it is your customers who dictate the MS dependency. I use Libre Office for personal needs but is not completely compatible. You can make choices but often they are dictated to you.

    I am with everyone else posting here. There is no such thing as an o365 device license and that is a real issue. There are things like Device CALs for Windows Server and Exchange that are device dependent but nothing office.

    I work for a mid sized manufacturer. Virtually everyone touches office today and we are looking to make updates. The problem comes in with our Shop computers. 10 or so people may touch them but they don't have emails and all use Access, Excel and Word. Sure a viewer works here for Excel and Word BUT then you can not edit the documents. (And sometimes a user does use them to access their email with Outlook.) That's about 80 people who don't need a dedicated license for themselves but a device CAL works perfectly.

    It's bad enough we have to buy Server CALs for them. But to have to spend $110 each or ~$9000 a YEAR to have them minimally use Office (but for critical needs) does not work. It is wasteful and simply a money grab.

    We are certainly looking into Libre Office more closely for these users at least. The learning curve is not pretty for our user base though.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2018-03-27T16:08:54+00:00

    Totally agree. Due to before mentioned issues... I've solved the issue definitely in 7 easy steps. 

    1st - remove all 81 MS Office products from desktops in org. 

    2nd - install Libre Office for everyone. 

    3rd - cease purchases in MS for 3 years.

    4th - install 3 remote terminals with MS Office in case any user couldn't do their tasks in Libre Office. 

    5th - asap sell 78 keys to some looser-addict org like yours that can't live without MS.

    6th - cash my check. 

    7th - donate 10% to Libre Office org.

    So simple. Don't be an addict, you won't need to cry here then. Have a nice day!

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2018-03-11T15:48:27+00:00

    Completely agree 100 %.   Can't tell you how much time is wasted trying to accommodate this archaic way of registering products.  Come on MS, get something better already....

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2018-03-11T15:43:10+00:00

    I am in the same boat as most other people on this thread: Run an IT support business, support 500+ businesses and have the same ongoing headaches with Office 2016 over the past few years

    • Business is too small to go to volume licensing (1-20 seats average) or have not interested based on commitment or price.
    • Are forced to create dummy accounts for clients (ie ******@registeredmaildomain.com) to install the Office, which can get very tedious when installing 15 copies for our techs and costly for the client.
    • Recently account registration also requires a mobile(cell) number to set up the account that seems to limit only 5 uses in 24 hours, again very frustrating.
    • The issue with unable to install Publisher (volume license) with H&B 2016 due to click to run issue.
    • Various ‘click to run’ compatibility issues with dental & medical software
    • Unable to purchase just Word 2016 perpetual (maybe a localised Australian thing) as we were with Word 2013.

    We are a Microsoft Silver ‘Partner’ for what that is worth and we bring up these issues at the Microsoft Roadshow events and every time we talk to our partner rep but we are fobbed off about it and nothing seems to get done about the issue.

    Without reading through all 49 pages have there been any worthwhile response from MS on this thread?

    Anyway, maybe the more voices we add to the thread, it might stir some action from the behemoth that is Microsoft…

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2018-02-12T04:08:54+00:00

    Why did Microsoft even attempt to sell perpetual version of Office and yet make it frustrating to activate? Won't this piss off customers to the competitors instead of Office 365 instead?

    Because there are no viable competitors...  That's why we've all been complaining for so long instead of going with the "competition"

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments