Yeah, this is starting to be our approach to - Microsoft is making Windows and Office be more "consumer-y" so we might as well go Apple, it works a lot better.  We've avoided Apple for decades because they didn't understand small business and it looks as though MS is having the same issue now so why bother fighting it anymore?

I've just joined this merry band as I have also found out what a nightmare this activation scenario is. I am also an IT person that manages IT for many small IT companies & have finally had to install Office 2016 on a new PC for one of my clients.

After being stunned by the requirement to create a Microsoft account for my client I decided to create an account that will never be used & the installation chugged along. I then opened Outlook & was again prompted to activate the product with the newly created Outlook.com account, so I put the information in & it came up with an error installing the product key & would I like to run a repair. I ran the repair & it failed. Reboot, activate, repair failed.

Now I face the prospect of removing Office 2016, downloading the entire suite again & probably encountering the same issue.

Microsoft, you need to listed to us small business consultants. Sort this activation ISSUE out!!!!

SORRY THIS DOESN'T WORK!!!!

Microsoft must have changed Office 2016 since that article was written!!!

On the phone to Microsoft now... Update to follow...

Brian,

I found the answer here: http://softday.do.am/forum/11-113-1

Maybe you can update your original post with this so users won't have to wade through 14 or more pages to get to this.

Just in case the link gets lost / goes dead here's the contents of the page:-

Office 2016 Phone Activation Via Command Line

How to use command line to change/activate MAK product key for Office 2016 installation

Instruction:

1. Open any Office 2016 Application first time  and close it.
2. Right click the start menu and choose "command prompt (admin)"

3. Type this script and hit Enter:

For 32-bit versions of Office on 32-bit versions of Windows or 64-bit versions of Office 2016 on 64-bit versions of Windows the script is

Code

cscript "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\OSPP.VBS" /inpkey:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

If you are installing the 32-bit version of Office on 64-bit versions of Windows the script is

Code

cscript "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office16\OSPP.VBS" /inpkey:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

(Note:Where xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx is the Product Key.)

4. Open any Office Component such as Word 2016
5. When MS Office activation wizard  then hit Activate by Phone option

6. You will get Installation ID in this step

7. Call Microsoft Free Call Center and get the Confirmation ID Read carefully details about how to deal with robot speaker By Skype:

You will see some toll-free phone numbers which you can call. UK Free Call Skype Dial Number  [+448000188354]  l  USA Free Call Skype Dial Number [+18007548300]  l  Worldwide telephone numbers  l

* Make sure have a microphone plugged into your PC in order for the dial pad to work ! *

If you don't have microphone plug in any JACK into your motherboard headphone port & use your soundbox to hear voice or use Android Phone with Skype installed on phone.#

Full Skype conversation & respond the right answer to order to get successfully verification:

Verification Numbers:

    For security reason please enter the following number using your touch-tone pad.

== Dial the numbers using touch-tone pad robot speaker has given to you.===

    Press one as a home user and two if you are a business customer with a volume license agreement.

===DIAL 1 using touch-tone pad===

    Press one if you have your Installation  ID available if not press 2

===DIAL 1 using touch-tone pad===

    If you want to activate Office for MAC press one now, to activate all other MS product press 2

===DIAL 1 using touch-tone pad===

In this stage robot Speaker will ask your 9 group of  Installation ID dial one by one using touch-tone pad

Finally speaker will ask you last question:

    On how many computer is your product currently installed?

*** DIAL 1 using your touch-tone pad.... ***

In the end you will get Confirmation ID just type the ID in the activation wizard confirmation ID sectiction.

Latest Testimonial: Tested on Virtual Machine Windows 10 Pro Retail x64 & Office 2016 Pro Plus both activated with MAK Keys By Phone successfully

If this works, this is a great answer.  A few questions to Rob's reply, which someone will eventually figure out and hopefully post.

Would this code work for Windows 64 bit and Office 64 bit?

Code

cscript "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\OSPP.VBS" /inpkey:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

I note that two of the pictures indicate this is activating Office 2013.  Is this a mistake from the original forum poster or does MS Office 2016 actually indicate Office 2013?

What happens at that point if you use internet activation instead of phone activation? Those phone calls are painfully slow.

Sorry,

I thought that was the answer but it doesn't work!!!!

We've pulled our hair out and now are on the phone with Microsoft support!

The answer is that they do not support activation using telephone anymore!

We are going to ask why they do not support it. How do Government Departments / NSA/ FBI activate their software on their offline networks?

Maybe you have to buy enterprise versions?