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
    2017-01-04T09:55:36+00:00

    Rohn

    The process I described is in relation to Office 2013.  I have checked and I do not think it applies to Office 2016.  See the difference at: Manage, download, back up, or restore Office products  The Product Key is revealed when creating a disc for Office 2013 but it appears there is no option to create a disc with Office 2016. [Note this is wrong you can obtain the full key for Office 2016 see post below]

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-01-04T14:33:08+00:00

    This may assist some posters: Manage multiple one-time-purchase Office installs that use the same Microsoft account 

    This article applies to the 2013 and 2016 versions of Office Home & Student, Office Home & Business, and Office Professional. It doesn't apply to Office programs that are installed from an Office 365 subscription or Office installed on a Mac.

    How to identify the product key that was used

    The first set of steps below leads you through the process of discovering the last five characters of the 25-character product key that was used to install Office on a particular PC. We only show you the last five characters of the product key for security reasons so that it’s not easy for an unauthorized person to discover your product key. But don’t worry, the second set of steps below shows you how to use that last five characters to discover the full 25-character product key.

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-01-04T16:49:26+00:00

    Yes, there has been a steady stream of requests for help where the email account used to activate Office "is no longer associated" with Office. These are accounts that have been used for a long time. 

    There does not appear to be any help from MS with this problem

    Rohn, does this mean there has never been a resolution for disassociated copies of Office 2016? Microsoft just refuses to provide a new copy of office for a new Microsoft Account we create?  Does the customer always need to purchase a new copy of Office 2016?  I need some very clear answers here so I'm prepared for such a situation.  Thank you.

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  5. Anonymous
    2017-01-04T17:11:38+00:00

    I'd also like to remind those who have not read about it or forgotten, many IT pros have experienced issues with OEM copies from the likes of Dell that were not able to be activated because they were already activated. Yes, those are from the keycards issued with the PC, sealed in the boxes, and then shipped directly to the consumer. But the copies were already activated before the PC arrived.  That would seem to indicate a pretty good theft ring operating at Dell that needs to be dealt with, but for us it means having to call Dell to deal with the issue. And as I recall, those involved said that Dell said it was not their problem and directed them to Microsoft. Microsoft said it was not their problem and passed them back to Dell.

    As RonBarker said, this is activation process is supposed to be easy and safe. I agreed that it is SUPPOSED to be easy and safe, but the reality of the situation is that the bad guys are still stealing from Microsoft/Dell and we are left to deal with the fallout.  The path to OEM versions of Office 2016 is fraught with even more unknowns and traps than the retail version.  We need to stand before our clients wanting to purchase OEM copies of Office 2016 and announce:

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