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
    2017-03-01T10:26:19+00:00

    I have only found 1 (quite long winded) way around this. 

    What to do:

    1. Create dedicated email address mailbox for the company. 

    (i.e. ******@company.com)

    1. If possible assign that mailbox an email address for each machine you are installing office on (i. E. ******@company.com, ******@company.com)
    2. Download the disk install media with the first account you register for office. 
    3. Finish the install with the first registration. 
    4. Install office with the disk on the next machines and register with each machine email address. 

    This is a pain to set up at first but after the first one it's a little easier..

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-03-01T11:38:19+00:00

    What an absolute joke! Got 2pcs done with the above. Tried to create the third account "you have reached your daily limit for creating accounts." what a joke Microsoft licencing is now! I guess I'm recommending open office from now on.... How on earth can you role this out to small businesses smoothly?

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-03-01T12:20:41+00:00

    Spoke on the phone to a Microsoft technician about account creation, as you can only create a certain amount of accounts, per ip or something. I then asked him how small businesses would go about rolling out 13 of these smoothly and his reply was "i don't know"... Time to avoid Microsoft products....

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-03-01T12:36:33+00:00

    I am not sure about creation of accounts per IP but so far as number of accounts for Office Home and Business the number of accounts that can be created using the email address and password for a Microsoft Account is 25.

    The problem is that the way, as it appears to me from many of the posts above,  vendors are creating accounts that do not allow the purchaser access to the Office Account created. In other words the purchaser has no way of accessing their Office Account using the email address and password for the Microsoft Account to access their Office Account at:

    https://www.office.com/Myaccount  This is because they do not own the Microsoft Account used to create the Office Account.

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  5. Anonymous
    2017-03-01T15:00:57+00:00

    Personally I think it's time for a major class-action lawsuit against Microsoft for creating this situation and causing many techs and companies to lose time and money on this.  I know I am ready to file on them.  Software should be tied to the computer not the individual when it comes to the business class software.

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