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
    2015-10-29T11:28:23+00:00

    I'm in brazil.

    The same is happening with me. On top of this, there are key problems that do not activate. No error message, no message saying that the key has already been used somewhere, nothing. I can not register the OEM key. Microsoft says I should talk to Dell and Dell says I should talk to Microsoft.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-10-25T23:43:49+00:00

    Robear,

    I hear you!  Nevertheless, there is no we we have found outside doing the very things you say you won't do to accomplish activating Office 2016.  If you do find a way, please post it for the rest of us!  We would like to know about it, too.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-10-25T20:57:49+00:00

    ...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 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).

    +1

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-10-21T18:48:39+00:00

    Ok, it seems the new product code worked. The one change I made, which differs from the process we usually use, is I had to use the "******@outlook.com account I used when I configured this laptop when I received it. When I used this account, I received the expected two questions asking for a, "Country", and "Language". Then the next page contained the button to begin an "Install".

    So, it looks  like, whatever account you use to setup the device, that account must be used  to perform the Install of Office Professional 2016.  This causes us logistic problems, but at least I can get it to work.

    I hope this helps some of you!

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  5. Anonymous
    2015-10-21T18:45:58+00:00

    I am also not a fan of the change to the new "per userid" vs the good old  "per machine id" licensing methodology.  I too believe that MS has made Office 2016/2013 local licenses as awkward to manage as possible to force people people to switch to Office 365 licenses.  Unfortunately, too many small support IT companies, and small user companies are mismanaging those.

    As a responsible IT professional, here is a workaround I cringe to suggest.  Ask for the userid and passwords. Yes, I know this is a gross violation of basic security protocol / policy.  Do the install to the dedicated userid then immediately contact the user and tell them to change their password.

    I will pass this question on to my MS contact, who will pass it on to the Office development team. Maybe we will get a useful answer from them.

    I know there is a way to do "local" installs of Window 8/10 (without a MS account), but I have not seen any method for Office 2013/2016

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