Office reinstallation issue

The message means the Office Home & Business 2024 product key has reached its activation limit under the Microsoft Software License Terms and cannot be activated online again on a new system.

For one-time purchase Office products (Home & Business, Home & Student, Professional), the license is normally limited to a single computer. After hardware change or moving to a new device, activation can fail with a “maximum number of activations” or similar message. In that case, activation must be done by phone and Office must be removed from the old device in line with the license terms.

Recommended steps:

1. Install Office on the new system
   • Sign in with the Microsoft account used to redeem Office Home & Business 2024 at https://account.microsoft.com/services.
   • Confirm that Office Home & Business 2024 is listed under Services & subscriptions.
   • From there, download and install Office on the new device.
2. Activate by telephone if online activation fails
   • Open an Office app (for example, Word) on the new device.
   • When activation fails due to maximum activations, choose the option to activate by telephone (if offered in the activation wizard).
   • Follow the on-screen instructions to call the activation center and complete activation.
3. Uninstall Office from the old computer
   • After successfully activating on the new device, uninstall Office from the original computer to comply with the transfer terms.
4. Review the Software License Terms
   • In an Office app, go to File > Account > About [program name] > View the Microsoft Software License Terms to see the section describing transfer to a different device and activation limits.

If the product key was obtained through a volume license (for example, a Multiple Activation Key / MAK) and not as a retail Home & Business license, it may be subject to organization-only use and a fixed activation count. In that case, contact the organization or seller that provided the key; if it was purchased from an unauthorized third party, request a refund and obtain a genuine retail license.

References:

• Activate Office after reinstalling or installing on a different device
• Read the Software License Terms for Office
• Download, install, or reinstall Microsoft 365 or Office 2024 on a PC or Mac
• "Product key is not valid" error when activating Office
• Unlicensed Product and activation errors in Office
• Can't activate Office - Microsoft Q&A