Processes in Microsoft 365 for setting up Office apps, redeeming product keys, and activating licenses.
If Office shows Unlicensed Product, asks for a product key, or says the product is not supported, use this order:
- Sign in with the account that owns Office
- Open Word or Excel.
- If prompted, sign in with the Microsoft account used to buy Microsoft 365 or Office.
- If the wrong account is being used, Office can show “We couldn't find any Office products.”
- Check whether Office is attached to the account at Subscriptions.
- Do not use a product key if Office was already redeemed
- For Microsoft 365, Office 2016, and individually purchased Office apps, installation and activation should be done with the Microsoft account.
- After a key is redeemed, the product is added to the Microsoft account and the key is no longer needed for reinstall or activation.
- Check for multiple Office installs
- Open Control Panel:
- Windows 11/10: search for Control Panel on the taskbar, then open Programs and Features.
- Windows 8/8.1: right-click Start > Control Panel > Programs and Features.
- Windows 7: Control Panel > Uninstall a program.
- Search for office.
- If more than one Office version is installed, uninstall the version not being used.
- Restart the PC, then open an Office app and sign in again.
- Open Control Panel:
- Run Office as administrator
- Close all Office apps.
- Open Start, type Word.
- Right-click Word and select Run as administrator.
- Select Yes if prompted.
- This can fix permission issues that block activation.
- Update Office
- If Office is preinstalled or not recognizing the product correctly, install the latest Office updates and try activation again.
- If the product key says it is not valid
- A “product key is not valid” message means the key has been blocked and will no longer work.
- In that case, the documented action is to contact the seller and request a refund.
- If the account has the product but activation still fails
- Reinstall Office from the account’s install page instead of using a trial or mismatched preinstalled copy.
- Use Subscriptions to install the version linked to the account.
- If nothing works
- Use the guided support option or contact Office support.