Cannot activate Word on my iMac home pc

bruce garretson 0 Reputation points
2026-09-05T19:06:03.33+00:00

Try to sign in, sends authenticator pass number and tells me to tap it in the app, the app says I have no passkeys.

endless loop, cannot access my account.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For home | Other

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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-05T19:06:16.31+00:00

    On a Mac, this sign-in loop is commonly tied to Office keychain access or a stuck authentication session.

    Try this in order:

    1. Make sure Office is in the default /Applications folder.
      If Office was moved elsewhere, Microsoft 365 for Mac can repeatedly ask to sign in or show authentication errors.
    2. When the keychain prompt appears, select Always Allow.
      This prompt can appear up to three times per Office app.
    3. If the prompts keep returning, restore keychain permissions:
      • Quit all Microsoft 365 for Mac apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote.
      • Follow the Apple steps for allowing apps to access the keychain.
      • Then open Word again and try signing in.
    4. Sign in from Word again:
      • Open Finder > Applications.
      • Open Microsoft Word.
      • In the What’s New box, select Get Started.
      • On Sign in to activate Office, select Sign in.
      • If not prompted, open a blank file and go to File > New from template > Sign in.
      • Enter the email address associated with the Microsoft 365 subscription, then enter the password.
    5. Verify the correct account is being used.
      For home use, the Office license must be attached to the Microsoft account used to buy or renew Microsoft 365. If one account does not work, try other personal email addresses that may have been used for the purchase.

    If Word still loops on the authenticator step, the supported Mac-side fix in the available guidance is to correct keychain access and retry activation.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  2. Kai-H 26,135 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-09T09:53:11.7933333+00:00

    Hi, bruce garretson

    The number shown by Word is usually an approval request, not a passkey. The loop can happen when the sign-in page opens the wrong verification option or the Authenticator registration is no longer valid.

    Besides the solutions provided by the Q&A Assist, here are some suggestions you can try: 

    On the verification screen, select Sign in another way or I can’t use my Microsoft Authenticator app right now. Choose a text message, email, phone call, or verification code if one was previously added. If no alternative appears, the account does not currently have another verification method available.

    Open Microsoft Authenticator and look for the account itself, not the Passkeys section. If the account is listed, check for an approval notification or use its temporary six-digit code.

    If this is a personal Microsoft account and no verification method works, use the account recovery process to regain access. For a work or school account, the organization’s administrator must reset the authentication methods.

    After account access is restored, run the official Office for Mac License Removal Tool, restart the iMac, reinstall Office, and activate it again. This clears the existing activation state rather than only repeating the same sign-in attempt.

    Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you. 

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Yes" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment."    

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