Office Activation Guide (setup.office.com)

Use this activation guide to redeem your Microsoft Office, Project, Visio, Access, Outlook, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, or other standalone app key. The license will be tied to your Microsoft account upon redemption, meaning you can re-download again in the future, and even move the software between computers if you need to.

All images in this guide are for reference purposes only and cannot be interacted with.

  1. Sign In or Register

    Sign in to your Microsoft account here: https://login.live.com
    Or create a new Microsoft account here: https://signup.live.com/signup

    (Must be a personal Microsoft account, not an organization account).

  2. Redemption Page

    Go to: https://setup.office.com
    Click get started.

  3. Enter Key

    Enter your 25-character product key, make sure the account it’ll be added to is correct, click next.

  4. Confirm Product

    Check the product you will be granted is as expected, choose your language, click redeem.

    Important:
    There are no refunds after clicking confirm, the key will be used and the license permanently tied to your Microsoft account, this cannot be undone by us or Microsoft.

  5. Uninstall Old Versions

    Before installing your new Office app you should uninstall any old versions on your computer. Old versions often conflict with a newer version being installed, Microsoft 365 will nearly always try to override your new install (because they want you to subscribe).

    Uninstalling your old Office program will not delete your files (Word, Excel, etc.), as they are stored separately from the software. For extra security, consider backing up your files.

    Here are links to the Microsoft uninstall guides for Windows and Mac:
    Uninstalling Office from a Windows PC
    Uninstalling Office from a Mac

  6. Run Installer

    Double-click on the Office installer that was downloaded to your computer (most likely in your downloads folder), and follow the on-screen instructions.

  7. Installation Complete

    Your installation is complete when you see the message “You’re all set! Office is installed now”.

  8. Office 2016 Specific Step

    Upon opening an Office App for the first time you will be asked to activate your product with the Office Activation Wizard.

    Select “I want to activate the software over the Internet”, and then select Next. Follow the prompts to complete the activation.

    If the internet activation fails, try the “I want to activate the software by telephone” and then select next. Follow the prompts to complete the activation.