One of the most common problems we have when trying to open Word (or Excel or any other suite) are activation errors or problems indicating that the license is invalid or expired. A window prevents us from accessing or using all the features of the software because it ensures that there are problems with unlicensed product or activation errors. Today we explain why it happens, how you can try to solve it or what alternative measures you can use in case you need to create a document or a data table.

You probably know what it is and have used it at some point. Office is a set of Microsoft applications and products for all kinds of office tasks such as writing documents, creating presentations or creating tables, for example. Among the applications we find all kinds of tools for the business environment or for the home.

There are few people who do not know the applications and programs of the Office suite such as Word, Excel or PowerPoint as the most used, but also Outlook, Access, OneNote or Publisher among many others. But you have also seen, for sure, that message that says “Your license may no longer be valid”. There are many errors that can occur, but also many possible solutions with which we can test what happens or why this activation error. For this reason, we will explain everything you should take into account in case you encounter any problem.

What is an Office license?

Microsoft Office licenses can be sold both individually and together, if you purchase the complete suite. If you do it individually, you will be able to acquire them for a more economical price. However, this type of license can only be installed and used on a single computer. They are strictly necessary to make use of Microsoft Office services.

In case you want a joint one, you should know that Office 365 is Microsoft’ s office suite in the cloud. With this package, you can access all the tools from anywhere, at any time regardless of the device (computer, smartphone or tablet) or operating system (Windows, Linux, Android or iOS) you use. The license will allow you to make use of all these programs under a single user. Here is the full set of applications to which we will have access if we have this specific license:

• Word

It was developed for the creation of texts.

• Excel

It was developed to create spreadsheets with a multitude of functions and other features.

• PowerPoint

This option is designed for the creation of slides and presentations.

• Outlook

It is a computer program that manages electronic mail.

• Access

It is a tool for editing databases.

• InfoPath

This is a program used to develop XML-based data entry forms.

• OneNote

It is a tool for taking notes.

• Publisher

An application designed to compete with desktop publishing software such as InDesign, i.e. it is a layout program.

• SharePoint Workspace

In this case it is a group collaboration tool through P2P.

• Lync

This is a real-time video and instant messaging conference and meeting manager.

This suite is available on a pay-per-access or fee-per-access basis, and is a very flexible method of contracting that allows you to pay only for what you sign up for. There are a large number of different subscriptions available when using Office 365. It is possible to choose one of the available options or mix and match options to configure Office 365 to meet your specific needs.

Activation error and solutions

Sometime you may have gone to open any of the office suite programs and an error message does not allow you to access. Possibly you can’t even type or it lets you type, but many features are not enabled or allowed. In that case, you can follow the steps below to try to fix activation and unlicensed product errors in Office. You will be able to try all options before looking for an alternative. If none of the following will work for you, please contact support.

When you get this error, you will see a window displaying the message that it is an unlicensed product or a “For non-commercial use” product. You can try to restore Office features by following four very basic steps that will only take a few minutes. Note that the next four steps will be explained to you if you have an Office account or have purchased it legally. It won’t help if you are using a pirated or downloaded version. In that case, read on to find out how to proceed.

Log in to Office

The first thing you should do is try to log in with your email address. In that case, you will have to test all the emails you have in case there are several in use. However, you also have the option to try your work email in case you have purchased the professional license or the educational license, for example.

In any case, test all your emails and log in. Once you are logged in go to the Services and subscriptions option. In this section you will find your Office product or the subscription you have to Microsoft 365. It is important that when using this product you are in the correct account, otherwise you may be in another account that does not have a subscription and this is what is giving you problems.

Check installed versions

If you have multiple copies of the software installed on your computer, there may be an error. You may have several versions and that is causing the computer to crash. However, we can always go to the control panel of our Windows computer to see which versions we have installed on the PC. If you do not know how to do it on your own, here are the steps to follow:

• Open the Control Panel on your computer.
• Go to the “Search programs and features” box in the upper right corner.
• Type the word “Office” in the Programs and Features box.
• You will be able to see which versions are installed on your computer.
• If more than one version appears, uninstall the one you do not use.
• Once uninstalled, restart the computer to complete the process.
• Reboot, try opening Office and log in if prompted.
• If the error has been fixed, you will be able to use it normally.
• In case it is not fixed, keep trying the following steps.

Check your Microsoft 365 subscription

This step is only useful if you have a Microsoft 365 subscription. Basically, because we will tell you how you can check your subscription. There may be a problem with the subscription that has been canceled without your knowledge and you need to reactivate it on your own. Therefore, you must follow this series of steps:

• Close all applications.
• Go to the Microsoft Services and Subscriptions page.
• Access with your username and password and log in.
• Go to the “Subscriptions” section.
• See “Canceled subscriptions“.
• Here you will see if it has expired, when it expired, etc.
• You can renew it if you are interested and solve the activation problem.

For example, you may find that your subscription is cancelled or expired, so you will have to renew it to be able to enjoy it. If you haven’t subscribed, it may be because there was an error in the subscription process and you didn’t realize it, you will have to choose the service you are interested in and subscribe to it. In any case, check that you have a subscription that you can use and make sure that you do not want to change it for another one,

Troubleshooter

If none of the above works, Microsoft Office has a troubleshooter that you can download for free. Most of all, because there can be several errors that could give us this problem. So, there are three options depending on your version:

• Office 365.
• Office 2021, 2019 and Office 2016.
• Office 2013.

Once you download it, it will automatically run a scan to see what is happening or where the error is. It will analyze the system looking for any possible failure that is causing you to not be able to install your Office. In addition, it will automatically repair the errors it has found and fix the error if you have not already done so with the above steps. We recommend that you do all of the above first to save yourself from scanning or downloading this software to your computer.

If you have tried the other solutions and you still have the problem, then it is interesting to use the Support and Recovery Wizard that Microsoft has available for free for several of its services. The first thing to do is to download the wizard to your computer and run it in Administrator Mode.

This “troubleshooter” is developed by the Redmond company to support users of Office / Microsoft 365, but also of the Windows operating system itself, Outlook, Skype, mobile devices, OneDrive, Dynamics 365 and other advanced diagnostics.

Once downloaded, run the file in Administrator Mode by double clicking on SetupProd_Act.exe. In the Windows installation box we confirm that we want to do it by clicking on Install. We give permission for the application to make modifications to the device. Now you will only have to follow the steps, choosing first the application, Office, and other issues. If you are unable to solve the problem, it is recommended that you continue reading our suggestions below.

Operating system not supported

You will probably get the following error message after selecting the Install button on office.com/myaccount: Unsupported Operating System. The unsupported operating system error indicates that you cannot install it on the current device. This error can occur if we are on a computer and trying to install the Mac version of a one-time purchase, such as Office Home and Student; or if we are trying to install the PC version on a Mac.

To get solutions to this, we will look at why we are getting the unsupported operating system error when installing Office. Perhaps we are trying to install it on a mobile device, such as an iPad or iPhone, or a Chromebook. The Install button available after logging in, downloads the version that is designed to run on a computer or Mac. To install it on a mobile device, we will need to see how to set up Office apps and email on a mobile device.

The same happens when installing it on a Chromebook, we will have to review how to install Office on a Chromebook. And, in case we are trying to install the desktop version of Office on an unsupported operating system, such as Windows XP or Vista, we will have to verify that the system requirements are compatible.

Other tips and tricks you can check out

If none of the above works, we can follow other steps to try to check the activation problems. It can be many different errors like the date of the computer, like the user you are using to run Office… But we can check one by one all the problems and possible solutions until we find what is happening and why.

Run Office as administrator

One of the most common options to solve activation and unlicensed product errors in Office is to run the program as administrator. In this way, we may be able to solve permissions problems. To do this, you will have to do the following from your computer:

• Close all applications
• Click on the Home button in the lower left corner.
• Type the name of the application you want
• Right-click on the program icon
• Select the option “Run as administrator”.
• Choose the “Yes” option to run Office as administrator.

Check date, time and time zone

If this parameter is configured incorrectly on your computer, you may encounter many problems. Among them, activation errors in Office. You can change it quickly with just a few steps. The steps we must follow will depend on the operating system you have, it will vary depending on whether you usually use Windows 10 or use previous versions of Microsoft’s operating system.

With Windows 10 and Windows 11

The steps with Windows 10 and Windows 11 are as follows:

• Close all Office applications.
• Go to the lower right corner of the screen.
• Select the date or time.
• Choose the “Date and time settings” option.
• Select “Set time automatically“.
• Once here, click on “Set time zone automatically“.
• If this option is not available, choose the time manually.
• Restart any application you have in Office.

If you have Windows 8 or Windows 8.1

If you have an older operating system, the steps to follow are as follows:

• Go to the lower right corner of the screen.
• Click on “Change date and time settings”.
• If it is incorrect, select “Change date and time”.
• Correct the configuration and set it accordingly.
• Also choose the correct time zone.
• Restart the applications to try again.

With Windows 7

If you are still using Windows 7 for any reason, here are the steps you should follow:

• Close Office applications.
• Choose the date and time at the bottom right.
• If they are wrongly defined you should choose “change date and time” and correct them.
• If the time zone is also wrong, you must enter “change time zone” and choose your local time zone.
• Finally you must restart the Office applications.

You must value that with Windows 7 it is possible to synchronize the clock with an online time server to keep this data always updated. To do this, you must proceed as follows:

• Go again to the lower right corner and choose the date and time.
• Select “change date and time settings”.
• Choose the “Internet time” tab and “change settings”.
• Finally, you must click on “update now” in the text “synchronize with an Internet time server”.

Update

In case you have an older version on your computer, you can upgrade the product to fix any bugs that have appeared overnight. This process will be free if you have a previously purchased version. Therefore, to update the Office package you will have to follow the following process:

• Close Office applications.
• Go to the Microsoft Store.
• Log in with your data and password and go to your profile.
• Click on the three dots and go to Downloads and Updates.
• Click on the “Get updates” option.

facilities

If you are having problems activating the Office license on a computer and you have already done it on others without any problem then it is possible that the error is because you have exceeded the maximum number of activations allowed. Office sets a maximum number of activations, therefore, if you have already reached the maximum allowed, you will find that it is no longer possible to perform a new activation if you do not previously deactivate an installation.

That is, you will have to deactivate an installation on another computer to make a new installation and activation of the Microsoft suite. It is important to know that, if you deactivate Office this does not mean that the tool is uninstalled from that computer, the only thing is that you will not be able to use it while it remains deactivated. However, if at any time we want to use Office again on that computer, just re-activate it and you will have it available again.

Maybe this is the problem and you are not aware of it because you no longer use the other computer and therefore you have not even bothered to uninstall programs such as Office itself, or in this case at least deactivate it so you can use it on a computer that you do use. In case you are using both, you will have to consider getting a new subscription or setting priorities.

We must be aware that in this way our system will be more vulnerable, especially when using Internet services (browsing, e-mail, etc.). So we should deactivate it only during the period in which we are doing the checks. After that, it should be re-enabled. Also, remember to keep it always up to date.

Antivirus

The same can be done with the antivirus, if you are using a third-party security tool, you should consult the manual to find out how to disable it. In the case of using the Windows 10 antivirus, from the settings page or the Control Panel you can access to disable it.

All we have to do is go to System and Security in the Control Panel and then to SetupProd_Act.exe. In the section Antivirus Protection, the security programs of this type that have been detected by the operating system will be displayed. We will be able to deactivate them and to verify if the error to initiate Office remits.

Permanent protection and live system scan are two antivirus options that can cause this type of problem by detecting a harmless application as dangerous. Therefore, if you disable it, you may solve the problem momentarily. However, don’t forget to re-enable it afterwards to keep your computer protected.

Proxy and VPN

The same applies if you make use of a proxy. In this case, you should deactivate the tool to check if you can complete the activation of the Microsoft suite with it disabled. In fact, it is advisable to disable the proxy and VPN before starting the installation process. To deactivate the VPN connection, simply access it and click on Disconnect. To disable the Proxy server in Windows 10 we have to do the following:

• Go to Start / Settings / Network and Internet in the Control Panel.
• In the left sidebar click on Proxy.
• Disable the Proxy Auto-Detect option.
• Under Automatic Proxy Configuration we will also uncheck the checkbox.

In this way it is likely that we will be able to finish the installation of Microsoft’s office suite and then use it without any problems.

Specific cases

In some cases you may receive a specific error message. We explain the most common error messages when Office is activated.

Error SR98E4SH-S

This error usually occurs when installing Office on Mac. You will get the following message: ” Your key has been successfully redeemed, however, the installation could not be started. Do not try to reinstall Microsoft Office with the same product key, it may block the installation. the product. Telephone verification is required to reactivate the product key. “.

Many users who open the software, read the instructions and try to configure it, encounter a hacker scam. When typing the URL of the instructions in the Safari search bar, we are automatically redirected to a fraudulent website. If we try to redeem the Office license, an error code will appear with a phone number to call. If we call, we will be answered by someone quite credible, but they will suggest that the only way to fix it will be to deposit a sum of money.

Obviously, we should hang up and not continue with this scam. Actually, when we type that URL in Safari, it auto-completes to a website suggested by Siri office-com-setup.com, which is a spam site. We should close it and go directly to office.com/setup to enter the key and download Office without problems.

Error 0x80070005

If for a moment you get the error 0x80070005 error when activating Office, common in 365, 2013 and 2016, it is because Windows can not validate the Office key or activate it. The first thing that can cause this error is not having the active license, because it is convenient to know and if not pay the corresponding subscription to recover it.

It can also be due to the fact that, if we have bought it in the Microsoft store, we should update it in some way. To do this, we open any of the tools that make up the office suite, go to the File option > Account and in Product Information click on Update Options > Update Now.

The third reason for this error may be that you do not have the relevant permissions, which is very unlikely, but can happen. We must close all of Office and open some of its tools with Administrator permissions. Once you have done this, you will need to complete the following steps from your computer:

• Open File.
• Go to the bottom of the program and select the “Account” option.
• Tap on “Activate product“.

Try the activation again. This may vary depending on whether we have a different version of Word, for example, or if we have several services connected, but just go to the “Account” section and manage the configuration by opening the different products or tapping on “Change license”.

Problems with Office 2013

Some problems when activating our new Windows office suite key, are those derived from the fact that in our computer equipment there is previously an active version of Office 2013, which generates incompatibility problems when introducing new licenses, so we will have to manually remove these existing keys on our PC. The way to proceed is as follows:

• We go to the start menu, where we will execute the command prompt, and we will execute the following commands, depending if the version of our operating system is 64 or 32 bits, and the version of Office.
  • Windows 64 bits with Office 32 bits: cscript.exe “%ProgramFiles(x86)%Microsoft OfficeOffice15ospp.vbs” /dstatus
  • For Windows 32-bit, or 64-bit Office with Windows 64-bit, the code changes to: exe “%ProgramFiles%OfficeOffice15ospp.vbs” /dstatus
• Once we have the results on screen, we will have to look at the 2013 product key that we have installed, specifically the last five numbers of this to proceed to delete it in the next step.
• To remove the product key from your PC, enter the following code at the command prompt: cscript ospp.vbs /unpkey: <Last five characters of product key>

This is the example shown in the official help section of the website in this regard:

If it doesn’t work: Use Office for free

If you are experiencing activation and unlicensed product errors and have not been able to fix them, you can use Office online. Microsoft has a free suite that anyone can use if you have a Microsoft account. You don’t have to pay anything and just sign up. Whether your intention to hack has gone wrong or if your account does not work and you need it urgently, you can resort to this alternative. Office Online gives us 5 GB of cloud storage to save whatever we want and offers us a Word that we can use in the browser.

If you don’t have a Microsoft account or don’t remember having one, you can log in with your old Hotmail account. Once you are in, Word online will allow you to use templates of all kinds or create a document from scratch. It’s handy for emergencies if you can’t work out the bugs and need to create a document. Beyond Word you will also find Excel or PowerPoint that will allow you to use them for free from the browser and whose results will be saved in the OneDrive cloud.

If free Office does not seem like a good option, there are alternatives that allow us to do exactly the same and have offline versions that we can use, for example. Beyond downloadable programs or alternatives to Office, of which there are many, there are some websites that work as word processors that have little or nothing to envy to the Microsoft suite. This is the case of Google with its Documents tool, for example, which allows us to create any text, format it, change the colors or even export it as a PDF to send it by email to whomever you want. There is no need to install anything and you just need to have a Gmail account to go to Google and start using it.

In addition, the Google suite also allows us other alternative programs to Excel or PowerPoint with which we can not only create text but also presentations with Slides or spreadsheets that we can save or export in any format we need. It is not a solution to the failed activation of Office, but it can be a partial solution when we need to use it urgently and do not know what to do until we get it fixed.

What you can also do is, if you have discovered that you do not have a valid license, is to purchase the license corresponding to the service you are most interested in from the Microsoft suite, which you will activate later as mentioned above.

Still not going? Contact support

If it still does not work and you do not know what to do, the best thing to do is to contact Microsoft technical support. In addition, we will have three possible ways to get to do so in order to resolve the failure that prevents us from activating the license.

Therefore, we recommend that you try these methods after you have followed all the above steps and, above all, that you check that the license is correct, has not expired, that you have not failed to renew it by mistake or that none of the above is happening. If you do not have one because you have tried with the ones that do not work, you will have to buy it. This will be the main mistake. In case you have checked all these points, you will have to try these contact methods:

Use your specific support tool

Another solution related to Microsoft support is to install a tool from the link we mentioned above. Once you download it, install it and sign in with your account. Once you have done so, Microsoft technicians will help you troubleshoot problems related to Office activation.

In addition, you should remember that this one, called Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant, is compatible with the 2016, 2019 and 365 versions of Microsoft Office. In any case, you should know that the download link is this. If you click on it, it will download automatically and you can use it on the spot by clicking or searching for it in the downloads folder whenever you want.

Open Microsoft Help

You will be able to contact the company’s technical support to receive advice with your problem from the following contact website. You can do this by opening the application or by clicking on get technical support in the browser, whichever option is more convenient for you. You will also find other support options for SMB Microsoft 365 administrators, by opening a request in their admin center, with local support for paid support and in the Microsoft Store support to choose a product or inquire about a previous purchase.

Once the help window opens, you will have to ask your question. For example, that you cannot install Office or whatever problem you are having. It will show you some pages that may be of interest to you and recommended articles that you can consult, but if you want to take the step directly to contact support you should click on Contact technical support. You will have to cover everything they ask you, from the products and services, the category and click on confirm. In this case, you will be able to choose between chat or give your phone number to be called. You will accept the terms of service agreement.

Also, if you type help in the search engine, one of the suggested options will be Microsoft help and will take you to the corresponding section. You can also choose to access from the guided technical support for this type of problems, which you will find from the following Microsoft support page.

Chat or telephone support

If you click on chat, the option will open in your browser. This is the fastest option for you because you will ensure that the technicians will contact you as soon as possible when they see that you are waiting for their consultation. You will be shown the current position you are in on your waiting list, so you will know if there are many people before you or not. At the top of the page, next to exit, you can change it to your language. It doesn’t usually take long. Also, in case you switch to another app or window while you are with them, the chat session may be disconnected, so it may be best to wait without switching to another app or service until you get attention.

If you see that it will take too long or you don’t want to wait, go back to the other option and choose the telephone contact because the attention can sometimes be delayed and if you work with other things you won’t have time for it. If you give your phone number, you must indicate it giving your country code and number and they will call you back as soon as possible.