All paid products from Microsoft go through the Activation process. While most of the time it works, sometimes there is a problem. In this guide, we are looking at some common solutions to troubleshoot Office activation. It covers Office 365, Office 2019 and Office 2016 and Office 2013. We will look at the following:
- Check Office subscription status or an active license
- Make sure to use the right account
- Use Microsoft Office Activation Troubleshooters
- Use a valid key, and where to find the key in your account.
- Troubleshoot subscription notice.
- Switching Office 365 subscription plan
- Installing Office for two different countries
- Office HUP account
Troubleshooting Office activation issues
1] Make sure you have an active subscription or an active license
Make sure you have an active subscription. When your subscription expires, Office products will have reduced functionality. You should also get an error message asking to renew the subscription. Go to Office.com and check subscription status under orders.
2] Use the same account to activate Office with which you made the purchase
You may have multiple Microsoft account. You might have accidentally used a different account to buy Office subscription, and have a using other to activate it. Make sure to use the right account to activate the subscription. In case you have accidentally renewed subscription with some other account, use that for Office to enable it.
3] Microsoft Office Activation Troubleshooters for Office 2019 & Office 365
Read our in-depth guide on how you can use the Office Activation Troubleshooter to fix usual problems around activation.
4] Use the right Key, and here is how you can find it
First, you need to figure out which Microsoft account you have used to buy the Office subscription. The best way to figure it is to open any Office app, and then go to File > Account and look for the email address after “Belongs to” below the product name.
- Next, go to Online Microsoft Store and sign-in with that account.
- Click on the name at the top, and select Order History.
- Locate the Office > then select Install Office. Here you can view the product key.
You can use this to activate Office. In case you bought Office 365 or any other online version, all you need is active subscription and sign-in with it.
Read: How to uninstall Microsoft Office Product Key.
5] A subscription notice appears when I open an Office 365 application
Here is a list of a subscription notice you can get. It usually appears in red or yellow. The common reasons behind it are either your subscription has expired, or payment has failed on renewal, or an update is required. The last one appears when subscription type changes.
The messages will have enough information to help you understand the exact problem.
- Renew your subscription or Subscription expired
- PRODUCT NOTICE <App> hasn’t been activated. To keep using <app> without interruption, activate before <expiration date>
- PRODUCT NOTICE Most of the features of <app> have been disabled because it hasn’t been activated
- Product Deactivated
- Couldn’t Verify Subscription
- ACCOUNT NOTICE or UPDATE REQUIRED: Your Office 365 subscription has a pending change
- ACCOUNT NOTICE. We’ve run into a problem with your Office 365 subscription and need your help to fix it.
- Unlicensed Product or a different activation error.
If your computer is part of an enterprise, ask your IT admin to troubleshoot Office activation.
7] “Account Notice” appears in Office after switching Office 365 plans
Many a time consumers change their Office plans. You might have moved from Office 365 Professional to Home or vice versa. It is possible that you might have to install the version of Office that comes with your new plan. Sometimes it takes 1-3 days or even more for the client to realize it.
Depending on the message, you will be given the option to sign-in or update the application.
8] Error when installing Office for two different countries
This error occurs when using Office 2013. When you change region or country, you need to buy a separate copy for each of them. The best way is to use two different accounts. Switch when you need to switch the country or region.
When it comes to Office 2016, you need to install a LAP or Language accessory pack for Office 2016. Once installed, you can switch the settings. However, you cannot run two instances of Word or Excel or anything else in two different languages. Once the language is installed, you can configure your active Office language.
Steps to change Language accessory pack for Office 2016
- Open any of the Office applications, and then navigate to File > Options > Language > Editing Languages
- Select the language in which you want to edit the document. You can add multiple languages, and set one as default.
- The default language is used for editing and proofing
- Restart all Office programs for changes to take effect.
Microsoft HUP benefit
Microsoft HUP or Home Use Program part of Volume Licensing. The advantage is passed on to the employees of the eligible organization for their home machines. If you are part of such a program, you need to activate using the product key. You can ask your IT admin for the license and choose to skip sign in or create an account.
We hope these tips help you troubleshoot Office activation problems.
