Office Says “Unlicensed Product” or “Product Activation Failed”: How to Fix It

Does Office say "Unlicensed Product" in the title bar of Word or Excel, or show "Activation Required" and "Product Activation Failed"? Office is installed, but it hasn't found a valid license for this installation yet, so most editing features stop working. The good news: in most cases the cause is simple and you can fix it in a few minutes. This guide helps you find the cause first, depending on the license type you bought, and then shows the fix for each case.

IMPORTANT: Don't download "activators" or tools that promise to fix activation for you. They are not from Microsoft, they can damage your computer, and they can break a license that would otherwise work. Every step in this guide uses only Office, Windows and Microsoft's own websites.

IMPORTANT: Keep your product key at hand and connect the computer to the internet. Office checks your license online.

1. See what Office says about your license

1.1 Open Word (or any Office app) and go to File > Account.

1.2 Look at the box under "Product Information". If activation is not complete, Office shows "Activation Required", the name of the product it installed and a warning that the product is unlicensed. Write down the exact product name: you will need it in section 2.

1.3 Compare that product name with the one in your order. For example, if your order says Office 2021 Professional Plus but Office shows "Office LTSC Professional Plus 2024" or "Microsoft 365", the installed version doesn't match your license. That is the most common cause, and section 3 explains how to fix it.

1.4 Optional, for advanced users: Microsoft documents a script called ospp.vbs that lists the product keys installed in Office. Type "cmd" in the search box of the taskbar, click "Run as administrator" and click "Yes". Then type these two commands, pressing Enter after each one (if you installed 32-bit Office on 64-bit Windows, use "Program Files (x86)" in the first command):

cd "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16"

cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus

For each installed key, the script shows the license name, the license status and the last 5 characters of the key. If those 5 characters are not the last 5 characters of your key, Office is trying to use a different key. This script works with Office 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2024; it doesn't work with Microsoft 365.

2. Find the cause by license type

The fix depends on the license type you bought. You can see it on your order and on the product page ("License type"), and our license types page explains each one. This chart sums up where to look first:

• RETAIL License with Confirmation ID (for example, Office 2021 Professional Plus) and CID License (for example, Office 2024 Professional Plus LTSC CID): you type the key in Office and then get a Confirmation ID on Microsoft's activation website. If Office still says "Unlicensed Product", the Confirmation ID step is usually not finished. Go to section 4.
• BIND License (for example, Office 2024 Home and Business BIND): the license lives in the Microsoft account where you redeemed the key. If Office is signed in with a different account, it can't find your license. Go to section 5.
• MAK Volume License (for example, Office 2024 Professional Plus MAK): you enter the key in Office and activate online. Go to section 6.

For every type, also check the common causes in section 3.

3. Common causes for every license type

3.1 Another version of Office is installed. Two versions of Office on the same computer (for example, a trial of Microsoft 365 that came with the computer and your Office 2021) can block activation. Microsoft recommends uninstalling the version you don't use and restarting the computer. Our guide to uninstalling Microsoft Office on Windows shows how to remove it completely. Then install the version that matches your license.

3.2 The installed version or edition doesn't match the key. Each key activates only the version and edition it was made for. A key for Office 2021 Professional Plus doesn't activate Office 2024, and a key for Professional Plus doesn't activate Office Home and Business. Install the version from the guide linked in your order, then enter the key again.

3.3 The key was typed incorrectly. Go to File > Account, click Change Product Key and type it again. Copy it from your order instead of typing it by hand, so letters such as B and 8 don't get mixed up.

3.4 The date and time are wrong. Open Settings > Time and language > Date and time and turn on "Set time automatically" and "Set time zone automatically". Then close Office and open it again.

3.5 Office can't reach Microsoft. Activation needs an internet connection. A firewall, an antivirus or a proxy can block it. Microsoft suggests turning off proxy settings and, if needed, the firewall or antivirus for a moment, and turning them back on right after activating. You can also switch to another network, for example your phone's hotspot, and try again.

3.6 Office is not up to date or is damaged. Install the latest Office updates (File > Account > Update Options > Update Now). If the problem continues, repair Office: open Control Panel > Programs and Features, select Microsoft Office, click Change and choose Online Repair.

4. RETAIL License with Confirmation ID and CID License

4.1 After you type the key, close Word and open it again. The Microsoft Office Activation Wizard appears and shows your Installation ID, a code of 63 digits.

4.2 Enter that Installation ID on Microsoft's activation website to get your Confirmation ID, and type the Confirmation ID back in the wizard. Everything happens online. The installation guide of your product shows each screen, for example our guide for Office 2024 Professional Plus LTSC via CID or for Office 2021 Professional Plus via CID.

4.3 The most common mistake is a wrong digit in the Installation ID. Take a screenshot of the 63 digits and open it in our Installation ID Extractor: it copies them for you without errors.

4.4 If the wizard closed before you typed the Confirmation ID, open Word again: the wizard comes back. If an error appears during activation, switch to another network (for example, your phone's hotspot) or use a VPN, and try again.

5. BIND License

5.1 In Word, go to File > Account and look at the account under "User Information" or "Sign in to Office".

5.2 Sign in with the same Microsoft account where you redeemed the key. If Office says "We couldn't find any Office products", Microsoft explains that you are usually signed in with a different account.

5.3 To check which account has your Office, sign in to your Microsoft account in the browser and open "Services and subscriptions". Your Office must appear there. Once a BIND License is redeemed in an account, it stays in that account: it can't be moved to another one.

5.4 If you see your Office in that account but Office still says "Unlicensed Product", sign out of Office, close all Office apps, open Word again and sign in with that account.

6. MAK Volume License

6.1 Go to File > Account > Change Product Key and enter your MAK Volume License.

6.2 Close Word and open it again. In the Activation Wizard, choose "I want to activate the software over the Internet. (recommended)" and click "Next". Our guide for Office 2024 Professional Plus LTSC (MAK) shows each screen.

6.3 If an error appears, switch to another network (for example, your phone's hotspot) and try again. Don't use a VPN to activate it. Remember that each computer you activate uses one of the activations included in your license.

7. How to know it worked

7.1 Close all Office apps and open Word again.

7.2 Go to File > Account. When activation is complete, the box says "Product Activated" with the name of your Office, and the words "Unlicensed Product" disappear from the title bar.

If none of these steps works, take a screenshot of File > Account and of any error message, and send them to us: we will review it with you. If a license doesn't work, tell us within 24 hours of revealing it and we will replace it right away (MAK Volume Licenses have 30 days instead of 24 hours). Your statutory rights are not affected.

8. Frequently asked questions