Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Outlook) require a valid, paid license. You may already have a license and just need to sign in. It takes only a minute. You’ll need internet access to complete these steps.
- When you open an Office app, you may need to activate it before you can save or print. Or to confirm your subscription, click File – New. If you see Activate or Renew in the lower-left corner, click it.
- Microsoft may ask you to buy Office. If you or your IT team have already purchased, click sign in.
- Sign in with your work Microsoft account and password, then hit Enter. (Sometimes clicking doesn’t work.)
- Always try a work account first, unless you know you bought a home or personal subscription.
- Office checks for licenses and activates. If you see an error message instead, try a different Microsoft account or contact IT for help.
- Verify activation. Click File and New. If you see an activation notice above the document, click Activate Office and follow the steps again. Sometimes it takes a second try.
Don’t have a license? See Purchasing Microsoft Office.
See what’s new for Mac & Windows and these important tips for opening & saving Office docs.
