Aug 01, 2016 Retail Microsoft product keys are usually on a bright sticker located inside the case with the CD/DVD, or on the back. The key consists of 25 alphanumeric characters, usually. Aug 14, 2019 Continue reading to learn how to activate the software with and without a product key. Activating Microsoft Office 2016 using a product key. Here are the simple steps you need to follow to activate Office with a free product key: Step 1: Download Microsoft Office 2016. Step 2: Run the setup to install the software on your computer. Feb 01, 2019 Microsoft Office 2016 activation keys or product key can be used to activate your trial or limited edition of Office 2016 suite. After activating your version of Microsoft office you can avail full features of any of office 2016 applications including Microsoft Word 2016, Excel 2016, Outlook 2016 and PowerPoint 2016.
When you install Office 2010, you'll be prompted to enter a 25-character product key that looks something like this:
Microsoft Office Product Key Free
XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
How to find your product key
The way you can find your product key depends on how you got Office. Select how you got Office from the options below.
I downloaded Office from an online store
If you purchased and downloaded Office from an online store, the product key should be in your email receipt.
Try the following to find this confirmation email:
- Check your spam, bulk, or junk mail folders for the email.
- Try searching your email for the word “Microsoft” or the name of the company where you bought Office.
- If you have multiple email accounts, check the email account that you provided when you purchased Office 2010 online.
If you can’t find the email receipt, you may be able to retrieve the information contained in the email by using the Order History link for the store you made the purchase from:
- Here's how to view your product key if you purchased Office from Digital River:
- Go the Digital River download information page.
- Select Find my product key and enter the information requested to download software or get your product key.
- Here's how to view your product key in the Microsoft Store:
- Go to www.microsoftstore.com. In the upper right-hand corner, select Sign in and enter the user ID and password you used to buy Office.
- After you sign in, select your name in the upper right-hand corner, and then select Order History.
- Locate the Office one-time purchase or individual Office app, and then select Install Office to view your product key (this doesn't actually install Office). Note that this product key won't match the product key shown in My Office Account. This is normal.
Office came in a box (with or without a DVD)
If Office came in a box, card, or disc, look for the product key on the card or on the packaging that came with Office.
If the product key isn't there, read the instructions on the package. You might be directed to go to Office.com/getkey to get your product key.
Office came on a product key card with a PIN
You can no longer redeem the 27-character alpha-numeric PIN shown on the product key card to retrieve your product key. However, if you already have your 25-character product key, and you'd like to download Office 2010, you can enter the product key at https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/office.
If you need help installing Office 2010, see Install Office 2010 and Activate Office 2010.
Office came pre-installed on my computer
If Office came with your PC, Mac, Laptop, or tablet, look for the product key on the Certificate of Authenticity that came with your computer.
Tip: You may have one certificate of authenticity for Windows and another for Office. Please make sure you’re using the correct certificate of authenticity to retrieve your Office 2010 product key.
A certificate of authenticity for Office 2010 will have the words 'Microsoft Office 2010' on it.
I lost my product key
Expand a section below to learn how to replace a lost Office 2010 product key.
My product key is lost or damaged. How do I replace it?
Adobe pdf command line parameters. If you lost your product key but have a valid proof of purchase, see Contact support about your product key at the bottom of this page. Microsoft support may be able replace your product key or provide other options.
I lost my product key. How do I upgrade Office?
If you believe the product key has been lost, stolen, or misplaced and you simply would like to purchase a newer version of Office, you can go to Buy Office to see your purchase options. Or if you’d like to learn more about the latest version of Office first, see What's the difference between Office 365 and Office 2016? and Why you should upgrade to Office 2016.
Additional information and troubleshooting
Expand a section below to find product key information for other versions, troubleshooting help, and other useful information.
I want to activate Office 2010
If you’re having problems activating your Office 2010 product key, go to Activate Office 2010.
My Office 2010 product key doesn't work
There are several reasons why you might get an error after entering a product key. For example, the product key may have been mistyped or a product key for a different product might have been used.
Are you entering a product key for another Microsoft product?
Most Microsoft products use a 25-character product key. If you own multiple Microsoft products, it’s easy to confuse the keys and use the wrong one. Here are some common things that can happen:
- Using the product key from a sticker on a PCThese product keys are normally for Microsoft Windows. Check the sticker for a product name to make sure it’s for the Office product you’re trying to install.
- Using the product key from an earlier version of OfficeOffice product keys aren’t interchangeable between Office versions. For example, you can’t use a Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 product key if you’re trying to install Microsoft Office Home and Student 2010.
- Using the product key from an individual program to install a suiteOffice product keys aren’t interchangeable between Office suites and individual programs. For example, you can’t use a Microsoft Word product key to install Microsoft Office Home and Student.
- Using the product key provided by a school or companySchools and companies usually buy a different type of Office license. The product keys they provide to students, teachers, and employees are known as volume license keys. These keys can’t be used for retail Office versions like Home and Student, Home and Business, or Professional.
Did you mistype the product key?
Reading the product key from a label can be difficult. Letters and numbers may look the same.
To avoid typing mistakes, here’s a list of commonly mistyped characters:
- The letter B and the number 8.
- The letter G and the number 6.
- The letter O and the number 0.
- The letter Q and the number 0.
- The letters V and V back to back (VV) appear like the letter W.
If you're having trouble reading the characters in your product key, here's an example of what the letters and numbers look like:
Tip: If you bought Office from an online retailer and received a confirmation email, try copying and pasting the product key from this email instead of typing it.
Is your product key still not working?
If your Office product key doesn’t work, or has stopped working, you should contact the seller and request a refund. If you bought a product key separate from the software, it’s very possible the product key was stolen or otherwise fraudulently obtained, and subsequently blocked for use. Unfortunately, there are many dishonest sellers who offer stolen, abused, or otherwise unauthorized Microsoft product keys for sale. Sometimes these product keys are printed on counterfeit labels or cards with a download link to Microsoft software, and sometimes they’re distributed with software media that is unauthorized for resale, such as promotional media, original equipment manufacturer reinstallation media, or other Microsoft program-specific media.
I have my Office 2010 product key but lost the installation disk
If you had a DVD, but can’t find it or your PC doesn’t have a DVD drive, see Download earlier versions of Office at https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/office and use the product key to download and install Office. Use this link ONLY if Office came with a DVD.
Contact support about your product key
If you’ve followed the guidance in this article and still need help, visit our Microsoft support page for assistance.
Microsoft Office costs money, except when it doesn’t. From a hidden 60 day free trial that doesn’t require payment details to web apps and mobile apps, there are many ways to get Office for free.
Office is still one of Microsoft’s big cash cow, so you can’t just download a free full version of Office 2013 and use it forever. But there are ways to use Office without ever spending a dime — if only for a few months.
Office 365 Trial – 30 Days
RELATED:What’s the Difference Between Office 365 and Office 2016?
Microsoft offers a free month of Office 365 Home Premium, which allows you to use Office on multiple PCs and Macs. The only downside here is you’ll have to provide payment details at the time of download. You’ll have to cancel your service before the free month ends or Microsoft will start charging you $9.99 per month.
Office Professional Plus Trial – 60+ days
RELATED:How to Extend Your Office 2013/365 Trial to 180 Days
Microsoft also offers a free 60-day trial of Office Professional Plus 2013. Unlike the standard Office 365 Home Premium trial, this free trial doesn’t require any payment information. You can also use a hidden trick to extend your free trial period and gain more time. You have to extend your free trial period before it expires, however — if you let your free trial expire, you can’t extend it further.
The Office Professional Plus Trial gives you a download link and a product key you can enter. Microsoft requires you install a download manager and you end up with an .IMG file, which isn’t a convenient format. It’s as if they want to make this process confusing so average Windows users don’t use it.
We recommend using the 7-Zip file archiver to extract the .IMG file’s contents. You don’t have to burn anything to disc — just run the setup.exe file after extracting it to install Office on your computer.
After installing Office, click Enter a product key instead in the Activate Office window and enter the product key Microsoft gave you.
Office Online
RELATED:A Free Microsoft Office: Is Office Online Worth Using?
Microsoft’s Office Online service is completely free. It’s a web-based version of Office you can use in your web browser. It works with documents stored in your OneDrive (formerly SkyDrive) account, not with documents on your computer. Word Online and its siblings are more limited and can’t be used offline, but they should offer excellent compatibility with Office document formats. Office Online gives you a way to use Microsoft Office for free on any PC, Mac, Linux system, or Chromebook.
Office Online lacks most of Office’s features, but most people don’t use all those features. It’s not all lacking, either — Office Online actually offers better real-time collaboration features than the desktop version of Office 2013 does.
Office Mobile for Android, iPhone, and Windows Phone
RELATED:How to Use Microsoft Office on Tablets and Smartphones
Office Mobile was previously free online on Windows Phone devices, while the Android and iPhone versions of Office required an Office 365 subscription. The Office Mobile apps for Android, iPhone, and Windows Phone are now free to everyone. Like Office Online, they work with documents stored in your OneDrive account. You can now use Office Mobile on your smartphone for free, and Office Online on your PC for free.
Office for iPad does require an Office 365 subscription to edit documents, however.
OneNote
RELATED:OneNote is Now Free: Is Microsoft’s Note-Taking App Worth Using?
OneNote is now free for everyone. Microsoft’s note-taking service offers applications for the Windows desktop, Mac, Windows 8, the web, iPhone, iPad, Android, and Windows Phone — practically any platform you’d want to use. Make no mistake, this is a note-taking application, so you won’t be composing Word documents, constructing spreadsheets, or putting together presentations. Many Office users on Windows loved OneNote, and it’s now a free and worthy competitor to Evernote.
Windows Devices With Free Office Included
RELATED:What You Need to Know About Buying Touch-Enabled Windows 8.1 PCs
Some Windows PCs come with a free copy of Microsoft Office. If you buy these devices, you’ll be able to use Office without paying a monthly fee or buying a boxed copy. As a general rule, Microsoft is including a free copy of Office on lower-end devices you wouldn’t want to run Office on, while you’ll have to pay for Office on higher-end devices you would want to run Office on.
- Windows RT Devices: Windows RT is almost dead and you’ll only find it on Microsoft’s Surface 2 and original Surface (also known as the Surface RT). This version of Windows can’t run any non-Microsoft desktop applications, but it does include a free copy of Office on the desktop.
- 8-inch and Smaller Windows 8.1 Tablets: If you buy an 8-inch Windows 8.1 tablet, you’ll get a free copy of Microsoft Office with it. Of course, it won’t work too well — Office’s natural environment is a larger display with a keyboard and mouse, not an eight-inch touch screen. Luckily, you can always connect such smaller tablets to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse and turn that tablet into a desktop PC.
- Some Low-End Windows 8.1 Devices: Some other lower-end Windows 8.1 devices include a free copy of Office. For example, the $349 ASUS Transformer Book T100 convertible includes a free copy of Office, even though it has a 10-inch screen. On more expensive devices — for example, Microsoft’s Surface Pro devices — you won’t get a free copy of Office.
Bonus: Other Office Solutions
RELATED:No More Upgrade Fees: Use Google Docs or Office Web Apps Instead of Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office isn’t the only game in town when it comes to Office software. Here are some other free office suites you may want to choose from:
- Google Docs: Available online on the Google Drive website and in the Google Drive apps for Android, iPhone, and iPad, Google Docs allows you to work on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. You can enable offline access and use Google Dos when you don’t have an Internet connection.
- Apple iWork: iWork, Apple’s simplified office suite, is free to new Mac, iPhone, and iPad devices. It isn’t just for these devices, though — you can access a web-based version of iWork on the iCloud website, allowing you to use iWork even on Windows PCs.
- LibreOffice: LibreOffice is a free office suite that sprang from OpenOffice.org. It’s a full-featured office suite that runs on your PC and provides lots of features. This office suite still looks like Office 2003 — it doesn’t have a ribbon.
- Abiword: Abiword is a nice option if you just want the basics. It’s not fancy, but it’s small, very lightweight, and offers the basic word-processing features most people need.
There are other considerations if you’re using Microsoft Office for business purposes. For example, the free versions of Office that come with some Windows devices are technically “Home and Student” licenses, so you’d be violating the license if you used them for business use. Office 365 Home Premium also has a license that specifically prohibits commercial use.
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