How to activate Microsoft Office?

Last updated on April 17th, 2023 at 12:55 am

When it comes to Microsoft Office, who’s been around IT and computing for a certain amount of time may remember those old, glorious big carton boxes sold at Computer Shops and other retailers, and maybe you’ll remember the bulky packaging for Microsoft Office, with all the manuals, reference cards and other stuff in it. You may also remember the pricey price tag on these items, with several hundred to be shelled out for a given edition of your next Office suite.

Things have changed since then, with the prominent digital delivery market dominating the software vertical (and not only for gaming nowadays), but something remained the same. And we’re pointing out to those not-cheap-at-all prices.

Many of you may have wondered if you can download and use Microsoft Office without breaking your wallet and, although the short answer might be “Yes, you can”, it’s also worth remembering that you need to activate Microsoft Office to use it properly and legitimately. Let’s see how to activate Microsoft Office, save money and act legally.

How to activate Microsoft Office – Step by step

First of all, to have your Microsoft Office suite up and running, you need to download and install it. But the question is: how to activate Microsoft Office? Before you can activate Microsoft Office, you’ll have to get an ISO file or a genuine installation media (a CD-ROM). The problem is, you need to purchase a CD or access a downloadable file, but you won’t find any genuine download from Microsoft (as you would, instead, for Windows).

Yes, we know there are plenty of sites where you can download Microsoft Office for free, but piracy is a crime, furthermore, you’ll expose your computer to a plethora of threats, from viruses to malware, and the much-dreaded ransomware. We do not support nor endorse any illegal method to get your Office suite. And we also advise you to avoid those websites to safeguard your PC, your data, and your online identity.

So, you’ll need to buy a license from Microsoft (and receive a download link to get your ISO file), or you’ll have to pay a visit to a retailer hoping for a boxed version of Microsoft Office, but you can also try over Amazon or eBay.

Here’s all the steps you need to perform to activate Microsoft Office

1. Insert your installation Media in your drive: i.e. your CD or DVD-ROM. If you have an ISO file, right click on it and select “Mount”.
2. Go to File Explorer, select “This Computer” and double-click the drive where your media is (i.e. “D:”)
3. Run the installation program and follow the prompts to install Microsoft Office. Here you can decide where to install Office, what kind of setup you need (in some versions, you can choose what tools to install).
4. At the end of the procedure, you will have to write the Product Key in the required field to activate Office. If you have a physical copy of MS Office, you’ll need to type it from a label on the CD jewel case, the instruction manual or the box, according to the version you own. If you bought a digital license (i.e. from Mr Key Shop’s), just copy and paste the key from the e-mail you received after purchase. Please note that some versions, like Office 2021, will require an active Internet connection and your Microsoft account login to proceed. You can perform this action either at the end of the setup process or at a later moment. Just open any Office app, like Word, go to Guide, the on the left pane, clic “Change Product Key” and follow the prompts.

Buy Microsoft Office without breaking the bank!

We always recommend you to install with a 100% software license. We know the Microsoft Store may be expensive, therefore we want to suggest you a reliable site, Mr Key Shop, that offers digital licenses at very competitive price points. You can buy your Microsoft Office 2019 license and the newest Office 2021, with secure payments and instant email delivery. Furthermore, if you need you can get in touch with their specialized, English-speaking Customer Support Service for free, a unique value in this market. You can verify this is a reliable service by reading their many positive, verified reviews. On the website, you can also buy licenses for many other Office suites, Windows OSs, and the best Antivirus brands for any device, PC, Smartphone, and Tablet.

Read More: Going digital – Mr Key Shop’s Model

Can you activate Microsoft Office saving some cash? (Spoiler: yes you can!)

Another option is to go for a digital refurbished license. You may find lots and lots of third-party sellers on eBay or Amazon, as well as many digital vendors offering such a kind of product. Such a practice has been deemed as 100% legit by the European Court of Justice as of July 3, 2012, (c-128/11).

Surfing the net, you may see a lot of websites selling these licenses for bargain prices. But you need to be careful! When a price is too good to be true, it’ll probably is.

The best option for you is to check a legit, professional service, and we recommend you to pay a visit to Mr Key Shop, e-commerce that is growing in popularity thanks to its reliable service, and fair pricing. Mr Key Shop is specialized in Microsoft Operating Systems and Office suites, as well as the best Antivirus brands. You can order your product key, pay via secure transactions, and immediately receive all you need to download, install and activate Microsoft Office (or any other product you may want to buy) in a matter of minutes.

As we mentioned earlier, you may check their positive reviews and reputation online. And this is the first step you always have to take whenever you’re going to buy a digital license from a third-party store.

Choose your Microsoft Office Suite wisely

Before you proceed with your order, do check the system requirements. If you have an older PC, you may want to go for a previous edition of Office, like Microsoft Office 2013.

If you’re on Windows 10, or you’re planning to do so, and your PC is more performing, Office 2019 is the best choice. It’s a modern, powerful suite with all the integrations you need to work on multiple devices and benefit from the cloud.

You can also go for a free trial of Microsoft 365. You’ll be able to use the latest suite from Microsoft for 30 days before you have to choose whether to subscribe or not (be aware that it may become expensive in the long run).

Stay up-do-date with Windows 11 and Office 2021

Windows 11 is among us, finally! Now you can upgrade your Windows 10 installation for free, or go for a Windows 11 license. If you want to spare some cash, Mr key Shops offers both Windows 11 (for fresh installations) and Windows 10 (for your free upgrade) licenses at very low prices.

This also means that you can combine your order with another excellent 2021 edition, and we mean Office! Mr Key Shop’s catalog now allows you to purchase Microsoft Office 2021 and at a very competitive price point. If you are a business or worker user, then you may opt to buy and download Microsoft Office 2021 Professional, that combined with Windows 11 offers you all the best of a renewed UI and some key security and co-authoring features you will love!

If you’re an Apple user, then go and check Microsoft Office 2021 for Mac, also available from Mr Key Shop’s catalog.

What do you need to do to activate Microsoft Office?

Once you’ve got your ISO file or your installation media, proceed with the setup stage. Follow the on-screen prompts and wait for the installation stage to be over.

If you decided to purchase your Office suite from Mr Key Shop, you’ll also receive a complete set of instructions on how to download, install, and activate Microsoft Office.

At the end of the setup stage, you’ll be prompted to enter your product key, a code you received with your purchase. Once you enter your key, wait for the setup process to complete and that’s it!

Please be aware that, according to the Microsoft Office edition you chose, you may need an active Internet connection to proceed.