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Activating Office after moving to Win 11?

4,041 115 December 24, 2025 at 10:40 AM
I don't have MS account.

It thinks that I already installed Office - but I moved to different PC,
Activation gives a phone line which in turn asks me to go MS account, which I do not use!

Is there a proper customer support for office products? MS stores are all closed!
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> bubble2 972 Posts
ChinaRider
12-24-2025 at 04:08 PM.
12-24-2025 at 04:08 PM.
If you 'moved to different PC' then you need a new Office license.

If you had Office installed on a Windows PC and upgraded that PC to Windows 11 your Office installation would still work just fine.

Not clear what you did based on your post. Is this one PC or two that we're talking about?

Lastly, you can easily find an Office key for $10 or less... Might not be worth too much trouble on your end, just get a new key.
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> bubble2 4,041 Posts
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Original Poster
ms2000
12-25-2025 at 10:49 AM.
12-25-2025 at 10:49 AM.
Quote from ChinaRider :
If you 'moved to different PC' then you need a new Office license.

....

Not clear what you did based on your post. Is this one PC or two that we're talking about?

Lastly, you can easily find an Office key for $10 or less... Might not be worth too much trouble on your end, just get a new key.
I decommissioned old pc. I used to be able to install it multiple times - sometimes new HDD resulted in having to install OS and Office again - What changed now?

How can i get customer support on MS?

Where can i buy it for $10?
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Last edited by ms2000 December 25, 2025 at 11:04 AM.
Joined Sep 2017
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> bubble2 972 Posts
ChinaRider
12-25-2025 at 06:02 PM.
12-25-2025 at 06:02 PM.
Quote from ms2000 :
I decommissioned old pc. I used to be able to install it multiple times - sometimes new HDD resulted in having to install OS and Office again - What changed now?

How can i get customer support on MS?

Where can i buy it for $10?
I remember having an Office 2003 license that could be used on any number of computers. If memory serves me correctly, this is the last version of Office that allowed for multiple installs, every version after used the 'phone home' activation and restricted to either one or two machines (intent was desktop and laptop if I remember correctly...).

At any rate, those days are long gone. I'm not surprised you can't migrate Office from one machine to another anymore.

Google 'cheap office keys' if you want to find a cheap key. Some people will tell you they're not legit. I'll tell you that I've bought several and all have worked. Whether they're 'legit' or not isn't of concern to me but to each their own.

Cheers!
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> bubble2 2 Posts
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dhoni45
12-27-2025 at 09:20 PM.
12-27-2025 at 09:20 PM.
Quote from ms2000 :
I don't have MS account.

It thinks that I already installed Office - but I moved to different PC,
Activation gives a phone line which in turn asks me to go MS account, which I do not use!

Is there a proper customer support for office products? MS stores are all closed!
If it's a retail (non-subscription) Office license, you don't need a Microsoft account, but activation after a PC change often breaks the old phone method.
Try:
Uninstall Office from the old PC (if possible)
Activate using the 25-character product key
Run File → Account → Activation Troubleshooter
For real support, go to support.microsoft.com → Contact Support → Office → Activation and request chat or a callback. MS Stores are closed, so online support is the only option now.
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Joined Dec 2005
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> bubble2 4,041 Posts
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Original Poster
ms2000
12-28-2025 at 12:51 PM.
12-28-2025 at 12:51 PM.
Quote from dhoni45 :
If it's a retail (non-subscription) Office license, you don't need a Microsoft account, but activation after a PC change often breaks the old phone method.
Try:
Uninstall Office from the old PC (if possible)
Activate using the 25-character product key
Run File → Account → Activation Troubleshooter
For real support, go to support.microsoft.com → Contact Support → Office → Activation and request chat or a callback. MS Stores are closed, so online support is the only option now.
I followed your ins - here is the issue: For real support, go to support.microsoft.com → Contact Support → Office → Activation -> then it says "sign in to contact support".
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> bubble2 972 Posts
ChinaRider
12-29-2025 at 02:19 PM.
12-29-2025 at 02:19 PM.
Quote from ms2000 :
I followed your ins - here is the issue: For real support, go to support.microsoft.com → Contact Support → Office → Activation -> then it says "sign in to contact support".
FYI, you can create a Microsoft account without having it linked to your Windows / Office install. Meaning, I have a Microsoft account and have several PCs with both Windows and Office that are not linked to that account or any other Microsoft account.

If you're not content with buying a cheap key my suggestion would be go to Microsoft.com and create an account and then use that account to proceed with the customer support contact.

But to be honest, I think you're barking up the wrong tree here... If I understand your situation correctly, Microsoft will just cite the EULA and tell you that you can't transfer your license from one PC to another...
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> bubble2 4,041 Posts
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Original Poster
ms2000
12-29-2025 at 03:51 PM.
12-29-2025 at 03:51 PM.
Thanks @ChinaRider
If u know of a place to get it for $10, pls share the link. Tx
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> bubble2 972 Posts
ChinaRider
12-29-2025 at 04:50 PM.
12-29-2025 at 04:50 PM.
Quote from ms2000 :
Thanks @ChinaRider
If u know of a place to get it for $10, pls share the link. Tx
https://www.gamers-outlet.net/
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Joined Dec 2005
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> bubble2 4,041 Posts
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Original Poster
ms2000
12-29-2025 at 07:07 PM.
12-29-2025 at 07:07 PM.
Quote from ChinaRider :
https://www.gamers-outlet.net/
Tx - repped.

It even says "MS Solutions partner"!

So u need to buy one for each pcs?
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Joined Sep 2017
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> bubble2 972 Posts
ChinaRider
12-30-2025 at 08:27 AM.
12-30-2025 at 08:27 AM.
If you're not going with Office 365 (I would recommend not going there, it's subscription-based meaning recurring fees...) then you need one license for each device.

My opinion is that 365 isn't worth paying fees every year as there really aren't that many ground-breaking changes / advances in the software, you don't always need the latest version. I suppose it depends on what you do... I get by with Office 2003 on my garage PC with no issues... To each their own.

That said, an Office 365 license is good on multiple PCs (5 or 6 I think) but you have to renew regularly (annually I think).
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Joined Dec 2005
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> bubble2 4,041 Posts
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Original Poster
ms2000
12-30-2025 at 08:29 AM.
12-30-2025 at 08:29 AM.
Quote from ChinaRider :
If you're not going with Office 365 (I would recommend not going there, it's subscription-based meaning recurring fees...) then you need one license for each device.

My opinion is that 365 isn't worth paying fees every year as there really aren't that many ground-breaking changes / advances in the software, you don't always need the latest version. I suppose it depends on what you do... I get by with Office 2003 on my garage PC with no issues... To each their own.

That said, an Office 365 license is good on multiple PCs (5 or 6 I think) but you have to renew regularly (annually I think).
Repped
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Joined Dec 2005
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> bubble2 4,041 Posts
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Original Poster
ms2000
12-30-2025 at 09:44 AM.
12-30-2025 at 09:44 AM.
Here is what happened @ChinaRider
I was able to activate using my MS account - it didn't link my windows 11 install.

In the process I saw my another purchase of Office (2021) using a Groupon deal for $36.

Tx for talking me through!

I still want to download Office (2021) but official install is for just install - can not download and store it in my HD - any reliable link to download "Office Professional Plus 2021"
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Last edited by ms2000 December 30, 2025 at 09:49 AM.
Joined Dec 2005
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> bubble2 4,041 Posts
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Original Poster
ms2000
12-31-2025 at 08:40 AM.
12-31-2025 at 08:40 AM.
Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2024 for Windows 10/11 (5 PCs, Lifetime License) $19 + Instant Delivery

https://slickdeals.net/f/19043089-microsoft-office-professional-plus-2024-for-windows-10-11-5-pcs-lifetime-license-19-instant-delivery?
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> bubble2 972 Posts
ChinaRider
12-31-2025 at 01:16 PM.
12-31-2025 at 01:16 PM.
You can always download install files for any Microsoft software directly from Microsoft. Where you get the key to activate said download is a different story...

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us...nload-link
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