Quick answer
Check that you are signed in to a Microsoft 365 account that has a license, that the subscription is active, and that the internet connection is stable. Then start activation through the Office app or the activation troubleshooter. If the error repeats, contact your administrator or support.
How to recognize the problem
- Message "Product not licensed" or "We can't activate Office"
- Office runs in read-only mode or with limited features
- Activation warning bar at the top of the app
- Some features, such as editing and saving changes, are disabled or limited
Most common causes
You are not signed in or signed in to the wrong account
Office uses the account to verify the license. If you are not signed in or use a personal account instead of a work account, activation will fail.
Subscription expired or not active
The Microsoft 365 subscription must be active. If it has expired or payment was declined, Office goes into limited mode.
No internet connection or unstable connection
Activation requires access to Microsoft servers. A temporary connection interruption or firewall can block license verification.
Office installed with the wrong license key
If Office was installed with a key for a different version (e.g., Office 2019 instead of Microsoft 365), activation will not work.
Corrupted license data or cache
Sometimes the license data on the computer gets corrupted, so the activation state needs to be reset.
Step-by-step fix
- 1
Check which account you are signed in to
Open any Office app (e.g., Word) and click
File > Account. In theUser Informationsection, check whether your work or school account is displayed. If not, clickSign outand sign in again with the correct account. - 2
Check subscription status
Go to account.microsoft.com/services and sign in with the same account. Check that the Microsoft 365 subscription is active and that the expiration date has not passed. If it has expired, renew it. If you use a work or school account, check the license status with your administrator.
- 3
Restart activation
In the Office app, go to
File > Accountand clickActivate ProductorManage Account. If theActivatebutton is available, click it and follow the instructions. If there is no button, try signing out and signing in again. - 4
Check internet connection
Make sure the computer has a stable internet connection. Open a browser and visit a website. If you are on a corporate network, check that the firewall allows access to Microsoft servers (ports 443).
- 5
Run the activation troubleshooter
Download and run Microsoft's official activation troubleshooter from the Microsoft support page, if available for your version of Office. Select the option for Office and follow the instructions. The tool will try to automatically resolve the license problem.
- 6
Reset activation state
Close all Office apps and save your work. Open
Command Promptas administrator and runcd /d "%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Office\Office16"(or the appropriate folder, e.g.,"%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Office\root\Office16"). Then runcscript ospp.vbs /rearm. This does not delete documents but resets the activation state, so Office may need to be activated again. If you are not sure, skip this step and contact support. - 7
Reinstall Office
If nothing helps, first save your documents and back up important files. Then uninstall Office through Windows app settings (
Settings > Apps > Installed appson Windows 11, orApps & featureson Windows 10), select Microsoft 365 and clickUninstall. Uninstalling removes the Office apps but not your documents. Then sign in to account.microsoft.com and install Office again using theInstallbutton. For a work account, download the installation from the Microsoft 365 portal or from your administrator.
If nothing helps
If you have tried all the steps and Office is still not licensed, contact your administrator if you use a work account. They can check license assignment in the Microsoft 365 admin center. For personal subscriptions, contact Microsoft support. Note: do not use unofficial activation tools as they can compromise security. Also, check that only one version of Office is installed on the computer; if multiple versions exist, back up before removing older ones.
How to prevent it
- Regularly check subscription status at account.microsoft.com.
- Use the correct account to sign in to Office.
- Maintain a stable internet connection and keep Office updated.
- Do not install Office from unknown sources.
When to call a professional
If you use a work account and cannot check license assignment yourself, contact IT support. They can quickly determine whether the problem is with the subscription or the local installation.
IT infrastructure maintenance · Servers, networks, backup, security and helpdeskFAQ
Why does Office say it is not licensed when I have a subscription?
Most often you are signed in to the wrong account or the subscription is not active. Check the account in `File > Account` and the subscription status on the Microsoft website.
Can I activate Office without an internet connection?
For a Microsoft 365 subscription, activation requires an internet connection to verify the license. If you have no connection, Office will run in limited mode until the connection is established.
Will I lose data if I reset activation?
No, the command does not delete documents. It resets the activation state, so Office may need to be activated again.