Common reasons a 2-year-old Office install becomes deactivated on only one laptop:
- The Office install on that laptop was signed out or deactivated
This can happen if the install was deactivated to free up an Office install on another device. In that case, selecting Sign in in an Office app and using the Microsoft 365 account tied to the subscription can reactivate it.
- The wrong account is signed in
If Office shows Unlicensed Product or Product Deactivated, sign in with the account originally used to buy Office. If the wrong account is used, Office can show messages such as “We couldn't find any Office products.” The associated product can be checked in Services & subscriptions.
- The subscription expired
If the Microsoft 365 subscription expired, Office can become unlicensed and most features are disabled.
- Multiple Office versions are installed
More than one Office installation on the same PC can cause activation conflicts. In Windows, open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features, search for office, and uninstall versions that are not being used. Then restart the PC and open an Office app again.
- Activation troubleshooting is needed on that specific PC
Run the Microsoft 365 activation troubleshooter on the same Windows PC where Office is deactivated. It requires Windows 10 or later.
If the issue is only on one laptop, the most likely first checks are:
- Open an Office app and select Sign in.
- Try every Microsoft account that may have been used to purchase Office.
- Check Services & subscriptions to confirm the license is attached to that account.
- Remove any extra Office installations from Programs and Features.
- Run the activation troubleshooter.