Microsoft 365 is not working in my laptop

“Lifetime Microsoft Excel” normally refers to a one-time-purchase Office edition, not a Microsoft 365 subscription, so first verify the exact Office product stated on the ASUS invoice, packaging, or sales listing and then activate it through the matching method below.

1. Identify what the laptop actually included

Check the purchase documents for the exact wording, such as:

• A one-time-purchase edition of Office
• A Microsoft 365 subscription for a stated period
• An Office trial
• Office merely “preinstalled”

Preinstallation alone does not establish that a paid license was included. Microsoft distinguishes a trial installation from a one-time purchase or subscription included with the device.^1^

Also note the country where the laptop was purchased because some preinstalled-PC offers and setup methods are region-specific.

2. Activate using the method supplied with the laptop

If it included a digital Office entitlement

1. Connect the laptop to the internet.
2. Open Excel and select Activate Office rather than Try or Buy.
3. Sign in with the personal Microsoft account that you want permanently associated with the license.
4. Complete the activation prompts.

For an included digital purchase, the key is transmitted to the PC; no printed key is required. Signing in adds the product to the Microsoft account so it can later be managed or reinstalled.^1^

If the laptop was sold with a Microsoft digital Office entitlement and this option is available for your region and bundle, also check:

1. Open Microsoft Store.
2. Select Library.
3. Open Included with device.
4. Look for the exact Office product and select its setup or claim option.

Microsoft documents this route for supported Office-preinstalled PCs, but its availability depends on the specific offer and region.^2^

If ASUS supplied a 25-character product key

Go to Office.com/setup, sign in with the Microsoft account you want to use, enter the key, and follow the prompts. Key redemption is a one-time process that associates the Office product with that account.^1^

Do not post the product key publicly.

3. Confirm that the license was attached

Sign in to Services & subscriptions using the same account. The included Office product or Microsoft 365 subscription should appear there; if it does not, that account cannot activate the product.^3^

If the correct product is listed but Excel still displays Upgrade:

1. In Excel, go to File → Account and sign out.
2. Close all Office applications.
3. Restart the laptop.
4. Open Excel and sign in using the account that owns the listed product.

4. If activation still fails

Only after confirming which Office edition is licensed, check for a conflicting installation:

1. Open Control Panel → Programs → Programs and Features.
2. Search for Office.
3. If multiple editions are installed, uninstall only the edition that is not licensed.
4. Restart Windows and sign in to Excel again.

Multiple Office installations can cause activation conflicts. If only the intended edition is installed, use its Online Repair or run the Microsoft 365 activation troubleshooter instead.^3^

If neither Included with device, a product key, nor an Office product under Services & subscriptions is available, contact ASUS or the retailer with the invoice, advertised bundle description, laptop serial number, and screenshots of Excel’s message. Ask them to verify and honor the exact Office entitlement advertised with that laptop.

References

1. Activate Office for Windows | Microsoft Support
2. Set up pre-installed Office
3. Unlicensed Product and activation errors in Office | Microsoft Support