how to re-install office 2021

Completely remove Office 2021 with Microsoft’s uninstall troubleshooter, restart Windows, and then reinstall it from the Microsoft account associated with the Office license.

1. Completely uninstall Office 2021

Since Repair did not work, do not repeat it.

1. Open Microsoft’s uninstall-and-reinstall support page on the affected PC and select the button that starts the uninstall troubleshooter.^1^
2. If the browser says This site is trying to open Get Help, select Open.
3. Select Office 2021 when prompted and complete the removal.
4. Restart the computer when requested.

The troubleshooter must run on the same Windows PC as Office and requires Windows 10 or later. Uninstalling Office removes the applications, not documents, spreadsheets, or other files created with them.^2^

2. Download and reinstall Office 2021

1. Go to the Microsoft account dashboard.
2. Sign in with the Microsoft account originally associated with the Office 2021 purchase or redeemed product key.
3. On Overview, select Office apps.
4. Find Office 2021 and select Install.
   • Use the available drop-down if you need a different language or the 64-bit edition.
5. Open the downloaded installer:
   • Microsoft Edge: Open file
   • Chrome: Setup
   • Firefox: Save File, then open it
6. Approve the User Account Control prompt by selecting Yes.
7. Wait for You're all set! Office is installed now, then select Close.^3^

3. Activate Office

Open Excel or Word and select Accept for the license terms. Office normally activates when the application starts; if the Activation Wizard appears, sign in with the same Microsoft account and follow its prompts.^3^

If Office 2021 is absent from the account dashboard, check whether it was acquired through:

• An employer’s Workplace Discount Program
• An organization using volume licensing
• A third-party seller

Those editions can have different installation methods. A one-time-purchase Office license is licensed for one installation.^3^

If the troubleshooter cannot remove Office

Use Microsoft’s manual-uninstall instructions only if the troubleshooter leaves Office components behind.^1^

Manual removal is lengthy, requires administrator access, and includes deleting services, files, scheduled tasks, and registry entries. Incorrect registry changes can cause serious Windows problems, so create a backup first and follow the section matching the installation type—Click-to-Run, MSI, or Microsoft Store—without mixing instructions.^4^

References

1. Microsoft 365 subscription features aren't available in Office apps | Microsoft Support
2. Error 30088-26 when updating Office | Microsoft Support
3. Download and install or reinstall Office 2021, Office 2019, or Office 2016
4. Manually uninstall Office