Processes in Microsoft 365 for setting up Office apps, redeeming product keys, and activating licenses.
First check whether the Office purchase is already linked to a Microsoft account; if it is, reinstall and activate by signing in rather than obtaining a replacement PIN.
Check the Microsoft account linked to Office
- In Word, select File → Account.
- Under the Office product name, look for the email address beside Belongs to.
- Open the Microsoft account Services & subscriptions page and sign in with that email address.
- If Office or Microsoft 365 appears:
- Select Install.
- Complete the installation if needed.
- Open Word and sign in with that same account.
For Microsoft 365 and recent Office versions, the Microsoft account normally replaces the product key for activation and reinstallation. The full product key is not displayed inside Word or online.^1^
If nothing appears, repeat this check with any other personal email address that may have been used when Office was first set up. Microsoft states that signing in with the wrong address can produce “We couldn't find any Office products.”^2^
If the HP purchase included a digital Office license
If Office was purchased as part of the new PC, the license may have been delivered digitally to that computer rather than printed on a card. Such a purchase is activated by signing in with a Microsoft account; after activation, Office is added to that account for later reinstallation.^3^
Use the Microsoft account originally used during the HP/Office setup. If the purchase is absent from every likely account, contact the retailer first and ask whether the receipt represents:
- A digital Office license bundled with the HP;
- A separate 25-character product-key card; or
- Only a preinstalled Microsoft 365 trial.
If the lost card contained a product key
A retail Office key is a 25-character code in this format:
XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
It is different from a Windows Hello PIN used to sign in to the PC.
Because the card is lost, contact Microsoft Support and provide the receipt and purchase details. Microsoft states that with valid proof of purchase, Support may be able to replace a damaged key or provide another option.^1^
Also contact the retailer if Microsoft Support cannot locate the sale, because a third-party seller is responsible for supplying the key or activation instructions for a purchase made through it.^4^
Why Word only reads and prints
That behavior indicates Word is currently operating without a valid activation: most features, including editing, are disabled until activation is restored.^2^
If the license appears under Services & subscriptions but Word remains unlicensed:
- Close all Office applications.
- Open Word and sign in with the account showing the license.
- Check File → Account for the activation status.
- If activation still fails, run Microsoft’s activation troubleshooter from the official activation-error page on the same PC. It requires Windows 10 or later.^2^
Do not post the receipt, order number, product key, or account details publicly.
References
- Using product keys with Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Support
- Unlicensed Product and activation errors in Office | Microsoft Support
- Activate Office for Windows | Microsoft Support
- I purchased Windows 365 for personal use and it keeps asking me for either a product code or a PIN, and I get errors from that point on. Frustrating paying for something you're unable to use, so how do I get all my programs working without a product code - Microsoft Q&A