Processes in Microsoft 365 for setting up Office apps, redeeming product keys, and activating licenses.
Create your own Windows administrator account, preserve any needed local files, activate Office with your own Microsoft account, and only then remove your daughter’s account from the laptop.
1. Create your own Windows account
Do not remove the existing account yet, because removing it can delete its locally stored data.
- Open Start → Settings → Accounts → Other users.
- Under Add other user, select Add account.
- Enter your own Microsoft account email address. If you do not have one, select the option to create an account.
- After adding it, expand your new account and select Change account type.
- Choose Administrator, then select OK.
- Restart the laptop and sign in to your new account. Windows supports separate user profiles so each person has separate files and settings.^1^
2. Preserve any files you are legally entitled to keep
While signed in with an administrator account:
- Open File Explorer → This PC → Local Disk (C:) → Users.
- Open your daughter’s old user folder.
- Copy required personal files—normally from folders such as Documents, Desktop, Pictures, and Downloads—into your new user folder or an external drive.
- Do not enable the display of hidden or protected operating-system files, and do not copy the entire profile blindly. Some applications and email data require separate migration or reinstallation.^2^
Files stored only in OneDrive are different from files physically present on the laptop. If you do not know her account credentials, Microsoft generally cannot give a non-account holder access without the applicable legal process.^3^
3. Redeem or install your Office purchase
The code sent from an address ending in @accountprotection.microsoft.com may be an account security verification code. An Office product key, when supplied, normally has five groups of five characters, such as XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX.
If you received an Office product key:
- Go to https://www.office.com/setup.
- Sign in with your own Microsoft account, not your daughter’s account.
- Enter the product key without hyphens when requested.
- Complete the prompts. This associates the Office purchase with your Microsoft account.^4^
If the purchase was already associated with your account:
- Go to https://m365.cloud.microsoft/apps.
- Sign in with the Microsoft account used for the purchase.
- Select Install apps → Install.
- Run the downloaded installer.
- Open Word afterward and sign in with that same account to activate Office.
4. Remove the old Windows account
Only do this after confirming that your new account is an administrator, Office works, and all required local files have been preserved.
- Sign in to your new Windows administrator account.
- Open Settings → Accounts → Other users.
- Expand your daughter’s account.
- Next to Account and data, select Remove and confirm.
This removes the Windows sign-in and its local data from this laptop. It does not close or delete her online Microsoft account.^1^
Permanent closure of her online Microsoft account
This is separate from removing it from the laptop:
- If you know the credentials and can complete verification, the account can be marked for closure. Microsoft provides a 30- or 60-day reopening period before deletion.^5^
- If you cannot sign in, do not attempt to take ownership of the account. Microsoft states that an inactive Microsoft account will close automatically after two years; any continuing subscriptions should be stopped through the applicable bank or card provider.^3^
References
- Manage User Accounts in Windows | Microsoft Support
- Fix a corrupted user profile | Microsoft Support
- Accessing Outlook.com, OneDrive and other Microsoft services when someone has died | Microsoft Support
- Where to enter your Office product key | Microsoft Support
- How to close your Microsoft account | Microsoft Support