5 file not found

Constance Falk 0 Reputation points
2026-11-07T03:08:17.0833333+00:00

HI

I tried this sequence to ensure that my purchased Office 2024 is operating instead of the Home/Student 2021 version. I can't get it to show up even though it is clearly installed. I found these instructions and by going manually through the Microsoft Office files, I could not find any file "5."

  1. Close all Office applications.
  2. Press Windows key + R.
  3. Enter: text 
          %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Office\Licenses
  4. Delete the folder named 5 inside that location.
Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For home | Windows
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  1. Vikki-T 13,480 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-11-07T08:27:51.2966667+00:00

    Hi Constance Falk,

    I understand the confusion, especially when Office 2024 appears to be installed but the application still seems to show the 2021 license.

    The “5” folder mentioned in those instructions is not present on every system. Its absence does not necessarily mean that Office 2024 was installed incorrectly. I would avoid deleting anything else from the Licenses folder, since removing the wrong licensing data could create additional activation problems.

    Please open an Office application and select File > Account. Check the edition shown under Product Information. If you see Switch License, use it to sign in with the Microsoft account connected to your Office 2024 purchase.

    You can verify which Office products are linked to the account here: Microsoft account Services & subscriptions.

    If Office 2021 continues to appear, the safest next step is to uninstall the existing Office installation, restart Windows, and reinstall Office 2024 directly from the account that owns the license: Install or reinstall Office 2024.

    If possible, please share the exact product name displayed under File > Account > Product Information, but make sure any email address or product key is hidden. Thank you so much for your understanding.     

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-11-07T18:28:45+00:00

    The missing “5” folder is not an error by itself—do not delete another folder; update Office first, then sign in with the Microsoft account that owns Office 2024 and select that license.

    1. Install the latest Office update

    Microsoft documents this as the primary resolution when Office 2024 incorrectly appears as Office 2021. The “5” folder deletion is only a fallback if updating does not correct the displayed license.^1^

    1. Open Word or Excel and create or open a document.
    2. Select File → Account.
    3. Under Product Information, select Update Options → Update Now.
      • If necessary, select Enable Updates first.
    4. Wait until Office reports “You’re up to date!” or “Updates were installed.”^2^
    5. Close every Office application and reopen Word.
    6. Go to File → Account and check Product Information.

    2. Confirm and select the Office 2024 license

    The display problem specifically occurs when the same Microsoft account holds Office 2024 and an earlier Office license such as Office 2021.^1^

    1. Open the Microsoft account Services & subscriptions page: https://account.microsoft.com/services
    2. Sign in with the account used to purchase or redeem Office 2024.
    3. Verify that Office 2024 is listed.
    4. Return to Word and, under File → Account, sign in with that same account.
    5. If Office presents a list of available products, select Office 2024.
    6. Recheck Product Information.

    Most Office 2024 retail editions activate through the Microsoft account already linked to the license rather than by entering a product key again.^3^

    If the “5” folder still does not exist

    Skip that deletion step. The folder is part of Office’s local licensing cache and may not be present until the applicable activation data has been created. Its absence does not establish that Office 2024 failed to install. Do not create a folder named “5” manually and do not delete differently numbered folders.

    If Office 2024 appears in Services & subscriptions but Word still reports 2021 after updating and signing in:

    1. Uninstall all listed Office versions through Control Panel → Programs → Programs and Features.
    2. Restart Windows.
    3. Return to https://account.microsoft.com/services using the purchasing account.
    4. Find Office 2024, select Install, and run that installer.
    5. Open Word and sign in with the same purchasing account.

    This clean reinstall has resolved cases where an older Office installation remained associated with the computer.^4^

    If Office 2024 is not listed in Services & subscriptions, do not uninstall yet. First check whether the purchase was redeemed under a different Microsoft account. The installation must be downloaded and activated using the account associated with that Office 2024 purchase.^5^

    References

    1. Office 2024 may appear as an earlier version of Office in the app backstage | Microsoft Support
    2. How to update Microsoft 365 or Office for Windows
    3. Change your Office product key | Microsoft Support
    4. Office 2024 - Microsoft Q&A
    5. Install on a PC
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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