microsoft does not work in excel

Recover the account that originally licensed Office, then sign in to Excel with that same account; resetting the laptop does not transfer the Excel license to a different account.

1. Find the account linked to Excel

1. Open Excel.
2. Select File → Account.
3. Under Product Information, look for Belongs to and note the email address shown. Office 2016 or newer can display the account associated with the license there.[^1^](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID] "Microsoft 365 for business")

If no useful address appears:

• Check Windows Start → Settings → Accounts → Email & accounts for previously associated usernames.
• Search all email inboxes for Microsoft purchase receipts or subscription messages.^2^
• If a recovery phone number or alternate email was attached to the account, use Microsoft’s username lookup. It sends a security code and then displays a masked username.^3^

2. Recover the correct type of account

Look at the email address you found:

• Personal account—usually an Outlook, Hotmail, Live, Gmail, or other personal address: use Microsoft account recovery. Enter the old email, phone number, or Skype name, receive the security code, verify your identity, and create a new password.^4^
• School account—an address issued by your school: contact the school’s Microsoft 365 administrator or IT department. The administrator can identify the username and reset its password; a personal Microsoft-account reset cannot recover a school-managed account.[^1^](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID] "Microsoft 365 for business")

Do not post the email address, password, product key, or verification code publicly.

3. Activate Excel

After recovering the account:

1. Close and reopen Excel.
2. Select File → Account → Sign in.
3. Sign in with the recovered account.
4. Check that Product Information no longer says Unlicensed Product.

For a personal account, also open the Services & subscriptions page through Microsoft’s activation guidance and verify that Microsoft 365 or Office is listed and active. If Office is not listed, that email address cannot activate this installation; repeat the account-identification process for any other address you may have used.^5^

If the account cannot be recovered

Use Contact Microsoft Support from the account-help page and provide any proof of purchase available. Support must validate account ownership and is not permitted simply to reveal or change account details without proper verification.^2^

If the old address was a school account that the school has disabled, only that school’s administrator can restore or reassign its Microsoft 365 license.

References

1. [Microsoft 365 for business](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID])
2. Check products or services where you used your Microsoft account | Microsoft Support
3. Forgotten your Microsoft account username | Microsoft Support
4. My username and password have stopped working | Microsoft Support
5. Unlicensed Product and activation errors in Office | Microsoft Support