trouble installing microsoft 365 personal

Sign in to Microsoft’s Services & subscriptions page with the same personal Microsoft account used for the purchase, and install from there only after confirming that Microsoft 365 Personal appears as active.

1. Check that the payment is attached to your account

1. Close Word, Excel, and any other Microsoft 365 apps.
2. Open the Services & subscriptions page.
3. Select Sign in.
4. Enter the email address and password used when Microsoft 365 Personal was purchased.
5. Find Microsoft 365 Personal:
   • If it says Active, continue to the installation steps below.
   • If it is missing, sign out and try any other personal Microsoft account you may have used. The subscription must be associated with an account before that account can install and activate it.[^1^](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID] "Why do I need an account to sign in to Microsoft 365 or Office? | Microsoft Support")
   • If it says Expired or shows a payment error, open the account’s Payment options, correct the payment information, and then restart Word.^2^

Do not pay again while the purchase is being located.

2. If you bought a card, box, or retailer code

Paying a retailer does not automatically activate the subscription. If the purchase included a 25-character product key, redeem that key using the setup address printed on the card or follow the link in the retailer’s email receipt. Sign in with the Microsoft account you intend to use on every device.

The subscription does not start until the retail key or purchase link has been redeemed.[^3^](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID]'re-still-getting-notifications-after-renewing-or-buying-microsoft-365 "A subscription notice appears when I open a Microsoft 365 application | Microsoft Support")

After redemption, return to Services & subscriptions and confirm that Microsoft 365 Personal now appears.

3. Install on the Windows computer

Once the subscription shows as active:

1. On Services & subscriptions, select Install Microsoft 365.
2. Select the language and version, and then select Install.
3. Open the downloaded OfficeSetup.exe file.
4. If Windows asks whether the app can make changes, select Yes.
5. Wait until “You’re all set! Office is installed now” appears, and select Close.
6. Open the Windows Start menu, type Word, and open it.
7. Accept the licence agreement. If prompted, sign in with the same account that showed the active subscription.^4^

If Word is already installed but says you must buy Microsoft 365, open Word → File → Account, sign out of the account shown there, and sign back in with the account that owns Microsoft 365 Personal.

4. Install on your other devices

Microsoft 365 Personal can be used on multiple devices, but those installations must use the same Microsoft account that owns the Personal subscription.[^1^](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID] "Why do I need an account to sign in to Microsoft 365 or Office? | Microsoft Support")

On each additional Windows PC or Mac:

1. Open the Microsoft 365 apps installation page: https://m365.cloud.microsoft/apps.
2. Sign in with the subscription owner’s account.
3. Select Install apps, then Install.
4. Run the downloaded installer.
5. Open Word and sign in with that same account.^4^

Microsoft 365 Personal cannot provide a separate licence to another person using their own account. That sharing arrangement requires Microsoft 365 Family.

If it still says unpaid

If the subscription is active online and Word is signed in with the correct account, run the Microsoft 365 activation troubleshooter through the Windows Get Help app. It must be run on the affected PC and requires Windows 10 or later.^2^

If the purchase is absent from every account or the expiration date is incorrect, contact Microsoft Support and have the receipt or proof of purchase available.[^3^](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID]'re-still-getting-notifications-after-renewing-or-buying-microsoft-365 "A subscription notice appears when I open a Microsoft 365 application | Microsoft Support")

References

1. [Why do I need an account to sign in to Microsoft 365 or Office? | Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID])
2. Office error "Account Notice: We've run into a problem with your Microsoft 365 subscription" | Microsoft Support
3. [A subscription notice appears when I open a Microsoft 365 application | Microsoft Support](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/subscriptions/[Subscription ID]'re-still-getting-notifications-after-renewing-or-buying-microsoft-365)
4. [Install on a PC](https://support.microsoft.com/office/lifecycle/officeinstall/download-install-or-reinstall-microsoft-365-or-office-2024-on-a-pc-or-mac)