How to switch license in my Microsoft office having that my laptop is refurbished

Jennifer kanini 0 Reputation points
2026-11-06T12:54:17.45+00:00

I got my laptop from revive Saudi Arabia and I have been having issues with Excel. The account is not registered and when I try to register with my new Microsoft account the results are account not found and I need to switch license. It confirms that my Microsoft office is unlicensed. The laptop is still new just got it two weeks ago, I bought it to study and work but Excel is not functioning right for now.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For home | Windows

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  1. Stefan Blom 357.2K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-11-06T13:23:26.3533333+00:00

    I did the download myself the laptop came with no office. I downloaded office from Microsoft store. Currently I don't have an office license just bought the laptop. The laptop is my first laptop I do not have a license or a subscription yet.

    You will have to purchase an Office product, either a one-time payment license or a subscription. A one-time payment ("perpetual") product such as Office Home & Business 2024 will be cheaper but it is for one device and one user only.

    Alternatively, try open source software such as LibreOffice which is free of charge.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-11-06T12:55:00.1333333+00:00

    A refurbished laptop’s preinstalled Office installation cannot be switched to a new Microsoft account unless that account already has an eligible Microsoft 365 subscription or Office license.

    1. Determine whether you own an Office license

    Sign in to the Microsoft account Services & subscriptions page using the account that purchased or redeemed Office. Your Microsoft 365 subscription or Office product must appear there; otherwise, that account cannot activate Excel. The “account/product not found” message commonly occurs when the signed-in account has no associated Office product.^1^

    Then use the matching case:

    • A Microsoft 365 or Office product appears: proceed to “Switch the installed license” below.
    • You received a new 25-character product key: redeem it once at Office.com/setup, signing in with the Microsoft account that should own the license. Redemption adds the product to that account.^2^
    • No product appears and you received no key: Office may only have been preinstalled, not purchased. Preinstalled Microsoft 365 requires starting the offered trial, buying Microsoft 365 or Office, or signing in with an account that already owns a license.^2^

    If Revive advertised the laptop as including a genuine Office license, contact the seller with your receipt and ask them to provide the promised license or resolve the sale. Do not use an account or license left by the laptop’s previous owner.

    2. Switch the installed license

    After the desired license appears in your Microsoft account:

    1. Open Excel.
    2. Select File → Account.
    3. Under Product Information, select Switch License.
    4. Sign in with the Microsoft account containing the license.
    5. Select the eligible license if more than one appears.
    6. Close every Office application so Office can finish updating to the selected product.

    If no eligible license is associated with that account, Office displays Try another account. The switch procedure applies to Windows Microsoft 365, Office 2024, and Office 2021, but not volume-license editions.^3^

    3. If “Switch License” is missing or activation remains tied to the old installation

    First update Office if the Switch License button is absent. If switching still fails, replace the existing installation:

    1. In Excel, select File → Account → Sign out.
    2. Open Control Panel → Programs → Programs and Features.
    3. Uninstall the existing Microsoft Office/Microsoft 365 installation.
    4. Restart Windows.
    5. Return to Services & subscriptions, sign in with the account containing your license, and select Install.
    6. Run the installer, open Excel, and sign in with that same account.

    Microsoft documents uninstalling and reinstalling as the fallback when the activating account cannot be changed through Switch License.^3^

    If multiple Office versions are listed under Programs and Features, remove versions you do not use because parallel installations can cause activation conflicts.^1^

    References

    1. Unlicensed Product and activation errors in Office | Microsoft Support
    2. Activate Office for Windows | Microsoft Support
    3. Switch your Office license
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