Transferring Word to new laptop

The employee should reinstall Word by signing in with the Microsoft account used for the original purchase; once a product key has been redeemed, that account replaces the key for installation and activation.^1^

Find the Microsoft account linked to Word

If the old laptop still works:

1. Open Word.
2. Select File → Account.
3. Under the product name, note the address shown after Belongs to.
4. Do not look for the full key inside Word—it is intentionally not displayed.

Install Word on the new laptop

1. On the new laptop, open the Microsoft account Services & subscriptions page: https://account.microsoft.com/services/
2. Sign in with the account identified above.
3. Locate the purchased edition of Word or Office and select Install.
4. Run the installer.
5. Open Word and sign in with the same Microsoft account to activate it.

This also applies to an individually purchased, stand-alone copy of Word; it is installed from the associated Microsoft account like an Office suite.^2^

If the purchase is not listed

Try these branches in order:

• Purchased from Microsoft Store: Sign in to Microsoft Store with the account used for the purchase, open Order History, find Word or Office, and select Install Office. Microsoft documents this as the recovery path for Store purchases.^3^
• Unsure which account was used: Check Word on the old laptop under File → Account → Belongs to, then try that account at Services & subscriptions.
• The key was never redeemed or linked to an account: The missing email may matter. Look for the purchase in the retailer’s order history. With valid proof of purchase, Microsoft Support may be able to replace a lost key or provide another option.^1^

If activation says the limit has been reached

One-time-purchase editions such as Office Home & Student, Home & Business, and Professional are generally licensed for one computer. Where the applicable license terms permit a move to a replacement computer:

1. Install Office or Word on the new laptop.
2. Use the Activation Wizard’s telephone activation option.
3. After activation, uninstall Office from the old laptop.

Microsoft specifically requires telephone activation and removal from the original computer for this transfer path.^4^

Device-bound exception

If Word or Office originally came preinstalled with the old laptop as an OEM license, it is tied to that original device and cannot be transferred. A separate license would then be required for the new laptop.^5^

Before removing anything from the old laptop, confirm that the purchase appears under the correct Microsoft account or that activation on the new laptop has succeeded.

References

1. Using product keys with Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Support
2. Need help?
3. Where to enter your Office product key | Microsoft Support
4. Activate Office after reinstalling or installing on a different device | Microsoft Support
5. transferring my microsoft suite to a different pc - Microsoft Q&A