Installing Office 365

Completely remove any existing or partial Office installation with Microsoft’s uninstall troubleshooter, restart Windows, and then reinstall Microsoft 365 from the Microsoft account associated with the purchase.

Turning off antimalware did not change the result, so leave Windows security enabled and use this cleanup path instead.

1. Remove the incomplete or older Office installation

On the affected PC:

1. Open Microsoft’s Uninstall Microsoft 365 or Office from a PC page.
2. Under Uninstall Microsoft 365 or Office with the uninstall troubleshooter, start the troubleshooter.
3. If Windows displays “This site is trying to open Get Help,” select Open.
4. Select the Microsoft 365/Office installation and complete all removal prompts.
5. When prompted, choose Restart—do not merely shut down and turn the PC back on.

The troubleshooter supports Microsoft 365, Office 2021, Office 2019, and Office 2016 on Windows 10 or later and must be run on the PC experiencing the problem.^1^

If the troubleshooter cannot start, use Control Panel → Programs → Programs and Features, select every existing Office suite or standalone Office application such as Visio or Project, and choose Uninstall. Restart afterward.^1^

2. Reinstall from the licensed account

1. Go to https://m365.cloud.microsoft/apps.
2. Sign in with the same Microsoft account used to purchase or redeem Microsoft 365.
3. Select Install apps → Install.
4. Open the downloaded setup file:
   • Edge: Run
   • Chrome: Setup
   • Firefox: Save File, then open it
5. Approve the User Account Control prompt by selecting Yes.
6. Wait for “You’re all set! Office is installed now.”
7. Open Word and sign in with the same account to activate it.^2^

If error 30185-2016 (403) remains

Use the Microsoft 365 setup troubleshooter offered under Installation or sign-in issues on the installation page.^2^

If the uninstall troubleshooter reports success but Office remnants remain, Microsoft provides a manual-removal procedure. This is a last resort: Microsoft warns that manual removal is complex, requires administrator privileges, and incorrect changes can require reinstalling Windows.^3^

If further assistance is needed, record these details before contacting Microsoft Support:

• Full error: 30185-2016 (403)
• Windows version
• Whether another Office edition was previously installed
• Whether the uninstall troubleshooter completed successfully
• Whether Microsoft 365 appears as active under the purchasing account

References

1. [Click-to-Run](https://support.microsoft.com/office/lifecycle/officeinstall/uninstall-microsoft-365-or-office-from-a-pc)
2. Download, install, or reinstall Microsoft 365 or Office 2024 on a PC or Mac
3. Manually uninstall Office