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Office 2013 keeps asking for Product Key

Brian Gillham 0 Reputation points
2026-01-06T13:44:18.1733333+00:00

I have done a complete Re-Install of my Windows 10 laptop to Windows 11

I installed Office 2013 which went fine.

It asks for a Product Key which gets a Tick and carries on.

The next time I load an Office App it asks for a Product Key AGAIN.

It was installed on my WIndows 10 and was working fine.

How do I fix this problem?

I have been trying for 2 days to fix this issue!

(Moved from: Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For business | Windows)

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For home | Windows
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  1. AI answer

    2026-01-06T13:45:32.9+00:00

    If Office 2013 keeps asking for a product key after you have reinstalled Windows and Office, it could be due to several reasons. Here are some steps you can take to resolve the issue:

    1. Check Activation Status: Ensure that Office 2013 is properly activated. Open any Office application, go to File > Account, and check the activation status.
    2. Repair Office: You can try repairing your Office installation. Go to Control Panel > Programs and Features, select Microsoft Office 2013, and choose the Repair option.
    3. Run Office as Administrator: Sometimes, running the Office application as an administrator can help with activation issues. Right-click on the Office application shortcut and select Run as administrator.
    4. Check Registry Settings: If the software protection platform registry key is missing or incorrect, it may cause activation issues. You can check this by running regedit and navigating to HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-20\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion. Ensure that the SoftwareProtectionPlatform value is present.
    5. Compatibility Mode: Ensure that the Office application is not running in compatibility mode. Right-click the Office application, select Properties, go to the Compatibility tab, and ensure that the Run this program in compatibility mode for option is unchecked.
    6. Re-enter the Product Key: Sometimes, re-entering the product key can resolve the issue. Make sure you are using the correct product key that corresponds to your Office 2013 installation.

    If these steps do not resolve the issue, you may need to contact Microsoft support for further assistance.

    References:

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  2. Stefan Blom 341K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-01-09T14:47:26.8333333+00:00

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  3. Alex_T 6,380 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-01-06T21:11:38.7566667+00:00

    Hello Brian Gillham,

    Thank you for reaching out in Microsoft Q&A forum

    I understand how frustrating it is that Office 2013 keeps asking for the product key even though activation already succeeded.

    Office 2013 is no longer supported, and when you reinstall Windows or install on Windows 11, activation can fail to stay saved because the old licensing service does not register correctly with the new system.

    But you can still try these steps to reinstall Office 2013:

    1. Run Office as Administrator once. Sometimes the license file cannot be written without admin rights:
      • Close all Office apps > Right‑click Word > Run as administrator
      • Enter the key again
      • Close Word and restart normally to test
    2. Repair the Office Licensing Service
      • Press Win + R > type: services.msc
      • Look for Office Software Protection Platform
      • Make sure the Startup type is Automatic (Delayed Start)
      • If stopped, click Start
    3. Reactivate using Phone Activation. Even if activation succeeded once, forcing a phone reactivation usually writes a fresh token file that stays permanent:
      • Open Word > File > Account > Change Product Key
      • Enter your key
      • Choose Activate by telephone
      • Complete the steps

    Let me know how it goes

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