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Do I really have to PAY for 365?

ReBecca Ferguson 0 Reputation points
2026-01-22T21:42:15.3833333+00:00

Just bought a new HP laptop, it said it came w/Microsoft 365, but I’m setting it up & it wants me to pay $130 to purchase Microsoft 365. wtf?! Why would I buy a laptop if it’s not even capable of creating a document with the operating system it supposedly comes with?!?! That makes no sense! Also I bought it on sale so purchasing the 365 package is almost as much as I paid for the laptop itself! Should I just return the stupid laptop & get my money back? This feels really scammy!!

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | iOS
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  1. John Jefferson Doyon 70,540 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-01-22T22:19:24.85+00:00

    Hi, I'm John! I will help you with this.

    Most HP laptops come with Windows 11 and only a trial of Microsoft 365, not a paid license.

    You do not have to pay to create documents, since Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are free to use online at https://www.office.com with a Microsoft account.

    The $130 fee is only if you want the desktop apps, offline use, and extra OneDrive storage.

    So it’s not a scam, just poor marketing, returning the laptop isn’t necessary unless you specifically want the paid desktop Office apps.

    Should you need further information please let me know.

    Click "Add comment" to let me know.

    Regards,

    John J.D.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-01-22T21:42:21.93+00:00

    When you purchase a new laptop, it may or may not come with a pre-installed version of Microsoft 365. Some laptops do include a trial version or a limited-time subscription, while others may not include any Office applications at all. If your laptop is asking you to pay for Microsoft 365, it likely means that it does not come with a free subscription or that the included version has expired.

    If you want to create documents without paying for Microsoft 365, you can use Word for the web for free, which provides basic functionality for document creation. Alternatively, you might consider using open-source software like LibreOffice, which is compatible with Office formats and is free to use.

    If you feel that the laptop should have included Microsoft 365 and it was misrepresented at the time of purchase, you may want to consider returning it for a refund.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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