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How to activate previously purchased MS Office Home & Business 2021 in new computer

Anonymous
2023-12-30T18:25:52+00:00

On April 4, 2022 I bought an XPS 8950 from Dell.  Included in the purchase was Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 with Adobe Acrobat Standard 2020.  In December 2023 my system crashed and was diagnosed as a failed motherboard.  I had to buy a new computer.  I had no trouble reinstalling Adobe Acrobat 2020 Standard because I registered the product and retained the documentation.  When I contacted Dell to request a similar “activation” code for the Microsoft software I had purchased, I was directed to their customer support and spoke to two representatives (that were barely understandable).  I terminated the call when the representatives told me that to continue I would have to pay for their customer support.  I am currently trying to obtain authorization for a reinstalment of the software  I purchased from Dell in 2022.  My new computer came with an “inactivated” copy of Microsoft Office, (or MS365) and is continually pestering me to log in and/or “activate” (purchased) MS 365 software within the next 4 days.  Please advise how I can activate and USE the software I have already purchased.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Licensing and activation

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  1. EmilyS726 226.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2023-12-30T20:10:00+00:00

    Hello, this is Emily.

    When you had your XPS from 2022, did you redeem the Office that came with your purchase? By the way, it should be either home, or business, not AND.

    If you have redeemed it, you can go to www.office.com, sign into your Microsoft account you used for redeem. Once signed in, you should see the option to "install office apps" on the upper right. Click on it and you can download the installer to install the suite.

    If it is a business version, you will need to sign into a business account, not a personal Microsoft account. Such business account is either your custom domain email address, or one using Microsoft's default business domain @businessname.onmicrosoft.com. I think most likely yours is the home version as it is unlikely that Dell offers the business version.

    See if that works. If not, you might have to contact Microsoft support with proof of purchase, with which, support can reassign you the license. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/contactus

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  2. EmilyS726 226.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2023-12-31T18:27:24+00:00

    That is terrible. I am sorry. As much as I want to help you, we are just peer users and don't have any special access or authority.

    Can you confirm though, when you sign into your Microsoft account in the app, it won't let you activate still, right?

    Another option is to download Dell Digital Delivery app and see if it might recognize your orignal purchase with Dell and allow it to deliver again: https://www.dell.com/support/contents/en-us/cat... You might want to try Dell support again since the purchase was with them, and the replacement was done with them.

    At the same time, I can alert the forum owner here to see if there's anything they can help escalate, but that might have to wait til the next business day as they are on holiday break right now. Thanks for your understanding.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-12-31T18:21:29+00:00

    Ah, ok, the Office Home & Business 2021, which is not a subscription, but a one-time purchase with the classic app.

    This is per PC only, so if it wasn't removed from the old device, you might have trouble activating it again. Hence, yes, you will need support to help you with this. Yes, you can use the link I gave you above, and choose Office option. Then choose Get Home Support. Then type in "Activation", then on the next page, scroll down to the bottom and click on "Contact support". Then select Microsoft 365 and Office, when you go next, you will have the option to request a call back.

    I went through the steps you mentioned, submitted my purchase documentation, then was connected to 3 different representatives, and was assigned the following 3 case numbers:

    #1: 1058863087 - said to note problem as "install office"

    #2: 7031230670 -said to note problem as "install office"

    #3: 7031372490 - said I had to contact a different department that controls office activation

    Transfer #2 I could not understand her English, so she gave me this phone number to call: 1-800-494-2962. Transfer #3, (whom I could understand) gave me the original support.microsoft.com/contactus website to start the process all over again and closed the case!

    Suggestions?

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  4. EmilyS726 226.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2023-12-31T01:07:48+00:00

    Ah, ok, the Office Home & Business 2021, which is not a subscription, but a one-time purchase with the classic app.

    This is per PC only, so if it wasn't removed from the old device, you might have trouble activating it again. Hence, yes, you will need support to help you with this. Yes, you can use the link I gave you above, and choose Office option. Then choose Get Home Support. Then type in "Activation", then on the next page, scroll down to the bottom and click on "Contact support". Then select Microsoft 365 and Office, when you go next, you will have the option to request a call back.

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-12-31T00:41:41+00:00

    Hello, this is Emily.

    When you had your XPS from 2022, did you redeem the Office that came with your purchase? By the way, it should be either home, or business, not AND.

    If you have redeemed it, you can go to www.office.com, sign into your Microsoft account you used for redeem. Once signed in, you should see the option to "install office apps" on the upper right. Click on it and you can download the installer to install the suite.

    If it is a business version, you will need to sign into a business account, not a personal Microsoft account. Such business account is either your custom domain email address, or one using Microsoft's default business domain @businessname.onmicrosoft.com. I think most likely yours is the home version as it is unlikely that Dell offers the business version.

    See if that works. If not, you might have to contact Microsoft support with proof of purchase, with which, support can reassign you the license. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/contactus

    Emily,

    Thank you for the prompt response. I don't recall that there was any "redemption", all I know is that I was able to use Excel, Word & Outlook since April 2022 up to the time the XPS 8950 motherboard died. The actual wording on the Dell Packing List is as follows:

    Office Home & Business 2021 with Adobe Acrobat Standard 2020 630-ABLT 1

    I can supply copies of my Order, Invoice and packing list from Dell as needed. Should I contact the Microsoft Support link you've listed above and provide the information in order to obtain the license?

    Thank you.

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