MS 365 multiple subscriptions

Question

I am trying to give one of my Microsoft 365 subscriptions to a family member. I sent her a link and while she was trying to set it up a window appeared asking for a product key. How do I find the product key that she needs?

Answer 1

Did you carefully follow the steps at https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/share-your-microsoft-365-family-or-premium-subscription-b389b9ce-3ae3-4a82-9017-39d79972fcba to invite your family member?

And did your family member then follow the steps in the article at https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/someone-invited-you-to-share-their-microsoft-365-subscription-6a6c098e-1934-4436-9a94-69c92590da5b to accept the invite and install?

Answer 2

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

The invite link should let her sign in with her Microsoft account and accept the share. Can you ask her to check if the subscription is already showing on her account here: https://account.microsoft.com/services

Also, how did you send the subscription to her? Did you use the “Share subscription” option from your Microsoft account?

Click "Add comment" to let me know.

Answer 3

For Microsoft 365 Family sharing, a product key is not required and should not be shared with the family member.

Microsoft 365 subscriptions are installed and activated by signing in with a Microsoft account, not by entering a product key. The product key is only used once, when the subscription is first redeemed. After that, installation and activation are managed through the Microsoft account’s Services & subscriptions page.

To give the subscription to a family member:

1. Share the subscription from the Microsoft 365 Family subscription owner’s account using the official sharing process (send an invitation to the family member’s email).
2. The family member must accept the invitation.
3. After accepting, the family member signs in to their own Microsoft account and installs Office from their Services & subscriptions page.

If a product key prompt appears during setup, the family member should instead sign in with the Microsoft account that received and accepted the Family subscription share. Do not send or reuse the original product key; it can only be redeemed once and is not meant to be shared.

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References:

• Using product keys with Microsoft 365
• Where to enter your Office product key
• Get help with product key errors on Office.com/setup
• Try or buy Microsoft 365
• Find your Office product key
• how to download microsoft office 365 from subscription with multiple installs - Microsoft Q&A
• Family 365 account subscription error - Microsoft Q&A