Switch computers

Question

I lost my hard drive, got a new one and now don't have Microsoft access. I made for it December 16, 2025 and found out when researching it that it had been linked to my old business and now I can not get any of the info to install it on my new hard drive. Can I just cancel the old one and start all over?

Thanks,

Mary Robertson

Answer 1

Hi!

Welcome to Mcirosoft Q&A forum.

Yes, indeed that you can start over fresh, but it depends on how access was originally setup like it could be a business type account that you pay monthly/annually or it was part of a one-time purchase of Office (Office 2021/2019/2016).

Can you recall what type do you have for the Office account?

Answer 2

Yes, starting over on the new drive is possible, but what to do depends on how Access was originally obtained and licensed.

1. If Access was part of a Microsoft 365 subscription

• Sign in with the same Microsoft account that owns the subscription.
• Go to the Office install page (for example, via your account portal) and reinstall Office/Access on the new PC.
• If Access is included in the subscription but not installed, follow the guidance to install or update Office so Access appears:
  • Open Word or Excel.
  • Select File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.
  • When updates finish, check the Start menu for Access.
• If Access still does not appear, reinstall Office from your Microsoft 365 account page.

2. If Access was part of a one-time purchase of Office (Office 2021/2019/2016)

• That license can be moved to a new computer, but it must be removed from the old one first.
• Since the old drive is lost, install Office on the new drive and activate it using the same product key or the same Microsoft account that was used when it was first redeemed.
• One-time purchases can be transferred to another computer that belongs to the same owner, but not more than once every 90 days (except for hardware failure). A failed drive qualifies as hardware failure, so a transfer is allowed.

3. If the license was owned by the old business

• If the Access/Office license was purchased and managed by the business (for example, through a business subscription or volume licensing), it belongs to that organization.
• In that case, cancellation or reassignment must be handled by the business administrator. A personal reinstall or transfer may not be possible if the business no longer provides the license.

4. “Cancel the old one and start all over”

• If the license is personally owned (Microsoft 365 subscription or retail Office/Access) and linked to a personal Microsoft account, there is no need to “cancel” it—simply reinstall and reactivate on the new drive using that same account/product key.
• If the license is truly tied to the old business and cannot be accessed, the practical path is to purchase a new personal license (for example, a Microsoft 365 plan that includes Access) and install it fresh on the new drive.

For transferring or reinstalling Office on a new PC, follow the guidance to uninstall from the old device (where possible) and then install and activate on the new one with the same product key or account.

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References:

• Troubleshoot installing Office
• Transfer your Office license to another device or another person
• Download MsAccess - Microsoft Q&A
• Find your Office apps in Windows