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GerryDanen
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6 Posts
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1241877
October 29th, 2015 08:00
Cannot activate Office 2016
I purchased Office Home & Student 2016 with my Dell laptop.
When I follow the instructions to activate it, I end up at the Microsoft store and it says my product key is not associated with my Microsoft account. Of course not, I bought it through Dell, not Microsoft...
Any suggestions how to solve this?
Many thanks in advance.
Gerry
sugarbear18
6 Operator
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2275 Posts
18424
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Posted October 29th, 2015 17:00
Hi GerryDanen,
I can see your post.
cbhbrealty
2 Posts
18424
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Posted October 30th, 2015 08:00
I am having the exacty same issue. New XPS 13, office 2016 purchased with it.
GerryDanen
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6 Posts
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Posted October 30th, 2015 15:00
Ended up calling Dell support, and 35 minutes later, a new activation key will be sent.
Make sure to have your Express Service Code and your Service Tag handy.
The MS acct for Office is not necessarily your own Microsoft Account for signing into win 10. You have to set up the acct at the office site. The correct site to activate is not the Store. It is here--
https://products.office.com/en-us/download-back-up-restore-microsoft-office-products
I am having the same issue and after 30 minutes of the worst hold music in history, Dell is sending me a new activation product key - but I have to snail mail back the old one before I get the new one so its going to take at least one week before I can use the software that I purchased with my new Dell XPS 15 that I need to use right away. Seems like a major screwup between Dell and Microsoft.
Doesn't seem like it should be that hard in 2015 to activate software that one specifically purchased from Dell from Microsoft and was supposed to be loaded onto the computer. Sets me back at work.
cbhbrealty
2 Posts
18422
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Posted November 5th, 2015 09:00
Rather than contacting Dell, I called Microsoft, who told me they were aware of the issue of Dell shipping Product Keys that are already used. They assigned a new product key to my MS account and I was able to continue the office install.
dublinireland
1 Message
18434
0
Posted November 10th, 2015 10:00
Got my new laptop today. software product key a dud. rang dell. they are to send out a new product key in the next 3-5 working days. not good.
petervanoevelen
1 Message
18434
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Posted November 11th, 2015 23:00
I am having the same issue with the Home & business 2016 - that I need to do my job
does not seem to be an isolated case - unacceptable !!! (are they pushing us back to Mac ???)
dnitschke
1 Message
12417
1
Posted May 1st, 2016 16:00
Try checking the packaging of the laptop, if you still have it.
Below, Gerry suggested calling Dell support with Express Service Code and Service Tag. When I went back to the box the laptop came in to look for the code and tag, I found a little plastic zip-lock envelope with a bright red sticker saying "Important Information! - Do Not Discard". Inside is a little booklet labeled "Office Home & Student 2016 Product Activation".
I tried following those instructions which said to "Enter your 25-character Product Key as shown on back and follow the on-screen instructions." However, the number on the back IS NOT the product key and trying to enter it didn't get me very far. I finally found the right key on a very colorful sticker ON THE NEXT TO LAST PAGE of the little booklet partially hidden by a scratch-off label.
Bottom line: Check the packaging from the laptop. Then if you find the envelope with the activation key, look for the key, not on the back of the booklet, but on a sticker one or two pages in from the back of the booklet. Hope this helps. Thanks for Gerry's posts which finally got me going.