Activation Guide

    How to Activate Office 2021 with Product Key

    Complete guide for online and phone activation on Windows and Mac

    Last updated: December 20248 min read

    Why Activation Matters

    Activating Office 2021 with your product key unlocks all features and removes trial limitations. Without activation, Office enters read-only mode after a grace period. This guide covers all activation methods for both Windows and Mac, including troubleshooting common issues.

    Before You Activate

    Ensure you're ready for successful activation

    Have Your Product Key Ready
    Important

    Locate your 25-character product key from your purchase confirmation email or product card.

    Connect to the Internet
    Important

    Online activation requires a stable internet connection. Phone activation is available as backup.

    Install Office First

    Office 2021 must be installed before activation. Download from office.com/setup if needed.

    Close All Office Apps

    Close Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Office apps before starting activation.

    Activate Office 2021 on Windows

    Step-by-step activation for Windows 10 and 11

    Method 1: During First Launch
    Recommended

    1. 1Open any Office app (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint)
    2. 2You'll see an activation prompt or 'Activate' button
    3. 3Click 'I have a product key' or 'Enter Key'
    4. 4Type your 25-character product key
    5. 5Click 'Activate Office' and wait for confirmation

    Method 2: Through File Menu

    1. 1Open any Office application
    2. 2Click 'File' in the top menu
    3. 3Select 'Account' from the left sidebar
    4. 4Click 'Change Product Key' or 'Activate Product'
    5. 5Enter your 25-character key and click 'Activate'

    Method 3: Command Prompt (Advanced)

    1. 1Open Command Prompt as Administrator
    2. 2Navigate to Office folder: cd "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16"
    3. 3Run: cscript ospp.vbs /inpkey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
    4. 4Then run: cscript ospp.vbs /act
    5. 5Wait for 'Product activation successful' message

    Activate Office 2021 on Mac

    Activation steps for macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon)

    1

    Open Any Office App

    Launch Word, Excel, or PowerPoint from the Applications folder or Launchpad.

    2

    Sign In or Enter Key

    When prompted, click 'I have a product key' instead of signing in with a Microsoft account.

    3

    Enter Product Key

    Type your 25-character product key carefully. Double-check for typos.

    4

    Complete Activation

    Click 'Activate Office' and wait for the confirmation message.

    On Mac, you can also activate by going to any Office app's menu bar > [App Name] > About > Activate.

    Link Key to Microsoft Account

    Associate your product key for easier reinstallation

    Benefits

    • Reinstall Office without needing the key again
    • Track your licenses in one place
    • Transfer Office to a new computer easily
    • Access download links anytime

    How to Link

    1. 1Go to account.microsoft.com/services
    2. 2Sign in with your Microsoft account
    3. 3Click 'Enter product key' or find Office in subscriptions
    4. 4Type your 25-character product key
    5. 5The key is now linked to your account permanently

    Phone Activation (Offline Method)

    Activate Office when online activation fails

    If online activation doesn't work, you can activate Office by phone. This is useful for computers without internet or when experiencing activation server issues.

    1

    Start Phone Activation

    Open any Office app > File > Account > Activate by Phone. Or, run 'slui 4' in the Run dialog (Win+R).

    2

    Select Your Country

    Choose your country from the dropdown menu to get the correct phone number.

    3

    Call Microsoft

    Call the toll-free number displayed and follow the automated system prompts.

    4

    Provide Installation ID

    Read the Installation ID numbers shown on your screen to the automated system.

    5

    Enter Confirmation ID

    Type the Confirmation ID provided by the phone system into Office to complete activation.

    Microsoft Activation Phone Numbers

    Numbers may change. Find current numbers at microsoft.com/activation

    CountryNumber
    United States1-888-571-2048
    United Kingdom0800-018-8354
    Canada1-888-571-2048
    Australia1-800-642-377
    Spain900-814-856

    Verify Activation Status

    Confirm Office is properly activated

    On Windows

    1. 1Open any Office application
    2. 2Click 'File' > 'Account'
    3. 3Look for 'Product Activated' under Product Information
    4. 4You should see 'Subscription Product' or 'Office 2021' with 'Product Activated'

    On Mac

    1. 1Open any Office application
    2. 2Click the app name in the menu bar (e.g., 'Word')
    3. 3Select 'About [App Name]'
    4. 4Look for 'Product Activated' or 'Licensed to [Your Name]'

    Signs of Successful Activation

    • No activation prompts when opening Office apps
    • 'Product Activated' message in File > Account
    • All features work without restrictions
    • No 'Trial' or 'Unlicensed Product' banners

    Types of Office 2021 Activation

    TypeDescriptionTransferableLimit
    Retail (Product Key)One-time purchase for personal useYes, can transfer to new PC1 device per key
    Volume License (MAK/KMS)Business/enterprise activationDepends on agreementMultiple devices
    OEM (Pre-installed)Bundled with new computersNo, tied to original PC1 device only

    Troubleshooting Activation Issues

    Solutions to common activation problems

    Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant

    Download Microsoft's free tool to automatically diagnose and fix activation issues.

    Download tool

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Related Office 2021 Guides

    Need an Office 2021 Product Key?

    Get a genuine Office 2021 Professional Plus license with instant email delivery.

    Buy Office 2021 Key