How to Transfer Office 2024 to a New PC
Complete guide to safely transfer your Office 2024 perpetual license from your old computer to a new one, including step-by-step instructions for Windows and Mac.
Last updated: December 2024
In This Guide
Understanding License Transfer Rights
Before transferring your Office 2024 license, it's important to understand your licensing rights and what transfers are permitted:
Retail License (Full Packaged Product)
TransferableRetail licenses purchased from authorized retailers like Prise Keys can be transferred to a new computer. You must first remove Office from the old PC before installing on the new one.
This is the most flexible license type and allows unlimited transfers between your own computers.
OEM License (Pre-installed)
Not TransferableOEM licenses that come pre-installed on computers from manufacturers are tied to that specific hardware and cannot be transferred to a different PC.
If your computer came with Office pre-installed, you'll need a new license for your new PC.
Volume License (Enterprise)
TransferableVolume licenses are managed by organizations and have specific transfer rules. Contact your IT administrator for transfer procedures.
Transfer rights depend on your organization's license agreement.
Important: Office 2024 perpetual licenses allow installation on ONE device at a time. You must fully deactivate and uninstall from your old computer before activating on your new one.
Before You Begin
Prepare for a smooth license transfer by completing these essential steps:
1. Locate Your Product Key
Find your original 25-character product key. Check your Prise Keys confirmation email, original packaging, or your Microsoft account at account.microsoft.com/services.
2. Verify Your License Type
Confirm you have a retail/transferable license. Open any Office app, go to File > Account and check the product information section.
3. Back Up Important Data
Save any custom templates, email signatures, dictionaries, and macros. Export Outlook data (.pst files), custom Excel templates, and Word styles.
4. Note Your Settings
Take screenshots or notes of your Office preferences, email account settings, Quick Access Toolbar customizations, and any add-ins you use.
5. Check New PC Requirements
Ensure your new computer meets Office 2024 system requirements: Windows 10/11 or macOS Monterey (12.0) or later, 4GB RAM minimum, 4GB disk space.
6. Ensure Internet Connection
Both deactivation and reactivation require an internet connection for license verification with Microsoft servers.
💡 Pro Tip: If you purchased from Prise Keys, your product key is always available in your order confirmation email. Search your inbox for 'Prise Keys' to find it quickly.
Deactivate on Your Old PC
The first step in transferring your license is to properly deactivate Office on your old computer. This releases the license for use on your new PC.
Method 1: Sign Out from Microsoft Account (Recommended)
If your license is linked to a Microsoft account:
- 1.Open any Office application (Word, Excel, etc.)
- 2.Click File > Account
- 3.Under Product Information, click 'Sign out'
- 4.Confirm sign out when prompted
- 5.Close all Office applications completely
Method 2: Deactivate via Microsoft Account Online
For remote deactivation or if you can't access the old PC:
- 1.Go to account.microsoft.com and sign in
- 2.Navigate to Services & subscriptions
- 3.Find your Office 2024 product
- 4.Click 'Manage' next to the installation
- 5.Select 'Deactivate' or 'Sign out of all devices'
Method 3: Using Command Prompt (Advanced)
For stubborn activations or offline scenarios:
- 1.Open Command Prompt as Administrator
- 2.Navigate to Office folder: cd "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16"
- 3.Run: cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus to check current license
- 4.Run: cscript ospp.vbs /unpkey:XXXXX (last 5 chars of product key)
- 5.Verify deactivation with /dstatus command again
Warning: Do not skip deactivation! Microsoft tracks active installations. If you exceed the allowed number of activations, your product key may be blocked.
Uninstall from Old Computer
After deactivating your license, completely remove Office from your old computer:
Uninstall on Windows
Use Settings App (Windows 10/11)
- 1.Press Windows + I to open Settings
- 2.Go to Apps > Apps & features (or Installed apps)
- 3.Search for 'Microsoft Office'
- 4.Click the three dots and select 'Uninstall'
- 5.Follow the uninstall wizard prompts
- 6.Restart your computer when complete
Use Microsoft Support Tool (Complete Removal)
- 1.Download the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant
- 2.Run the tool and select 'Office'
- 3.Choose 'I have Office installed, but I'm having trouble uninstalling it'
- 4.Select your Office version and click 'Next'
- 5.The tool will completely remove all Office components
Uninstall on Mac
- 1.Open Finder and go to Applications folder
- 2.Drag all Microsoft Office apps to Trash
- 3.Go to ~/Library/Containers/ and delete folders starting with 'com.microsoft'
- 4.Go to ~/Library/Group Containers/ and delete 'UBF8T346G9.Office'
- 5.Empty Trash to complete removal
- 6.Restart your Mac
Complete uninstallation ensures no license conflicts when you activate on your new computer.
Install on Your New PC
With Office removed from your old computer, you're ready to install on your new one:
Method 1: Download from Microsoft Account
If your product key is linked to a Microsoft account:
- 1.On your new PC, go to office.com/setup
- 2.Sign in with the Microsoft account that has your Office license
- 3.Click 'Install Office' button
- 4.Choose the appropriate installer (32-bit or 64-bit)
- 5.Run the downloaded installer and follow prompts
Method 2: Direct Download from Prise Keys
Use the download link from your original purchase:
- 1.Find your Prise Keys order confirmation email
- 2.Click the download link provided
- 3.Save the installer to your new computer
- 4.Run the installer as Administrator
- 5.Wait for installation to complete
Method 3: Using Your Product Key at setup.office.com
If you have the product key but it's not linked to an account:
- 1.Go to setup.office.com
- 2.Sign in or create a Microsoft account
- 3.Enter your 25-character product key
- 4.The key will link to your account
- 5.Click 'Install Office' to download
💡 Recommendation: Always use 64-bit Office on modern systems with 8GB+ RAM for better performance with large files and advanced features.
Activate on New Computer
After installation, activate Office 2024 on your new computer:
Launch Any Office Application
Open Word, Excel, or any Office app. The activation wizard should appear automatically on first launch.
Choose Activation Method
Select 'I have a product key' if prompted, or sign in with the Microsoft account where your license is registered.
Enter Product Key
Type your 25-character product key exactly as shown (format: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX). Use uppercase letters.
Complete Online Activation
Click 'Activate Office' and wait for verification. This requires internet connection. You should see a success message within seconds.
Verify Activation Status
Go to File > Account in any Office app. You should see 'Product Activated' under the product information section.
Phone Activation (If Online Fails)
If online activation fails, you can activate by phone:
- 1.In the activation wizard, select 'I want to activate by telephone'
- 2.Choose your country to get the appropriate phone number
- 3.Call the number and follow the automated prompts
- 4.Read your Installation ID to the system
- 5.Enter the Confirmation ID provided
- 6.Click 'Activate' to complete
Troubleshooting Transfer Issues
Encountering problems during the transfer process? Here are solutions to common issues:
Still stuck? Contact Prise Keys customer support for assistance with keys purchased from us, or Microsoft Support for general activation issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
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