Symptoms
When you open a Microsoft Office application such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, you may see a yellow or red banner at the top saying "Unlicensed Product" or "Product Activation Failed". Some features may be disabled, or the application may switch to read-only mode.
Why This Happens
This usually happens for one of the following reasons:
- A Windows or Office update has reset the activation status
- The product key was not entered correctly during setup
- Office was repaired or reinstalled without the key being entered again
- More than one version of Office is installed and causing a conflict
Solution
Step 1 — Re-enter Your Product Key
Start by entering your product key again:
- Open any Office application, such as Word
- Go to File > Account
- Select Change Product Key or Activate Product
- Enter your 25-character product key exactly as shown in your order details
- Follow the on-screen steps to complete activation
Step 2 — If Online Activation Fails, Use Telephone Activation
If online activation does not work, or you see a message saying the key has already been used, you can usually complete the process using telephone activation.
- Go to https://uk.getrenewedtech.com/activate
- Follow the step-by-step instructions
- No phone call is needed — the process is completed online
- You will receive a Confirmation ID to enter into the activation window
Step 3 — Remove Older Office Versions
If you have more than one version of Office installed, they can interfere with each other.
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed Apps
- Look for any older or unused versions of Microsoft Office
- Uninstall any version you no longer need
- Restart your computer
- Try activating the correct version again
Cannot Find Your Product Key?
Please check your inbox, spam, and junk folders for your original order confirmation from Get Renewed Tech.
If you still cannot find it, please contact our support team through the helpdesk and include the email address used to place the order. We will then resend your licence key and order details if we are able to locate them.
Still Having Issues?
If the problem continues, please contact us through the helpdesk and include:
- The exact error message
- A screenshot of the issue, if possible
- Your order number, or the email address used when placing the order
This will help us resolve the issue more quickly.
Was this article helpful?
That’s Great!
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry! We couldn't be helpful
Thank you for your feedback
Feedback sent
We appreciate your effort and will try to fix the article