Install Microsoft Online Key
Follow the instructions below to prepare your Windows PC, download Microsoft Office 2021 Professional Plus, install the software and complete activation.
A few quick checks can prevent most installation and activation problems.
- Make sure you are using a compatible Windows PC.
- Install any important pending Windows updates.
- Make sure you have a working internet connection.
- Make sure you have administrator access to the computer.
- Save your Office product key or licence information somewhere safe.
- Close Word, Excel, Outlook and any other Microsoft Office applications.
- Remove incompatible or unwanted older Office installations where necessary.
Select the language you require below. These download links point to Microsoft's Office content delivery network.
Select your required language to download the ProPlus2021Retail.img installation file.
Once ProPlus2021Retail.img has finished downloading, locate it in your Downloads folder.
Double-click the file. Windows should automatically mount it as a virtual drive.
Alternatively, right-click the file and select Mount.
Open the newly mounted Office drive and locate Setup.exe.
Double-click Setup.exe to begin installation.
If Windows displays a User Account Control message asking whether you want to allow the application to make changes to your device, select Yes.
Microsoft Office will now install on your computer.
Installation time depends on the speed of your computer and internet connection.
- Do not restart your computer during installation.
- Do not disconnect from the internet.
- Keep the installation window open until completion.
Once Office confirms that installation is complete, close the installer.
Open the Windows Start menu and search for Word.
You can also open Excel, PowerPoint or another Office application.
When Office opens for the first time, Microsoft may ask you to accept its software licence terms or privacy settings.
Review the information shown and continue through the prompts.
The activation screen shown depends on your particular Office licence.
Open Word, then select:
File > Account
Look under the product information section to confirm the activation status.
These checks resolve many of the most common Office installation and activation problems.
The Office installer will not start
- Restart your computer.
- Make sure the download completed fully.
- Right-click the IMG file and select Mount.
- Run Setup.exe from the mounted drive.
- Make sure your Windows account has administrator permissions.
Another version of Office is already installed
Different Office installations can sometimes conflict with each other.
If installation fails, uninstall the unwanted or incompatible Office installation through Windows Settings, restart your PC and install Office 2021 again.
Office asks me to sign in instead of entering a key
This can be normal. Microsoft uses different activation methods depending on the Office licence.
If your licence has been associated with a Microsoft account, sign in using that account.
Some Professional Plus licences obtained through Microsoft's Workplace Discount Program or organizational volume licensing use different activation procedures.
My product key is not accepted
Check the following before contacting support:
- Make sure you installed the correct Office edition.
- Check that all 25 characters have been entered correctly.
- Do not confuse the number 0 with the letter O.
- Do not add spaces before or after the key.
- Make sure your computer is connected to the internet.
- Restart Office and attempt activation again.
Office shows an activation warning
Open Word and go to File > Account to check the currently installed Office edition and activation status.
Confirm that the installed Office edition matches the licence you purchased.
Can I reinstall Office later?
Reinstallation depends on the licence type and how the original licence was supplied.
If your Office licence is associated with a Microsoft account, Microsoft normally allows you to manage the installation through that account.
Keep your purchase confirmation and licence information in a safe place.
- Restart your computer if Windows requests it.
- Open Word and check File > Account for activation status.
- Run Windows Update to receive available Office updates.
- Keep your order confirmation and licence information secure.
- Do not publicly share your Office product key.
If Office will not install or activate after following this guide, contact support with your order number and a description of the problem.
If an error message or activation code appears on screen, include the exact message when contacting support. This will make diagnosing the problem much quicker.
Microsoft, Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and related product names are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. This installation guide is provided for customer assistance and does not imply affiliation with or endorsement by Microsoft.
