Microsoft Office with or without Microsoft account link?

There are now many different versions of Microsoft Office, which differ from each other not only, but also in the way they are activated. One difference that many customers regard as significant is the question: Is the licence tied to your Microsoft account? Or is activation also possible without a Microsoft account?

One thing first: The download for all variants of Microsoft Office offered by us is freely accessible to everyone on Microsoft servers. The software is available from us as part of the product description via a link called DOWNLOAD. This means that you can first download the software from the Internet without registering and also without making a payment, and only then purchase the corresponding licence key from us.

All versions of Office 2016 can be installed and activated without a Microsoft account. You download the software, install it, start an Office programme (e.g. Word) and then activate it with the licence key, not via a Microsoft account. Apart from Office 2016, this method of activation currently - as of November 2023 - also applies to the following products:

Office 2019 Home & Business

Office 2019 Professional Plus for 5 devices

Office 2021 Professional Plus for 5 devices

Outlook and Access as individual programmes in all variants

In contrast, the licence keys for the following software packages must first be assigned to a Microsoft account before they can be used for product activation:

Office 2019 Home & Student

Office 2021 Home & Student (currently sold out)

Office 2021 Home & Business (currently sold out)

Office 2019 Professional Plus 1 PC

Office 2021 Professional Plus 1 PC

Office 2019 Home & Business for Mac

Office 2021 Home & Business for Mac

To activate these variants of Microsoft Office, please go to redeem.microsoft.com in your browser and log in there with the end user's Microsoft account. Then add the licence key you purchased from us and leave the browser tab open. Then open an Office programme (e.g. Word) and select activation via the Microsoft account.

Related products

Office 2016 Home & Student 32/64-Bit

Office 2019 Home & Business

Office 2019 Home & Business for Mac

Office 2019 Home & Student

Office 2019 Professional Plus 1 PC

Office 2019 Professional Plus for 5 devices

Office 2021 Home & Business

Office 2021 Home & Business for Mac

Office 2021 Home & Student

Office 2021 Professional Plus 1 PC

Office 2021 Professional Plus for 5 devices

Office Home & Business 2016 for Mac