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Microsoft Office says you need a subscription

Updated by 2Fifteen Tech

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If Word, Excel, or PowerPoint shows Unlicensed Product, Activation Required, or asks you to buy a subscription, first check the account used by the app.

Installing an app and licensing it are different

Having Office installed does not necessarily mean a desktop-app license has been assigned to your account. Some Microsoft 365 plans include web apps without the desktop apps. A work email account alone does not establish which Office license you have.

1. Check the account inside Office

  1. Open Word or Excel and look at the signed-in account in the profile or account area.
  2. On Windows, File > Account also shows product and account information. On Mac, check the profile or sign-in area in the app.
  3. If the app is asking you to sign in, use the work email your company provided. If asked to choose between a personal account and a work or school account, choose Work or school account.

Being signed in to your email or web browser does not guarantee that Office is using the same account. If Office is connected to an old employer or personal account, save your work and contact support if you are unsure which account to use.

2. Try a normal restart of the apps

Make sure you are online, save your work, close the Office apps, and open Word or Excel again. Complete any sign-in prompt with the correct work account and check whether the activation message clears.

3. Ask us to check the license

If the prompt remains, contact 2Fifteen Tech support with:

  • Your work email address.
  • The affected app and whether you use Mac or Windows.
  • The exact activation message or a cropped screenshot of it.
  • The account shown inside the app and whether Office worked on this computer before.

We can check license assignment and whether the installed app matches the license. Please check with us before buying a subscription or removing Office from a managed computer.

If you need Office installed

On a managed Mac, check Iru Self Service. Installing an approved app through Self Service still requires the correct account and license to activate it.

Official instructions

Last reviewed: October 30, 2026.