Activate Microsoft 365 (1 year)

These instructions apply to Microsoft 365 Single and Microsoft 365 Family. The product key adds 12 months of subscription time to your account.

1. Redeem the product key

The most important step takes place in your web browser, not in the app itself.

1. Visit the official redemption page: setup.office.com
2. Sign in: Log in with the Microsoft account on which the subscription should run.

Tip: Make sure to choose the correct account if you have more than one (e.g. personal vs. work).

1. Enter the code: Type in your 25-character product key.
2. Select your region: Confirm your country and language.
3. Billing (Important): Microsoft often asks for a payment method for automatic renewal.

You can often disable this by turning off the "Recurring billing" toggle. If it is mandatory: you can cancel the automatic renewal again at any time in your account later, so that no further charges occur.

Note on renewal: If you already have an active subscription, the new 12 months are simply added to your remaining subscription time (term extension). You do not lose any days.

2. Download & Installation

Once the key has been redeemed, you can download the software.

1. You are usually taken straight to the download page. If not, go to account.microsoft.com/services.
2. There you will see your active "Microsoft 365" subscription.
3. Click on Install.
4. Download the file and run it. The installer now automatically downloads all apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.).

3. Sign in within the apps

Microsoft 365 does not check the license via a key in the program, but via your login.

1. Open Word or Excel.
2. A window will prompt you to sign in.
3. Sign in with the same Microsoft account that you used in step 1.
4. The software briefly checks in the background whether an active subscription exists, and then unlocks itself.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do I have to provide a credit card? Microsoft often requires this in order to set up "automatic renewal". However, you can switch this feature off again immediately after activation under account.microsoft.com ("Disable recurring billing").

Can I buy several years at once? Yes. You can redeem up to 5 annual keys one after another on the same account. The terms add up (e.g. 3 keys = 3 years of subscription time from today).

I see a message "Unlicensed Product"?

• Check whether you are signed in to the program (under File > Account) with the correct email address.
• Sometimes it helps to sign out once (Sign out button) and sign back in.

Would you like me to add a short section for users who are switching from an old Office version (e.g. 2016) to 365? (Uninstalling the old version is often necessary here.)