Do I have to repurchase Microsoft Office if I get a new computer?
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How can you buy an older version of Microsoft Office to fit in with your other computers? Show
Fran, a loyal Office-Watch.com reader has that problem getting Office 2013.
As usual, when it comes to Microsoft Office licensing, there’s no simple answer. Here’s a few things to try … You might have an Office license alreadyDepending on how you bought your original Office 2013 either retail or with a new computer (aka OEM). OEM purchases of Office (single payment, not annual subscription) are always for that PC only and non-transferable. Retail Office 2013 is transferable (after Microsoft bowed to pressure). Unlike previous retail versions of Office, the retail license for Office 2013 and later perpetual licence Office is for just one computer, not two. Most people don’t know or remember if their Office was an OEM or retail purchase (the Help | About screen might say). Install the Office you haveTry installing Office version you have on the new computer using your existing product key. There’s no risk in trying. You’ll need the Office product key. Retail purchases have a sticker with the 25 character code. Office 2013 and later don’t save the product key in the registry so it’s not possible to recover the key from there. Hopefully, you’ll have your original Office DVD or a copy to install from. Otherwise there are online downloads you can try but make sure the source is reliable, safe AND it’s exactly the same Office release (i.e. Home and Student, Home and Student, Home and Business, Standard, Professional). If the install and activation is permitted by Microsoft’s online licensing system, you’re good to go. If the product activation does not work, there’s no harm done. The Microsoft police aren’t going to coming knocking at your door😊. Buy older Office versionsMicrosoft doesn’t sell old versions of Office retail but some retailers might have some old copies still available for sale. Ebay and, to a lesser extent, Amazon might host merchants selling older Microsoft Office licenses. It’s hard to tell whether these offers are legal licenses or not. Many readers seem to feel that the low priced offers are worth a try. See Ultra-cheap Microsoft Office deals, are they legal and work? Protect yourself buying Microsoft Office from Amazon or Ebay More Office 2019 buying scams on Amazon and Ebay Downgrade rightsSome Volume license users get the right to install older versions of the software purchased. For example, a license for Office 2016 includes the right to install Office 2013, Office 2010, Office 2007 and even earlier versions. Microsoft calls this a Downgrade right and it usually applies to Select License, Open License and Software Assurance plans. Check what your license is entitled to because Microsoft licensing rules are complicated and do seem to change quite often. Downgrade rights do NOT apply to retail or single-purchase products (what Microsoft calls Full Package Product or FPP). Ask around friends and family, maybe one of them has an old Office retail pack gathering dust? Failing all that …If you can’t get a copy of Office 2013, then Office 2016 licenses are more likely to be available. Or get a new Office 2019. There’s not a lot of difference between Office 2013 and Office 2016. Certainly no compatibility issues to worry about. Ultra-cheap Microsoft Office deals, are they legal and work? Protect yourself buying Microsoft Office from Amazon or Ebay More Office 2019 buying scams on Amazon and Ebay "I have MS Office Professional 2013 running on my laptop. And I have bought a new one and I would like to move the application to the new laptop. Is it possible to transfer Microsoft Office to a new computer? How Do I transfer my MS Office 2013 with or without product key to the new computer?" When you get a new computer and plan to replace your old one, you may want to transfer Microsoft Office to another computer. Unlike data transfer, moving programs to a new computer is a little bit difficult because of the activation problem. On this page, you'll find three reliable solutions on helping you resolve how to transfer Microsoft Office to another computer.
Note: If you have Office 365/2016 subscription on your old PC, you need to deactivate the subscription first, then transfer Microsoft Office to a new device, and reactivate it. If your Office is a non-subscription version, skip the deactivation steps. To deactivate Office 365/2016 subscription on your Old PC/Computer:
Way 1. Transfer Microsoft Office To Another Computer (All Versions)Applies to: Microsoft Office 2003/2007/2010/2013/2016/2019/365 For most MS Office users, the most concerning issue is whether the Office license could be moved to the new computer. Professional PC transfer software - EaseUS Todo PCTrans could help. No matter which Office version you used, EaseUS Todo PCTrans does well in program transferring speed. You don't need to redownload it again and again. With the help of this PC program mover, finding a license/product key is accessible. Try the best way that suits you the most for MS Office migration between two computers.  EaseUS Todo PCTrans
Download this application migration tool and follow the steps below to transfer Microsoft Office to a new computer. Step 1. Run EaseUS Todo PCTrans on both PCs On the source PC, select "PC to PC" on the main screen of EaseUS Todo PCTrans and move on. Step 2. Choose transfer direction - Old or New Computer "New" - Transfer all data from remote old computer to current new computer. "Old" - Transfer all data from current old device to a new computer. Step 3. Connect two computers 1. Select your target PC to connect via its IP address or device name and click "Connect". 2. Enter the login password of your target PC and click "OK" to confirm. If you didn't see the target PC in the listed devices, you can also click "Add PC" to manually connect the target PC by inputting its IP address or device name. Step 4. Select apps, programs, and software and transfer to the target computer 1. You can select and choose what you want to transfer from the current computer to the target PC. 2. After selecting desired applications and programs, click "Transfer" to start the transferring process. EaseUS Todo PCTrans features to export Product key, but the subscription version is not on the list. If you have not found your unique product key, you can get more help from Extra Tips. Way 2. Transfer Office To Another Computer with Office 365 SubscriptionApplies to: Microsoft Office subscription versions If you've got a Microsoft Office subscription, then it would have been linked to your account. All you need to do is deactivate your Office 365 subscription from your first computer, install it on your new system, and activate the subscription there. Step 1. Deactivate the Subscription on Your Old Computer/Laptop
Then, you can go to "Control Panel > Add or Remove a Program" and simply uninstall MS Office from your first computer. Step 2. Install MS Office on the New Computer/Laptop Tip: Remember to download and install the compatible MS Office version that matches your product key. Let's continue with the following steps:
Step 3. Authenticate the Office 365/2016 Subscription To complete the setup, you need to enter your product key so that it can be linked to your account. If you have saved the product key in advance, activate it. If no, follow to locate the product key supplied with your copy of Microsoft Office.
What's more, you can also check your Office product key by visiting this Microsoft account website (https://acount.microsoft.com/services) and enter your MS account. Finally, click "View product key" to overview your 25 character keys. After getting the product key, run any Microsoft Office application - Word or Excel, etc., click "Activate" and type in your 25 character product key. Sign in with your MS account if necessary. Way 3. Manually Transfer Office To Another Computer (Non-Subscription)If you have a Microsoft Office 2010 or 2013 license instead that is not connected to Office 365, then the process would be slightly different. You need to check your license type first. Step 1. Check the license type of MS Office This is the most important thing that you need to do before you transfer your MS Office to any other computer. TipOnly the "Retail" and "FPP" license allows concurrent installation and the right to transfer. In other words, if your license is a "Retail" or "FPP" type, you can directly install the Microsoft Office on your new PC and activate it with your license. No actual transferring is needed.
Step 2. Uninstall MS Office from your old PC On the old PC, head to Control Panel > Programs and Features > Right-click the MS Office and click Uninstall. Follow the automatic guide to uninstall the program. Step 3. Install and authenticate MS Office on your new PC/laptop Now, install MS Office 2010/2013 on your new computer. If it already has a trial MS Office version, delete it first. Later, you can use the MS Office installer (or its CD) on your new PC to perform its setup.
After this, you can reuse your MS Office on the new computer to continue with your work again. Extra Tips to Microsoft Office Transfer in Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7If you have further questions on migrating Microsoft Office between two computers, follow the listed questions here for a quick overview. And if your questions are not included here, go to the PC-Transfer page or use the Search option to find more solutions on the EaseUS website. Is there a way to transfer MS Office with a flash drive?If you copy the MS installation package to a new computer via the flash drive, it may not work due to the MS Office protection mechanism. Fortunately, third-party transfer software, such as EaseUS Todo PCTrans, can help you convert your MS Office applications into a USB flash drive and transfer them to the new computer with ease. How many license types are there for MS?Here is a PARTIAL list of license types MS has used for Office:
For consumers wanting to move a license, the only relevant license type is the "Retail" or "FPP" type license. It has 2 key license terms: number of concurrent installations allowed, and right to transfer. How to find a product key for Microsoft Office?
How to Transfer Office?MS did not provide any simple process for transferring a license. The resulting process is entirely manual:
ConclusionAfter reading this guide on how to transfer Microsoft Office to another computer, you would be able to meet your needs. For me, Way 1 is the most effective one. This solution takes fewer manual steps and makes Microsoft Office transfer easy and fast. Can I transfer my Microsoft Office to a new computer?To transfer Microsoft Office to a new computer, you'll need to deactivate it on your old computer. You'll need to call the product activation number to activate Office on your new device. If you have a subscription to Microsoft 365, you won't need to deactivate your device.
Can I reuse my Microsoft Office product key on a new computer?Install the Office suite associated with your license via CD or other installation media. Once the installation is complete, open any program from the Office suite. Then, go to File > Account, click Activate Product (Change Product Key) and insert the same product key.
Can I use my Microsoft Office license on multiple computers?With Microsoft 365, you can install Office on all your devices and sign in to Office on five devices at the same time. This includes any combination of PCs, Macs, tablets, and phones.
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