What Does 'Unlicensed Product' Mean in Microsoft Office?
Have you ever tried to open Microsoft Word only to see ‘Unlicensed Product’ flash on your screen? You are not the only one. This is a common problem among users and can be annoying especially if you depend on Word for work, school, or even personal projects. But do not panic this is because most of the time this kind of error does not require much effort to fix after identifying the cause. Here is an overview that will shed some light on the reasons as to why this error occurs and the potation methods.
The “Unlicensed Product” error in Microsoft Word occurs when the software program has detected the problem with your Office activation. In simple terms, it states that the version of Word has not been activated properly or it has been deactivated already. This could be due to many reasons including but not limited to expired licenses, software activation or even your microsoft account may have issues.
Seeing this message means that Word may restrict access to some features or request that the user activate the product in order to use it fully. Sometimes you may also receive the above message along with the one stating “Product Activation Failed”
“Unlicensed Product” Error Causes
Expired Microsoft Office Subscription: Using a subscription-based version of Office, such as Microsoft 365, and paying for membership for some period and later on stopping paying for it will cause this ‘unlicensed product’ error
.
Corrupted or Missing Product Key: If you are using Office was activated using a one-time product key, the key may be corrupt, missing, or may have expired. This can occur if you entered an incorrect code or the activation file was corrupted.
Problems with your account or logging in: Making use of your Microsoft account is critical because it is needed for the activation of office. If something is incorrect with your account (for instance, you are logged in to the wrong account or there is some error relating to your account), this message may appear.
Software Problem or Old Version of the Program: the software may simply have a bug, or its update has not yet been finalized, which may lead to the failure of activation despite the fact that the user has a legitimate license.
Overlapping or Competing Products: If more than one Office version is present, or if your Office suite has been pirated, rendering it incompatible with Word, chances are that the installation will not detect the appropriate license.
Fixing “ Unlicensed product” issue
1. Verify the Office subscription or license you have scanned in.
For Microsoft 365: Please go to the page for Microsoft accounts and check that the subscription is still active. In the event that the subscription has lapsed, it will be necessary to reactivate it in order to restore normal service.
With Office 2019 or Office 2021: In case you possess a one-off product key, make sure it is currently not expired. However, if it is damaged beyond repairs, microsoft support may be of help.
2. Ensure that you are signed in using the appropriate Microsoft account.
Open any Office application, for example, Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
From the menu, click on file and afterward, account (for newer versions of office incidents click on Office Account).
Check whether you are connected to a Microsoft account that is associated with the Office license you own. If not signed in or signed in with another account, click on Sign In and provide the correct credentials associated with your active subscription or product key.
3. Reactivate Office
In case you see a notification that requests the activation of Office, kindly complete the procedures as they appear on your screen. Choose Activate Office or enter the product key if you have one. You can enter the key directly within Word or any Office application. The activation process should go on well without displaying any error messages. Where you have a subscription for services such as Microsoft 365, make sure the appropriate plan is selected and active.
4. Repair the Microsoft Office Suite Installation
If, despite having completed the previous steps, you are still getting the message “This product is not licensed”, it may be necessary to repair Microsoft Office Suite. Here is what you need to do:
Click on the Start button and then select Control Panel (press Windows key + R, type control, and press Enter).
Select the Category view and click on Programs > Programs and Features.
Locate Microsoft Office in the list and select it and click on Change.
Choose how you want to install. Select Quick Repair or Online Repair (if Quick Repair does not fix the problem,
5. Install the Latest Version of Office and Windows
At times, problems associated with activation can occur simply because the version of Windows or Office installed is old. check that both are the latest versions.
To update Office: Open Word, click on File, Account, then Update Options and finally Update Now.
To update Windows: Access Settings, followed by Update & security, then Windows Update and finally click on Check for Updates.
Conclusion:
The product key is most important to keep in hand before you ask for support. If you have a subscription based product, you should see the product as not renewed on time. We have to ensure the renewals are done on time and also make sure the system date and time are set correct. For more information visit our website.
