If you own a product key for Microsoft Office, but don’t have the installation files available, it’s really simple to download them direct from Microsoft. Whether Office was included with your system purchase, you’ve lost the disc, or just want a copy of the files, we’ll show you the different methods available.
Don’t forget that if you have an Office 365 subscription, you’re entitled to Office 2016 for free. Regardless, these steps will work, whether you’re on the latest auto-updated version or the slightly older Office 2013
If you think we’ve missed a legal method to download Office for free from Microsoft, please do share it in the comments.
How to Obtain Legal Office Installation Files
1. From an Office 365 Subscription
If you have an active Office 365 subscription, you’re entitled to download the full versions of some of the most popular Office applications, like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This is also applicable if your business has an Enterprise license.
Navigate to the Office account page and log in with the email address your Office license is tied to, whether that’s a personal or organization account. Fill out your details, click Sign in, and click Install Office to navigate to your account. To begin the download click Install.
An alternative method would be to go to your account page, where you can choose to purchase a disc, and have it shipped to you, or alternatively you can download an ISO which you can burn to a disc yourself.
Installation Process
The installation process will be essentially the same across all the methods. It’s incredibly simple and quick. First, open the installation file from the disc or download. A window will appear to detail that Office is being installed.
When complete, a message will read “You’re all set! Office is installed now” and you’ll see an animation of where to find the Office programs on your computer. It’ll depend on your operating system exactly where they are stored, but they will be in the Start Menu and you can always do a Windows system search if needed.
When you open an Office program for the first time, it will ask you to agree to the license agreement, so click Accept if you do. You might also see the Microsoft Office Activation Wizard; follow the instructions for this. It’s always best to select I want to activate the software over the Internet for the speediest activation.
Not Free Enough?
These methods are all well and good if you already own Office, but perhaps you’re looking for a free Office alternative. If that’s the case, check out our guide on how to get Word for free – and yes, it’s completely legal!
If you need a full office suite package and aren’t willing to pay out, you might want to look into alternative products. We’ve rounded up some comparisons that you should read, like our review of FreeOffice and analysis of the new LibreOffice.
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