What happens if Microsoft Office is not activated with a license?

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1. Free trial of Microsoft Office

2. What happens if Microsoft Office remains unlicensed?

3. How long can I use an unlicensed copy of Office?

Microsoft Office is widely used office software. However, to utilize its features, users need to activate a license for the application. So what occurs if Microsoft Office is not activated with a license?

Fundamentally, to own a copy of the Office Suite, users must bear a cost. Currently, the full version of Microsoft Office 2019 Home & Business is priced at around $249 USD per license for a single PC. Additionally, Microsoft Office also offers a free trial for 30 days.

What happens if Microsoft Office is not activated with a license?

What happens if Microsoft Office remains unlicensed after the 30-day trial period expires?

Article Contents:
1. Free trial of Microsoft Office.
2. What happens if Microsoft Office remains unlicensed.
3. How long can an unlicensed Office copy be used.

1. Free trial of Microsoft Office

Users can utilize the free trial of Microsoft Office for 30 days, after which they will be prompted to upgrade to a paid version at $9.99 USD/month.

As users need to provide payment details to download the trial version, this information is linked to their Microsoft account.

Read more: Ways to get Microsoft Office for free

2. What happens if Microsoft Office remains unlicensed?

The free trial of Microsoft Office includes all applications in the office suite, such as Access, Excel, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher, and Word, while requiring users to activate a license.

Windows product keys typically consist of 25 characters used to activate purchased software. These keys technically verify users as the owners of the software, providing them with licenses to use those products.

So what happens when the free trial of Microsoft Office expires and it hasn't been activated? The answer depends on how users signed up for the free trial:

- If users signed up through the Office homepage, and if recurring billing is enabled on their Microsoft account page, the service will continue uninterrupted and the payment method will automatically be charged once the trial period ends. Note that users don't need to reinstall Office.

- If users signed up by clicking the icon on their system, the trial will automatically end after 30 days, and users won't have to take any cancellation action. After the trial period ends, users will be prompted to choose which version of Office they want to purchase.

Additionally, the screen will display the following error messages:

Error Office Product Deactivated:

Error Office Unlicensed Product:

Error We're sorry, something went wrong, and we can't do this for you right now. Please try again later:

3. How long can I use an unlicensed copy of Office?

After 30 days, Office programs will operate in 'reduced-functionality mode', meaning they will function as viewers. When a program operates in reduced-functionality mode, many commands are unavailable. Therefore, users cannot create new documents or edit existing ones. Although printing is possible, saving documents is not.

When launching Microsoft Office applications without activating the license, users will encounter the following errors:

3.1. Sign In / Set Up Dialog Box

A Sign-in dialog box will appear on the screen, prompting users to log in to their Microsoft account (the account they used to register Office).

3.2. Product Key Entry Dialog Box

Alternatively, users may be prompted to enter the Product Key in the 'Enter the product key' dialog box. Here, users will be required to input the 25-character product key they received during the purchase process.

3.3. 'PRODUCT NOTICE' Warning

After the 30-day free trial expires, all editing functions of Office are disabled on unlicensed copies of the applications. If users attempt to open a new document, a 'PRODUCT NOTICE' warning will appear on the screen, stating: 'Most of the features of Word/Excel/PowerPoint have been disabled because it hasn't been activated'.

This warning includes an Activate button next to it. If users persist in trying to open a new document and enter content, Office prevents them from doing so and displays a message on the screen - 'You can't make this change because the selection is locked'.

3.4. Unlicensed Product/Product Deactivated Warning

Microsoft Office also displays 'Product Deactivated' and 'Unlicensed Product' warnings below the toolbar and next to the respective document name.

3.5. Disabled Features

Unlike on Windows 10, most features still work even when the settings lack a license for a specific period. On Windows Office, most features will be disabled immediately.

3.6. Supported Document Open/View Notification

Microsoft allows users to open and view supported documents in Office without activation, but editing documents is not permitted.

For the 2016 version, activating the license is very simple. Check out the activation guide for Office 2016 that Mytour has provided in the previous article.

See more: How to Activate Office 2016 without a key

4. What happens when Office 365 subscription expires?

Below are some scenarios that may occur when Office 365 subscription expires:

- 30 days after expiration, a notification of expiration will appear on the screen. You still have access to all Office 365 apps and services.
- From day 31 to 120 after expiration, you will see a Disabled notification. Admins can still access the portal, and you can still back up your data. However, users cannot log in to their Office 365 accounts.
- After 121 days, it's been decommissioned and shut down.

Here, Mytour has just answered your question about what happens if Microsoft Office is not activated. If you're also using unlicensed Office, Mytour advises you to activate the license to use the office suite in the long run. Alternatively, you can switch to using other free Office alternative solutions. In case you already have an Office license, it's recommended that you back up your Office license to avoid losing or misplacing your product key.

Frequently Asked Questions

What consequences arise from not activating Microsoft Office with a license?

If Microsoft Office remains unactivated, users will experience restricted functionality after the 30-day trial ends. Most features will be disabled, limiting the software to viewer mode, preventing document creation or editing.

How long can I use an unlicensed copy of Microsoft Office before it is disabled?

After the 30-day free trial, unlicensed copies of Microsoft Office operate in 'reduced-functionality mode'. This means you can only view documents, but you cannot create or edit them until a license is activated.

What happens after the Microsoft Office free trial expires without activation?

Once the Microsoft Office free trial expires, users will receive prompts to activate the software, and most editing functions will be disabled. Users will see error messages indicating that the product is unlicensed or deactivated.

Can users still open documents without activating Microsoft Office?

Yes, users can open and view documents without activating Microsoft Office. However, they will not be able to edit or save changes to these documents until a valid license is obtained.

What should I do if my Microsoft Office subscription expires?

If your Microsoft Office subscription expires, you can continue to access apps for 30 days, but features will be disabled afterward. It's essential to renew your subscription to regain full access to all functionalities.

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