I'm trying to move my father's Office Pro 2016 license to a new laptop since the old one is pretty outdated. However, I can't seem to retrieve the product key. I've tried logging into his Microsoft account and mine, but it says there's no Office license available. I also used several key recovery tools like ProduKey, Belarc Advisor, and more, but they only found the last 5 digits of the key. I even contacted Microsoft Support, but they couldn't help and suggested buying a new key, which I can't afford right now. Is there anything else I can do to recover the key, and does the Windows account impact Office activation?
3 Answers
I found some info suggesting that if you purchased through the Microsoft Home Use Program, you might be able to access your key online via the order details page. You can check the Microsoft link I found for your order history by entering your work email. It might help you recover the key you need!
From what I've gathered, sometimes only the last 5 characters of the key are stored on the PC, so full recovery might be tough. You should check both your Microsoft accounts on the services page. Look under purchase history to see if any previous purchases include the Office key. If you used HUP, the rep you spoke with is right; it might not be tied to any account.
That makes sense. I wish I'd kept better records of which account I used for purchases.
You might want to try the Magic Jelly Bean keyfinder tool. It’s known for recovering product keys like yours. Just make sure to double-check its reputation before downloading, as it can trigger some antivirus warnings.
Yeah, I did hear it can be a bit sketchy. Belarc Advisor is a safe alternative though, and it should be able to fetch the keys for you.
I had the same hesitation. It turned out okay for me, but just make sure you're using a reliable source to download any key recovery tool.
I went through my accounts and found nothing. Apparently, when I bought it, it was a direct key without registration, but I can’t retrieve it now.