Product Activation Solution Center

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Key resources

Key resources

What is Microsoft Product Activation (MPA)?
Learn how product activation works.

How to tell if your product is properly licensed
Make sure that you have the right licensing for your Microsoft products.

Learn how to identify, locate, or replace a Product Key
Help with finding or replacing your Product Key required for Product Activation.

Locate your Product Key sticker and learn its importance.
See examples of Certificate of Authority (COA) labels.

Activating Microsoft games and mapping programs
Frequently asked questions about Games for Windows, MapPoint, and Streets and Trips activation. Play the video to learn more.

What is the difference between Product Activation and Product Registration?
You must activate your Microsoft product but you are not required to register your product, learn more about the differences.

Report Software Piracy
Reporting suspected violations of privacy when you encounter them can have a positive impact on the fight against piracy.

Windows

Microsoft Windows product activation

Activating Windows 7
How to activate Windows 7. Play video to learn more.

Windows 7 activation FAQ
Frequently asked questions about activating Windows 7.

Activating Windows Vista
How to activate Windows Vista.

Activating Windows XP
How to activate Windows XP.

How to change or update your Product key
Steps to change your product key in Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP.

"Your activation period has expired" error message in Windows Vista
Provides steps to resolve Windows Activation or Windows Genuine Advantage issues when your computer is in reduced functionality mode.

Reduced functionality mode in Windows Vista
Describes the behaviors you can expect when Windows Vista is in reduced functionality mode.

Visit the Microsoft Community community
Find answers to install, upgrade, and activate Windows 7.

Office

Microsoft Office product activation

Office 2010 Product Key Guided Help
Use our guided help workflow to solve common problems with product activation and product keys. Common problems include identifying and entering your product key; errors when entering your product key and eligibility to get a replacement key.

Description of the Office Activation Wizard
Office includes an Activation Wizard. To fully use Office, you must activate Office.

Activate your Microsoft Office 2010 programs
How to activate Microsoft Office 2010 programs and verify that your software has been activated.

How to obtain a new product key for a Microsoft Office product
How to find the product key if you cannot locate it, or how to obtain a new product key if the product key label is damaged or is missing.

Which button do I click to activate, purchase, download, or use an Office 2010 product?
This article helps you start using a Microsoft Office 2010 product if you have already bought Office 2010 and need to activate the product, want to buy Office 2010 or want to use Office Starter 2010.

Activate your Microsoft Office 2007 programs
How to activate Microsoft Office 2007 programs and verify that your software has been activated.

Resources to help you activate a license in Microsoft Office 2007 and Office 2003 programs
Troubleshooting help and additional information about activation.

Visit the Microsoft Community community
Find answers on installing, upgrading, and activating Microsoft Office.

Contacts

Call us

Telephone numbers for Microsoft Product Activation Centers are not listed because there are many regional Product Activation Centers worldwide. The articleHow to contact a Microsoft Product Activation Center explains how to obtain the appropriate telephone number by running the Product Activation Wizard.

E-mail us

Microsoft does not offer Product Activation assistance via E-Mail. Please use one of the other contact methods listed on this page.
The article How to contact a Microsoft Product Activation Center explains how to obtain the appropriate telephone number by running the Product Activation Wizard.

Ask the community

Windows 7: Install, Upgrade, & Activate forum
Ask a question or search for answers in the Microsoft Community forums. Experts are on hand to help.

Windows Vista: Install, Upgrade, & Activate forum
Ask a question or search for answers in the Microsoft Community forums. Experts are on hand to help.

Windows XP: Install, Upgrade, & Activate forum
Ask a question or search for answers in the Microsoft Community forums. Experts are on hand to help.

Microsoft Office: Installing Upgrading and Activating forum
Find answers on installing, upgrading, and activating your copy of Microsoft Office at Microsoft Community.

Last Review : Monday, July 23, 2012