How you activate Office depends on whether you have a Microsoft 365 subscription or a one-time purchase of Office.
Microsoft 365 subscription
If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you won’t need a product key to activate. Instead you’ll sign in with the email address that’s associated with Office.
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In the Get Started wizard, click Sign in to an existing Microsoft 365 subscription.
Tip: If the wizard isn’t open, start an Office application and click Activate Now.
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Sign in with the email address that’s associated with Office, and select Next.
Tip: If nothing happens when you select Next, use the Enter key on your keyboard.
Office as a one-time purchase
If you have a one-time purchase of Office for Mac 2011, you’ll need a product key to activate. Find your product key for Office for Mac 2011.
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In the Get Started wizard, click Enter your purchased product key.
Tip: If the wizard isn’t open, start an Office application and click Activate Now.
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In the Activate Office wizard, enter your product key and click Activate.
Important: If your copy of Office came with a PIN instead of a product key, go to https://www.microsoft.com/mac/getkey and enter your PIN to get your product key.
Troubleshoot activation for Office for Mac 2011
If you're experiencing these common issues, see these articles to help troubleshoot your error:
Still having issues? Contact Microsoft Support.