MacBook Air Migration Problem

[drewk121]

I migrated a backup from 1 MacBook Air to another. Now, Microsoft Office will not work. I bought Office years ago, so I do not intend to subscribe now. How do I get it to work and update? Thank you, Drewk121

 

[Mike Boreham]

I migrated a backup from 1 MacBook Air to another. Now, Microsoft Office will not work. I bought Office years ago, so I do not intend to subscribe now. How do I get it to work and update? Thank you, Drewk121

I haven't done it for many years but Microsoft Office and Migration are not a happy combination. There was no way of deactivating it on the old machine so you could reuse the serial number on the new. Though I think it may have allowed it a certain number of times. Years ago it was necessary to reactivate Office by the automated telephone method, a complicated process where you read out 56 digits and the computer reads back 56 digits to you which you type in. Or you could phone MS support.

It was one of the main reasons I took out an Office 360 sub, which is very migration friendly as you just sign in to your MS account on the new device.

I don't know if the MS automated telephone activation service still exists or anything else has changed.

PS I think the above applied to both Windows activation and Office activation.

 

[drewk121]

Microsoft telephone numbers contain only a prerecorded message advising the caller to go to the MS website. I tried that, but to no avail.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

You might be able to go onto the old Mac and "deactivate" Office on that one. Then use the passcode on the new one to reactivate.

Else, since you buy Office, you might want to pick up the 2021 "lifetime use" edition which is often on sale for Mac for under $50... or get the 2024 version which hasn't seemed to have the extreme discount sales just yet. That will get you a much fresher version for your new Mac.

 

[drewk121]

You might be able to go onto the old Mac and "deactivate" Office on that one. Then use the passcode on the new one to reactivate.

Else, since you buy Office, you might want to pick up the 2021 "lifetime use" edition which is often on sale for Mac for under $50... or get the 2024 version which hasn't seemed to have the extreme discount sales just yet. That will get you a much fresher version for your new Mac.

Actually, I paid Microsoft $149.99 for Office 2024, but it didn't download, and Microsoft refuses to download it again. They gave me the key to use to install it, but I can't install what isn't there. Every MS phone number I called resulted in an automated message that told me to go to the MS website. I did that, but there was no way to re-download the programs.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I don't remember the steps as I haven't downloaded Office for a long time but it seems like there was a software downloads section on Microsoft... much like the App Store on Mac... from which "purchased" software could be re-downloaded. See this support document.

I know there is somewhere where apps purchased direct from Microsoft can be downloaded again. You might have to do some digging & searching to locate such a page(s).

 

[kitKAC]

Actually, I paid Microsoft $149.99 for Office 2024, but it didn't download, and Microsoft refuses to download it again. They gave me the key to use to install it, but I can't install what isn't there. Every MS phone number I called resulted in an automated message that told me to go to the MS website. I did that, but there was no way to re-download the programs.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/o...-mac#most-current-packages-for-office-for-mac

Scroll down and you can get numerous older installer packages for Office.