Microsoft 365 Won’t Install on Windows? Try These Fixes

Common causes

• Product not yet linked to your Microsoft account, such as a key not redeemed or sharing not completed
• Signed in with a different account than the one linked to the product
• An expired subscription
• A plan without the desktop apps, such as Microsoft 365 Basic
• The wrong installer or an unsupported operating system
• A 32-bit and 64-bit version mismatch
• Windows Installer busy with Windows Update
• A slow connection, or a proxy, firewall or antivirus getting in the way

Step-by-Step Solutions

If you can’t start the install, work through the account and plan steps first; if the installer starts but stops at 90%, fails or hangs, skip ahead to the 90% step and continue in order.

1. 1

   Step 1: Check which account you’re signed in with

   A “Go premium” message instead of an install usually means you’re signed in with an account that isn’t linked to your Microsoft 365 or Office.

   If you select Install and get a message to “Go premium” instead, the account you signed in with isn’t recognized as the one you associated with Microsoft 365 or Office.

   Check which email address you signed in with in the upper right corner of the window. For example, you might be signed in with a personal Microsoft account when your copy came through your work or school.

   To switch, select the name you signed in with in the upper right corner, then select Sign out. Sign in again with the correct account at microsoft365.com.

2. 2

   Step 2: Redeem your product key or finish sharing

   You can’t install the desktop apps until the product is linked to your Microsoft account.

   If you have a box, card or email with a product key, go to office.com/setup, add an existing Microsoft account or create a new one, then enter your product key and follow the remaining prompts. You only need to redeem a key once.

   If you bought it from the online Microsoft Store, sign in at www.microsoftstore.com with the account you used to buy it. Select your name in the upper right-hand corner, then Order History. Select Install Office to view your product key, select Install Office again in the window where the key appears, and follow the prompts on the Hi. Let’s get your Office page.

   If you bought it from an online retailer, the key might be in your order confirmation email or the retailer’s order history. Not every version includes a product key.

   After this, sign in to microsoft365.com with the same Microsoft account whenever you want to install or reinstall the desktop apps.

   Good to know

   If someone shared their Microsoft 365 Family subscription with you, you won’t get an install button until the person who invited you completes the sharing.

3. 3

   Step 3: Check that your plan includes the desktop apps

   Some plans don’t include the desktop apps, and an expired subscription can gray out the Install button.

   If the Install button is grayed out, your subscription might have expired. If you renew with a new product key, use the same Microsoft account you used with the expired subscription.

   Microsoft 365 Basic doesn’t include the desktop apps. To get them, switch to Microsoft 365 Family or Microsoft 365 Personal.

   To install the desktop apps you need a Microsoft 365 subscription or a non-subscription version such as Office Home & Business or Office Home & Student. Without one, you can buy Office, start a one month free trial of Microsoft 365, or use the free Microsoft 365 apps in your browser.

   If you got Microsoft 365 through work or school, you won’t see an option to install it unless someone in your organization assigned a license to you.

4. 4

   Step 4: Make sure you’re using the PC installer

   An Unsupported operating system error can mean you’re running the wrong installer or an unsupported version of Windows.

   Sign in at m365.cloud.microsoft/apps with the account linked to your Microsoft 365. With a Microsoft account, select Install apps on the Microsoft 365 Apps page, then select Install. With a work or school account, select Install apps on the home page, then Microsoft 365 apps.

   The error can appear if you’re on a PC and trying to install the Mac version of a one-time purchase of Office, such as Office Home & Student. It can also appear on an unsupported operating system, so check the system requirements for Office.

   If your computer doesn’t meet the system requirements for the full desktop version, you can try using Office Online in your computer’s browser instead.

   Good to know

   You can only install Office on the system drive where Windows is installed, usually your C: drive.

5. 5

   Step 5: End Windows Update if the install stops at 90%

   An install that hangs at about 90% can be waiting for Windows Installer, which Windows Update may be using.

   If Windows Update is using Windows Installer, the Office installation has to wait until the update has finished with it. You could wait, but ending the update in Task Manager is more reliable.

   Leave the installation running at 90%. Press ctrl+alt+delete and select Task Manager. On the Processes tab, select Windows Update Standalone Installer (wusa.exe), then select End task. After the install completes, restart your computer so Windows Update can continue.

   If you already canceled the install, open Task Manager and look on the Processes tab for Windows Update Standalone Installer (wusa.exe). If it isn’t listed, the update has completed and you can try the install again.

   Good to know

   Ending Windows Update could affect the installation of a valid Windows update, so restart after Office installs.

6. 6

   Step 6: Restart your PC and check if it installed

   After a problem, restart and try again, and check whether a slow install has already finished.

   If you hit a problem while installing, restart your computer and then try installing again.

   If the install was very slow or seemed to hang, it may actually have completed. After you restart, check whether Microsoft 365 is installed before you try again.

   When you run the installer, select Yes if User Account Control asks, “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?”

   Good to know

   If an error message has a Learn More link, select it for help with that specific error.

7. 7

   Step 7: Use a wired connection or the offline installer

   A slow connection can make the install drag or show “Sorry it looks like you’re on a slow connection.”

   Switch to a wired connection, which is usually faster than wireless, and restart the installation.

   If that doesn’t help, use the offline installer. It may help get around proxy, firewall, antivirus or internet connection problems. You need internet to download it, but then you can install offline.

   Download it from your account portal: in the Install window, select Offline installer from the Choose a version drop-down, choose your language and select Install. When the download finishes, open your Download folder and double-click O365HomePremRetail.img, selecting Open if asked.

   In the virtual drive that opens, open the Office folder and select Setup64.exe for the 64-bit version or Setup32.exe for the 32-bit version.

   Good to know

   These offline installer steps are for Office for home. If you got Microsoft 365 through work or school and signed in with that account, Microsoft has separate steps.

8. 8

   Step 8: Temporarily turn off your antivirus

   Antivirus software can interfere with the install, so turn it off just while Office installs.

   Check your antivirus manufacturer’s website for how to turn it off. Uninstalling it may also help.

   If you’re not sure which antivirus you have, enter Control Panel in the search box on the Start menu and open it. In Category view, select System and Security, then Security and Maintenance, then select the down arrow next to Security. If Windows can detect your antivirus, it’s listed under Virus protection.

9. 9

   Step 9: Fix a 32-bit and 64-bit mismatch

   You may get an error if you try to install one bit version while the other is already installed.

   The 64-bit version installs by default, unless a 32-bit version of Microsoft 365 or Office, or a stand-alone app such as Project or Visio, is already installed. Then the 32-bit version is installed instead.

   To change versions, uninstall Microsoft 365 first, including stand-alone apps. Then sign in again at m365.cloud.microsoft/apps, select Install apps, choose the language and version you want (64 or 32-bit) and select Install.

   Good to know

   Some PCs can only install 32-bit Microsoft 365, such as those with less than 4 GB RAM or a 32-bit operating system with an x86 processor.

10. 10

    Step 10: Repair or fully remove and reinstall

    If Office still isn’t installing, try an online repair, then remove it completely and reinstall.

    Open Control Panel and select Programs and Features. Find and select the Microsoft 365 product you’re trying to install, select Change, then select Online Repair.

    If it still won’t install, use Microsoft’s uninstall troubleshooter to remove Office completely. Select Open if a pop-up says This site is trying to open Get Help, follow the prompts and restart your computer when asked. Then reinstall.

    The uninstall troubleshooter needs Windows 10 or higher, must run on the same PC and can’t uninstall Office 2024. If it doesn’t remove everything, you can uninstall Office manually.

Frequently Asked Questions