Signing in to your Microsoft account and downloading Office 365
We'll walk you through the whole process step by step — from signing in and downloading all the way to activation. This guide works for both Windows and Mac. No technical know-how required — you just sign in with the details we emailed you and follow the numbered steps.
We emailed you your sign-in details
We sent you an email (from [email protected]) with the username and password for a Microsoft account that already has an active Office license. There's nothing to activate and no key to enter — just sign in with these details by following the steps below.
What's ahead
Signing in to your Microsoft account
Office 365 (now called Microsoft 365) is always tied to your Microsoft account. So we'll start by signing in to the portal where the apps are downloaded from.
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Open your web browser
Open something like Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Safari. In the address bar at the top, type microsoft365.com and press Enter.
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Click "Sign in"
In the top right you'll find the Sign in button. Click it.
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Enter your username (email)
Type in the email we sent you — that's the account's username — and click Next.
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Enter your password and sign in
Type the password from our email and click Sign in. The first time you sign in, Microsoft may ask you to change your password or enter a verification code — just follow the on-screen instructions.
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You're in 🎉
The Microsoft 365 home page opens with your apps. From here we continue with step 2.
Where to find your sign-in details
They're in the email we sent from [email protected]. If you don't see it in your inbox, check your Spam or Promotions folder.
Downloading and installing Office
The steps differ slightly depending on whether you have Windows or Mac. Pick your system in the switcher below — the exact steps for you will appear.
Applies to Windows 10 and Windows 11.
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Click "Install apps"
On the Microsoft 365 home page, click Install apps in the top right, then Microsoft 365 apps.
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Confirm the download
On the page with your licenses, click Install. The file OfficeSetup.exe will download (you'll find it in your Downloads folder).
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Run the installer
Double-click the downloaded OfficeSetup.exe. When it asks "Do you want to allow this app to make changes...?", click Yes.
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Wait for it to finish
A window saying "We're downloading Office, stay online" appears. The installation takes a few minutes — don't turn anything off and keep your computer connected to the internet.
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All done
When you see the message "You're all set! Office is installed", click Close. Continue with step 3 (Activation).
Applies to macOS (both Apple and Intel computers).
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Click "Install apps"
On the Microsoft 365 home page, click Install apps in the top right, then Microsoft 365 apps.
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Download the installer package
Click Install. A file with a .pkg extension (e.g. Microsoft_365_and_Office_Installer.pkg) downloads to your Downloads folder.
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Open the installer
Double-click the downloaded .pkg file. The wizard walks you through it: keep clicking Continue, and at the license agreement click Agree.
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Confirm with your Mac password
Click Install. macOS will ask for your password (the one you use to unlock your Mac) or Touch ID — confirm it to start the installation.
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All done
When you see "Installation successful", click Close. You can move the .pkg package to the Trash. Continue with step 3 (Activation).
Activation and first launch
After installing, Office needs to be "linked" to your account once more so it activates. You'll do this easily the first time you open any of the apps (Word, for example).
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Open any Office app
Windows: click Start and pick, say, Word.
Mac: open Launchpad and click Word. -
Sign in (if prompted)
If the app prompts you, sign in with the same Microsoft account as in step 1. That activates the license.
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Accept the terms
Agree to the license agreement and, if asked, choose whether to send optional diagnostic data. That's it.
All done — Office is activated!
Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook are ready to go. You can check this in Word via File → Account (Windows) or Word → License Information (Mac).
Frequently asked questions and troubleshooting
I don't remember my Microsoft account password
Your sign-in password is in the email we sent you. If you changed it after your first sign-in and forgot the new one, email us at [email protected] and we'll help.
It says I've exceeded the number of installations
Sign in at account.microsoft.com, go to the devices section, sign out an old or unused computer, and try the installation again.
The download stopped or froze
Check your internet connection, temporarily turn off any VPN and close the installer. Then run it again — the installation will pick up where it left off. Keep your computer online the whole time.
Where do I find the apps after installing?
Windows: in the Start menu (type "Word").
Mac: in Launchpad or the Applications folder.
I didn't get the email with my sign-in details
Check your Spam / Promotions folder and search for the sender [email protected]. If there's nothing there, email us and we'll resend your details.