'%3e%3cpath%20d='M8%200C12.4183%200%2016%203.58172%2016%208C16%2012.4183%2012.4183%2016%208%2016C3.58172%2016%200%2012.4183%200%208C0%203.58172%203.58172%200%208%200ZM11.6162%204.38379C11.2257%203.99337%2010.5927%203.99338%2010.2021%204.38379L8%206.58594L5.79785%204.38379C5.40732%203.99334%204.77429%203.99329%204.38379%204.38379C3.99331%204.77429%203.99335%205.40733%204.38379%205.79785L6.58594%208L4.38379%2010.2021C3.99348%2010.5927%203.99341%2011.2257%204.38379%2011.6162C4.77426%2012.0066%205.40734%2012.0065%205.79785%2011.6162L8%209.41406L10.2021%2011.6162C10.5927%2012.0066%2011.2257%2012.0067%2011.6162%2011.6162C12.0067%2011.2257%2012.0066%2010.5927%2011.6162%2010.2021L9.41406%208L11.6162%205.79785C12.0066%205.40735%2012.0066%204.77429%2011.6162%204.38379Z'%20fill='%23080E17'%20fill-opacity='0.46'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_3761_713'%3e%3crect%20width='16'%20height='16'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Does Formatting an HP Laptop Remove Office 2019? How to Reinstall
Question details
The user wants to know if formatting their HP laptop will delete Microsoft Office Home and Student 2019, and how to recover or reinstall the software afterward.
- Product
- Microsoft Office Home and Student 2019
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Formatting the hard drive or resetting the Windows operating system on an HP laptop.
- Observed behavior
- During a system format, installed Office applications are removed, requiring the user to locate their license and reinstall the suite.
Before formatting your laptop, make sure you know the exact Microsoft account email address and password that were used when you first activated your Office 2019 license.
Reinstall Office 2019 from your Microsoft Account
Since Office 2019 is a digital license tied to your Microsoft account, you do not need the original 25-character product key to reinstall it after formatting your hard drive.
When Office Home and Student 2019 was initially redeemed, the license was permanently linked to your Microsoft account. Reinstalling simply involves logging into the Microsoft portal and downloading the installer directly to your newly formatted PC.
If you encounter an activation error stating the software is already installed on another device, you may need to use the deactivation option in your Microsoft account to release the old installation.
Open a web browser on your formatted HP laptop and navigate to account.microsoft.com.
Log in using the exact Microsoft email address and password that you used to originally activate Office 2019.
Click on the 'Services & subscriptions' tab in the top navigation menu to view all digital licenses tied to your account.
Locate 'Office Home and Student 2019' in the list of purchased products and click the 'Install' button. Follow the prompts to download the setup file.
Open the downloaded setup file and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. Office will automatically activate once you sign in.
Try WPS Office: A Free, Lightweight Alternative to MS Office
If you lost access to the Microsoft account linked to your Office 2019 license after formatting your HP laptop, you can seamlessly switch to WPS Office. It is a powerful, free office suite that requires no complex activation and is fully compatible with Microsoft formats.
- 1. Download the software: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the 'Free Download' button to get the setup file.
- 2. Install on your laptop: Open the downloaded file and follow the quick installation prompts to set up WPS Office on your formatted PC.
- 3. Open existing documents: Launch WPS Office and instantly open your existing Microsoft Office files to resume your work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need my original 25-character product key to reinstall Office 2019?
No. Once a product key for Office Home and Student 2019 is redeemed, it is permanently linked to your Microsoft account. You only need to sign in to your Microsoft account to reinstall and activate the software.
What if I forgot which Microsoft account is linked to my Office 2019 license?
If you cannot remember the account, try logging into account.microsoft.com with any email addresses you might have used. Check the 'Services & subscriptions' section of each account until you find the one that lists your Office 2019 purchase.
Does using the 'Reset this PC' feature in Windows remove Microsoft Office?
Yes. If you choose to 'Remove everything' during a Windows reset, it functions similarly to a format and will uninstall all third-party applications, including Microsoft Office. You will need to reinstall it afterward.
Why is Office telling me my license is already in use after reinstalling?
Because Office Home and Student 2019 is a 1-PC license, Microsoft's activation servers might still recognize your pre-format installation. You may need to select the option to sign out of the previous installation or use the automated telephone activation system to complete the process.
