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How to Reinstall Office Home and Student 2013 Without a Product Key
Question details
The user needs to reinstall Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 but no longer has access to the original 25-character product key.
- Product
- Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to reinstall a legacy version of Microsoft Office after a system reset, hardware repair, or moving to a new computer without having the original physical media or license key.
- Observed behavior
- The installation process cannot proceed because the software prompts for a product key that the user does not possess, cannot locate, or was held by a third-party repair company.
Ensure you have the email address and password for the Microsoft account you might have used when Office 2013 was originally purchased, activated, or linked.
Reinstall Office 2013 from Your Microsoft Account
If your copy of Office 2013 was purchased digitally or previously linked to your account, you do not need the physical product key to reinstall it.
Modern Microsoft Office licenses are typically bound to a Microsoft account rather than relying solely on a physical product key. Logging into the account used during the initial setup allows you to redownload the software easily.
Go to the official Microsoft Account website and sign in with the email linked to your Office 2013 purchase.
Navigate to the 'Services & subscriptions' section found at the top navigation bar of the page.
Scroll through your list of owned products and locate 'Office Home and Student 2013'.
Click the 'Install' button next to the product name and follow the on-screen instructions to download and run the installer.
Contact the Service Provider Who Installed Office
If a repair company previously installed Office for you, they might have used a volume license or their own account credentials.
Upgrade to WPS Office for Free
Since Microsoft Office 2013 is no longer supported and retrieving lost product keys can be impossible, consider switching to WPS Office. It is a completely free, lightweight alternative that is highly compatible with all your existing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files without requiring a product key.
- 1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the 'Free Download' button.
- 2. Run Setup: Open the downloaded installer file on your computer and follow the straightforward setup prompts.
- 3. Open Your Files: Launch WPS Office to instantly open, edit, and save your existing Microsoft Office documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I extract the Office 2013 product key from my computer's registry?
For Office 2013, Microsoft changed how keys are stored. Only the last five digits of the product key are stored locally on your device, making it impossible to extract the full 25-character key using third-party key finder software.
What happens if I cannot remember my Microsoft account email?
If you forgot the email associated with your Office purchase, try checking your alternate email inboxes for Microsoft purchase receipts. If you still cannot find it, Microsoft Support may not be able to verify your ownership, requiring you to purchase a new version or use an alternative suite.
Is it safe to continue using Office Home and Student 2013?
Because Microsoft ended extended support for Office 2013 in April 2023, the software no longer receives security patches or bug fixes, making it vulnerable to security risks. Upgrading to a newer suite or a free alternative is highly recommended.
