Will Reinstalling macOS Remove Microsoft Office 2021 for Mac?
Question details
The user wants to know if reinstalling macOS Ventura on their M1 Mac will remove or deactivate their Microsoft Office Home and Student 2021 perpetual license purchased from Amazon.
- Product
- Microsoft Office Home and Student 2021 for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS Ventura
- Scenario
- Reinstalling the operating system on an M1 Mac while retaining access to an existing one-time purchase of Microsoft Office.
- Observed behavior
- Determining the post-reinstallation activation status of Office 2021 and identifying the correct steps to download and reactivate the single-device license if it is removed.
Ensure you know the email and password for the Microsoft account associated with your Office Home and Student 2021 purchase, as you may need it to verify your license.
Verifying and Reactivating Office 2021 After macOS Reinstallation
A standard macOS reinstall usually preserves apps and settings, but you can easily restore Office from your Microsoft account if it gets removed or requires reactivation.
Reinstalling macOS Ventura through macOS Recovery typically preserves your personal files, user accounts, and installed applications. In most cases, your Office Home and Student 2021 installation will remain intact.
However, because Office 2021 is a one-time perpetual license tied to a single device, major system changes can sometimes trigger an activation prompt. Since you are reinstalling macOS on the exact same M1 Mac, your license remains perfectly valid.
After the macOS reinstallation is complete, open your Mac's Applications folder and launch Microsoft Word. If it opens normally without an activation prompt, no further action is needed.
If Office was removed or asks for activation, open a web browser and go to account.microsoft.com/services.
Log in using the exact Microsoft account that you used to link your Amazon purchase.
Locate 'Office Home & Student 2021 for Mac' in your list of purchased products and click the 'Install' button to download the package.
Run the downloaded installer. Once finished, open Word, click 'Sign In' when prompted, and enter your Microsoft account credentials to reactivate your single-device license.
Try WPS Office for Mac as a Hassle-Free Alternative
Avoid activation headaches and single-device license limitations. WPS Office is a lightweight, fully compatible free alternative to Microsoft Office that works seamlessly on macOS, including Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) chips.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the Mac version.
- 2. Install on macOS: Open the downloaded .dmg file and drag the WPS Office icon to your Applications folder.
- 3. Open your files instantly: Launch WPS Office and directly open your existing Microsoft Office files without any conversion required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Microsoft Office Home and Student 2021 the same as Microsoft 365?
No. Office Home and Student 2021 is a one-time purchase (perpetual license) that does not require a subscription, but it is limited to installation on a single computer. Microsoft 365 is a subscription service that allows installation across multiple devices and includes ongoing feature updates.
Can I install my Office 2021 Mac license on a second computer?
No, the Office Home and Student 2021 license is strictly for one device. If you purchase a new Mac in the future, you must uninstall it from the old Mac before activating it on the new one.
How do I download Office if I originally bought the product key from Amazon?
When you first set up Office from Amazon, you linked the product key to a Microsoft account. You no longer need the Amazon key; simply log into the Microsoft 'Services & subscriptions' page with that account to download and manage your installation.
Will reinstalling macOS delete my saved Word and Excel documents?
A standard macOS reinstall via macOS Recovery preserves your user data and files. However, it is always strongly recommended to back up your important documents using Time Machine or a cloud service before reinstalling the operating system.
