How to Fix the Get Genuine Office Message in Microsoft 365
Question details
The user needs to remove a 'Get Genuine Office' warning that appears on a secondary device despite having a valid Microsoft 365 Personal subscription.
- Product
- Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Using Microsoft Office applications on a secondary device where license validation fails or conflicts with another installed version.
- Observed behavior
- A 'Get Genuine Office' warning message is displayed within the Office applications, preventing normal verified usage.
Before troubleshooting, ensure you have the login credentials for the Microsoft account that is tied to your active Microsoft 365 purchase.
Verify Subscription and Reinstall Microsoft 365
Check your Microsoft account to confirm an active license, identify conflicting Office installations on your device, and perform a clean reinstallation.
Often, devices come with pre-installed trial versions of Office. If these trials expire while you try to use your paid Microsoft 365 subscription, the system may get confused and display the 'Get Genuine Office' warning. Removing all versions and reinstalling from your active account usually resolves the conflict.
Navigate to account.microsoft.com/services in your web browser. Sign in using the Microsoft account associated with your purchase and verify that your Microsoft 365 subscription is active and has not expired.
Open Word or any other Office application. Click on 'File' in the top-left corner, then select 'Account' from the sidebar. Look under 'Product Information' to see which version of Office is currently installed.
If you see multiple Office versions listed or a version that doesn't match your subscription, close the application. Open your computer's Control Panel or Settings, navigate to 'Apps' or 'Programs', and uninstall all versions of Microsoft Office.
Return to your Microsoft account services page online and click the 'Install' button to download and cleanly install the correct version of Microsoft 365 tied to your active license.
Avoid Licensing Errors with WPS Office
If you are tired of troubleshooting subscription warnings, activation errors, or multiple conflicting software installations, switch to WPS Office. It is a free, lightweight, and fully compatible Office suite that requires no complicated licensing to get your work done.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free installation package for your operating system.
- 2. Install the Suite: Run the installer and follow the simple on-screen instructions to set up the software in minutes.
- 3. Open Your Files: Launch WPS Office and directly open your existing Microsoft Office documents without worrying about format loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why am I seeing the 'Get Genuine Office' message if I already paid for Microsoft 365?
This typically occurs if an older, expired version of Office or a pre-installed factory trial is still present on your device. The software reads the expired license instead of your active subscription. Uninstalling older versions fixes this.
How do I check which version of Office is currently active on my computer?
Open any Office application such as Word or Excel, click on 'File' in the top menu, and select 'Account'. Your active product information and license details will be displayed on the right side of the screen.
Will uninstalling Microsoft Office delete my personal documents?
No. Uninstalling Microsoft Office only removes the application files. All your personal documents, spreadsheets, and presentations saved locally on your hard drive or in the cloud will remain completely safe and unaffected.
