License & Subscription Issues

How to Transfer an Office 2019 Home & Student License to Another Microsoft Account

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to transfer a preinstalled Office 2019 Home & Student license to a family member's Microsoft account after gifting them the laptop.

Product: Office 2019 Home & Student
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Gifting a laptop with preinstalled Office 2019 to a family member.
Observed behavior: The original owner needs to move the OEM Office license to a different Microsoft account, but finds it is bound to the original account.

Before you start

Verify the type of Office 2019 license you have. Preinstalled versions are typically OEM licenses, which have strict limitations regarding account transfers compared to retail copies.

Solution 1Recommended

Understanding OEM License Limitations and Alternative Options

Preinstalled Office licenses are permanently tied to the original Microsoft account and cannot be directly transferred to a new user.

When Office 2019 Home & Student comes preinstalled on a laptop, it is generally an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) license. Microsoft permanently ties these licenses to the specific device and the Microsoft account used during the initial activation.

Because of this policy, you cannot transfer the license to another family member's Microsoft account, even if the device itself changes hands or the original email address is compromised.

Option 1: Share the original account

If you are comfortable doing so within a family setting, allow the family member to log into the Office applications using the original Microsoft account credentials used for the first activation.

Option 2: Purchase a new license

If account sharing is not feasible for privacy or security reasons, the new laptop owner will need to purchase a new Microsoft Office license or a Microsoft 365 subscription tied to their own personal account.

Option 3: Use a free alternative

Install a free office suite that supports Microsoft document formats, bypassing the need to transfer the license or purchase a new one entirely.

Account Compromise or Deletion: Even if the original email account is compromised or deleted, Microsoft support typically does not allow OEM license transfers to a new account. The license remains permanently bound to the original Microsoft account.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Use WPS Office as a Free Alternative to Purchasing a New License

Since OEM Office 2019 licenses cannot be transferred, purchasing a new license can be an unexpected expense. WPS Office is a lightweight, completely free alternative that allows you to open, edit, and create documents seamlessly on your newly gifted laptop without worrying about Microsoft account restrictions.

Highly compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx).Completely free to use without worrying about complex license transfers or account binding.Lightweight design that runs smoothly on older or gifted laptops.Familiar tabbed user interface makes migration easy for users accustomed to Microsoft Office.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Microsoft Support manually transfer my preinstalled Office 2019 license?

In most cases, Microsoft Support will not transfer an OEM license to a new account. The End User License Agreement (EULA) for OEM software permanently binds it to the hardware and the first activating account.

What happens to my Office license if I sell or give away my laptop?

For preinstalled OEM licenses, the right to use the software technically stays with the device, but the activation remains tied to your Microsoft account. The new owner must either log in with your Microsoft account or buy their own software license.

Is a retail Office 2019 license transferable to a new account?

Unlike preinstalled OEM licenses, retail copies of Office 2019 purchased separately from the computer can sometimes be transferred to a different computer, but they are still generally tied to the original Microsoft account used during redemption. Transferring the license to a completely different Microsoft account is still not officially supported by user-facing tools.

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