License & Subscription Issues

How to Transfer an Office 2024 Business ESD License to Another User

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

Understand whether an Office 2024 Business ESD license can be transferred to another Microsoft account or a different employee within the same company.

Product: Office 2024 Business ESD
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: An employee is leaving or changing positions, and the company needs to reassign their Office 2024 Business ESD license to a successor.
Observed behavior: Microsoft officially restricts transferring licenses directly between different Microsoft accounts, locking the software to the original purchaser's account.

Before you start

Ensure you have the login credentials for the Microsoft account currently holding the Office 2024 license and verify the region where the software was originally purchased.

Solution 1Recommended

Rename the Account and Change the Email Address (Workaround)

Since a direct transfer to a new account is not supported, the most practical solution is to retain the existing Microsoft account and update its credentials for the successor.

Microsoft Support confirms that while the license itself cannot be moved to a different account, you can repurpose the existing account by changing its primary alias. This allows the new employee to take over the account seamlessly.

Sign into the Microsoft Account

Go to the Microsoft account portal and log in using the departing employee's account credentials.

Access Account Information

Navigate to the 'Your info' section and select 'Edit account info' to manage how you sign in to Microsoft.

Add a New Email Alias

Click 'Add email' and follow the prompts to create or link a new email address for the successor.

Set as Primary and Remove the Old Alias

Set the newly added email as the primary alias, then safely remove the departing employee's old email address from the account.

Account Retention: This method ensures the Office 2024 Business ESD license remains active without violating standard account restrictions.

Solution 2

Request a Transfer via Microsoft Support (EEA Purchases Only)

If the license was purchased in the European Economic Area, local laws may permit a formal license transfer through Customer Support.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Switch to WPS Office for Hassle-Free License Management

Tired of complicated license transfer policies and account restrictions? WPS Office provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and user-friendly alternative to Microsoft Office. It's free to use and makes onboarding new employees incredibly simple without worrying about restrictive software locks.

1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free version for your operating system.
2. Install WPS Office: Run the setup file and follow the on-screen instructions to deploy the software on the new employee's computer.
3. Open Your Files: Launch the application and immediately open any existing .docx, .xlsx, or .pptx files with full formatting support.

No complicated account lock-ins or restrictive license transfer rulesSeamlessly compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formatsFree basic version available for immediate deployment across your companyLightweight installation ensures fast setup for new employees

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer my Office 2024 license to another Microsoft account?

No, Microsoft generally does not allow an Office 2024 Business ESD license to be transferred from one Microsoft account to another. The software is tied to the original purchasing account.

How do I reassign an Office license when an employee leaves?

The recommended workaround is to log into the original Microsoft account, add the new employee's email as an alias, make it the primary alias, and then remove the old employee's email address.

Are there special license transfer rules for European users?

Yes. If your Office 2024 license was purchased in the European Economic Area (EEA), you might be eligible for a formal transfer under regional laws. You must contact Microsoft Customer Support to verify your eligibility and process the request.

Is there a time restriction on transferring retail licenses?

For retail licenses where transfers are permitted, Microsoft often imposes a 90-day restriction, meaning you cannot transfer the license again within 90 days of the previous assignment.

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