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On Windows 11 or Windows 10, the current way to install Microsoft 365 apps is through m365.cloud.microsoft/apps. You sign in with the Microsoft account that owns the subscription, or with the work or school account to which an Office license is assigned, then download the installer.
You do not normally need a product key. A key is required only when your purchase included one and the license has not yet been redeemed.
Before installing Microsoft 365
Check these points before downloading Office:
- Your PC is running Windows 10 or Windows 11.
- You have a Microsoft 365 subscription, an Office 2024 license, or another supported Office license.
- You can sign in to the Microsoft account associated with the license.
- You have an active internet connection during the normal installation.
- You have enough free storage and administrator permission to install software.
A Windows PC must use the Windows version of Office. The Mac version cannot be installed on Windows, and Office is not installed through this process on a Chromebook or phone.
Redeem an Office product key first
Skip this section if your subscription is already linked to your Microsoft account or your organization assigned the license to your work or school account.
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If you received a 25-character product key with your purchase:
- Open microsoft365.com/setup.
- Sign in with a Microsoft account, or create one.
- Enter the product key when prompted.
- Complete the remaining setup steps.
Redeeming the key links the license to the account. When you reinstall Office later, sign in at m365.cloud.microsoft/apps with that same account. You normally will not need to enter the key again.
Install Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 11 or Windows 10
- Open a browser and go to m365.cloud.microsoft/apps.
- Select Sign in if you are not already signed in.
- Use the Microsoft account connected to your subscription or the work/school account that has the Office license.
- Select Install apps. Depending on the version of the Microsoft 365 portal, the control may appear as Install apps >.
- For a personal account, select Install apps, then select Install.
- For a work or school account, select Install apps, then select Microsoft 365 apps. If the button is missing from the home page, select Apps in the left navigation pane and then select Install apps.
The Office setup file will download. The browser prompt differs by browser:
| Browser | What to select |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Edge | Select Run. |
| Google Chrome | Select Setup. |
| Mozilla Firefox | Select Save File, then open the downloaded setup file. |
- When Windows displays Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?, select Yes.
- Wait while Microsoft 365 downloads and installs the applications. Keep the internet connection active.
- When the installer displays You’re all set! Office is installed now, select Close.
The installer may continue working for a while before displaying the completion message. A progress screen that appears stuck at 90% does not necessarily mean the installation has finished.
Open Word, Excel, or another Office app
Windows does not always place every Office shortcut on the desktop. To launch an installed app:
- Select Start.
- Type Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, or another app name.
- Select the application from the search results.
On first launch, accept the license agreement and sign in if requested. Microsoft 365 should then activate automatically. If activation cannot be completed, the Activation Wizard appears and provides the next steps.
Which Office apps are installed?
The normal Microsoft 365 installer installs the applications included with your licensed product. It does not provide a supported option to select only Word or Excel during the standard installation, and you cannot use the normal installer to remove individual Office applications afterward.
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If you do not use an application, you can remove its shortcut from the Start menu or desktop. Removing a shortcut does not uninstall the application.
Choose 32-bit or 64-bit Office
Microsoft 365 normally installs the 64-bit edition. However, setup detects an existing 32-bit Microsoft 365 or Office installation and installs 32-bit Office instead. The same can happen when you have a 32-bit standalone application such as Project or Visio.
Microsoft 365 cannot be changed directly from 32-bit to 64-bit, or the other way around. To change editions:
- Uninstall the existing Microsoft 365 or Office installation. Include standalone Project or Visio installations if they are the reason for the architecture conflict.
- Return to m365.cloud.microsoft/apps and sign in.
- Select Install apps.
- Open the Install apps window.
- Choose the language and select 64-bit or 32-bit.
- Select Install and run the downloaded installer.
Most modern Windows PCs should use 64-bit Office unless you need compatibility with older add-ins or other 32-bit Office software.
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The ordinary consumer Install apps workflow does not provide a supported button for choosing a different installation drive. If Office must be deployed to another drive or managed with custom installation settings, use a separate Microsoft deployment method rather than changing the default installer settings.
What to do when Install apps is missing
For a personal account, the wrong Microsoft account is a common cause. Sign out, then sign in with the account that purchased or redeemed Office.
For a work or school account, your administrator must assign a license that includes the desktop version of Office. An account with access only to web apps may not show the desktop installer.
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An administrator can check the assigned subscription in the Microsoft 365 admin center:
- Go to admin.microsoft.com.
- Open Settings.
- Select My app settings.
- Select Office 365.
- Open Subscriptions.
Immediately after a new business subscription is created, license provisioning may also take some time. Microsoft recommends signing out of Microsoft 365 and signing back in first. If the option remains unavailable, ask the administrator to confirm that a desktop Office license was assigned.
Fix a failed or stuck installation
Use this order rather than repeatedly launching the installer:
- Restart Windows.
- Return to m365.cloud.microsoft/apps and try the installation again.
- Temporarily check whether firewall, antivirus, proxy, or network restrictions are blocking the download. Do not leave security software disabled permanently.
- Run Microsoft’s Microsoft 365 setup troubleshooter through Get Help.
- If an older Office installation is interfering, run the Microsoft 365 uninstall troubleshooter and reinstall Office.
To start the setup troubleshooter, select Start, search for or open Get Help, and follow the Microsoft 365 setup prompts. If Windows says This site is trying to open Get Help, select Open. The troubleshooter supports Microsoft 365, Office 2021, Office 2019, and Office 2016 on Windows 10 or later.
The uninstall troubleshooter must run on the same Windows PC as the Office installation. Microsoft currently states that it cannot uninstall Office 2024, so a different removal method may be needed for that edition.
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Specific Office installation problems
Installation stops at 90%
Do not assume the setup is complete. Internet connection problems, firewall rules, antivirus scanning, or a proxy can prevent the web installer from finishing. Restart Windows and retry. If the web installer continues to fail, use Microsoft’s Microsoft 365 offline installer.
Account Notice or Unlicensed Product appears
This can happen after changing Microsoft 365 plans. The installed Office version may still belong to the previous plan. Remove the old installation with Microsoft’s uninstall troubleshooter, then reinstall Office while signed in to the account associated with the new plan.
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Close all Office applications. Open your Microsoft account’s Services & subscriptions page, find the Office product, select Install, select Install again in the installation-options dialog, and reinstall.
An Office app says it stopped working
Older add-ins can cause this error. Install the latest Office updates first. If the error continues, troubleshoot the application’s add-ins and disable older or incompatible ones.
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Open Get Help, enter sign in to Microsoft Office in the search box, and follow the guided steps. Also check that you are using the account that owns the license, not a second personal or work account saved in the browser.
Microsoft 365 versus one-time-purchase Office
Microsoft 365 is subscription-based and normally receives ongoing feature and security updates while the subscription is active. Office 2024, Office 2021, Office 2019, and Office 2016 are one-time-purchase editions with different support and installation arrangements.
The current Microsoft download instructions cover Microsoft 365 and Office 2024. If you have an older one-time-purchase edition, use the installation instructions connected to that product and account.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
Do I need a product key to install Microsoft 365?
No. A key is needed only when your purchase included one and it has not been redeemed. Work or school licenses and subscriptions already linked to a Microsoft account can be installed directly from m365.cloud.microsoft/apps.
Where do I download Microsoft 365 for Windows 11?
Go to https://m365.cloud.microsoft/apps, sign in with the licensed account, select Install apps, and then select Install or Microsoft 365 apps, depending on whether the account is personal or work/school.
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Can I install only Word and Excel?
Not through the standard Microsoft 365 installer. It installs the applications included with your license as a package. You can delete unused shortcuts, but that does not uninstall the apps individually.
Why did Microsoft 365 install 32-bit Office instead of 64-bit?
Setup detected an existing 32-bit Office installation or a 32-bit standalone app such as Project or Visio. Uninstall the conflicting installation, then choose 32-bit or 64-bit in the Install apps window before reinstalling.
Why is the Install apps button missing?
You may be signed in with an account that does not own an Office license. For work or school accounts, an administrator may also have assigned a license without desktop Office. The administrator can check subscriptions in Microsoft 365 admin center under Settings > My app settings > Office 365 > Subscriptions.
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Can I install Microsoft 365 on the D: drive?
The normal consumer installer does not expose a supported option for selecting another drive. A separate Microsoft deployment method is required for custom installation locations.
What should I do if Office installation is stuck at 90%?
Restart Windows and retry first. Firewall, antivirus, proxy, or internet problems can block the web installer. If it still fails, run Microsoft’s setup troubleshooter or use the Microsoft 365 offline installer.
The Bottom Line
For Windows 10 or 11, download Office from m365.cloud.microsoft/apps, not an old Office.com installation link. Sign in with the account that owns or was assigned the license, select Install apps, run the setup file, and activate the apps on first launch. If the installer is missing or fails, check the license and existing 32-bit/64-bit Office installation before using Microsoft’s Get Help troubleshooters.
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