How to find if I have a MS Office license for my motherboard

[Pistonpants]

Hi,

I was given my old work laptop, but had to return the disk drive. I got a new drive downloaded windows 10 and was surprised I didn't have to pay for it / enter a product key. I now understand MS licenses are linked to the motherboard so must be using the old work corporate license.

I want to install MS office and wondered if that would also be the same? I hadn't used the old laptop for about a year and can't remember what version of office it had.

Is there a way to find out....
1. If there is an MS office license linked to my motherboard?
2. What version of MS office is licensed?

I assume if there is a license I can just download the licensed version and it will work with no payment?

Thanks!

[xeny]

You almost certainly don't. AFAIK, Office has never been tied to motherboards, only Windows.

[Ham_and_Jam]

Pistonpants said:

Hi,

I was given my old work laptop, but had to return the disk drive. I got a new drive downloaded windows 10 and was surprised I didn't have to pay for it / enter a product key. I now understand MS licenses are linked to the motherboard so must be using the old work corporate license.

I want to install MS office and wondered if that would also be the same? I hadn't used the old laptop for about a year and can't remember what version of office it had.

Is there a way to find out....
1. If there is an MS office license linked to my motherboard?
2. What version of MS office is licensed?

I assume if there is a license I can just download the licensed version and it will work with no payment?

Thanks!

Easier just to download and pay for MS Office professional plus 2021 at £19.99 from -

https://ecokeys.co.uk/office-2021-professional-plu...

Painless and recommended by lots of PHers

Edited to add cheaper 2019 version at £9.99

https://ecokeys.co.uk/microsoft-office-professiona...

Edited by Ham_and_Jam on Sunday 15th December 12:41

[jimmyjimjim]

^ what he said there. Other sources are available. I've bought a couple from here - https://www.cjs-cdkeys.com/ without any issue.

[simon_harris]

Windows tied to the bios, office is not

[drmotorsport]

Everyone has to pay for Office. Just pick your preferred option of perpetual or subscription licensing, or just use Google docs etc for free.

[captain_cynic]

drmotorsport said:

Everyone has to pay for Office. Just pick your preferred option of perpetual or subscription licensing, or just use Google docs etc for free.

Alternatively, libre office is free (and open source).

I tend to use that at home because I don't need a full office suite and it's not as slow and bloated as MS Office.

[sgrimshaw]

Ham_and_Jam said:

Easier just to download and pay for MS Office professional plus 2021 at £19.99 from -

https://ecokeys.co.uk/office-2021-professional-plu...

Painless and recommended by lots of PHers

Edited to add cheaper 2019 version at £9.99

https://ecokeys.co.uk/microsoft-office-professiona...

Do these versions allow you to choose which Office programs get installed ... eg. I have no need or desire for Outlook to be installed.

Office 365 doesn't give you the option to pick and choose .... it installs the entire suite as far as I can see.