To start the phone activation process, follow these steps:

Before you begin: Open Word (or any other Office app), go to File → Account → Activate Product, and select “I want to activate the software by phone.” Leave this window open—you’ll need the installation ID displayed there.

The steps:

From any device with an Internet connection, go to aka.ms/aoh

Sign in with a Microsoft account (this account is not linked to your license; it is only used to access the site)

Complete the CAPTCHA

Enter the installation ID from the Office window

The website will provide you with a confirmation ID

Enter the confirmation ID in the Office window

Click Next → Finish. Done.

That's all. The old method involved calling a phone number; now, all you need to do is get the confirmation ID from the website.

If your Office computer isn't connected to the Internet, follow steps 1 through 5 on your phone or another device, then enter the confirmation ID on your offline PC for steps 6 through 7.

1. 1. Open any Office application, such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.

1. 1. If you have not yet been asked for a Product Key, go to the “File” menu and click on “Account” at the bottom of the navigation pane.
   2. 

1. 1. In “Product Information,” click on “Activate Product.”.

1. 1. Select “I have a product key” and enter your product key
   2. .

1. 1. You will then be asked to choose how you want to activate your software. Select “I want to activate the software by phone” instead of “Internet.”.

Note down the installation ID

After choosing to activate Office by phone, you will be asked to generate an installation ID. The installation ID is a unique code that you will provide to Microsoft's automated system during the phone call. Follow these steps to generate it:

1. 1. After selecting the option to activate Office by phone, a new window will appear showing your installation ID. It will be a long string of numbers grouped into several fields.

1. 1. Please note this installation ID as you will need it during the phone call.

Make the call

Once you have obtained your installation ID, you are ready to call Microsoft's automatic activation service. Here's how to do it:

1. 1. In the “Activate Office by Phone” window, select the country or region you are calling from. A toll-free number will then be displayed that you can call. Most countries have a toll-free number at Microsoft's expense.
   2. 

1. 1. Call the toll-free number and follow the automated instructions.

1. 1. When prompted, enter the installation ID using your phone's keypad.

1. 1. Listen carefully to the automated system. It will provide you with a confirmation ID once your installation ID has been verified.

Have a pen and paper handy to write down the confirmation code.

Entering the confirmation ID

After receiving your confirmation ID from the automated phone system, you will need to enter it into the Microsoft Office activation wizard to complete the activation process. Here's how to do it:

1. 1. Return to the “Activate Office by phone” window on your computer, where you previously found your installation ID.

1. 1. You will see a series of empty fields labeled for the confirmation ID (A through H). Carefully enter the confirmation ID that you wrote down during the phone call.

1. 1. Once you have filled in all the fields, click on the “Next” button to finalize the activation.

If everything has been entered correctly, a message will appear confirming that your Microsoft Office product has been successfully activated. You can now close the activation window and enjoy all the features of your Microsoft Office suite.