Office for Mac trips people up more than any other product we sell, and almost always for the same reason. Read the first section before you buy anything.

The mistake to avoid

A Windows Office key will not activate Office for Mac. They are separate licences with separate installers, even when the version number is identical — Office 2021 for Windows and Office 2021 for Mac are different products. If you own a Mac, you need an edition whose product page explicitly says Mac. This is the single most common cause of a refund request on our store, and it is entirely avoidable.

How Mac licences are redeemed

Office for Mac works differently from the Windows version. Rather than typing a key into the application, you redeem the key against a Microsoft account, and the software then recognises the entitlement when you sign in. That means a Microsoft account is required, not optional. Creating one is free and takes a minute.

Step 1 — Redeem your key

Go to Microsoft’s official setup page, sign in with the Microsoft account you want the licence attached to, and enter the 25-character key from your delivery email. Choose the account carefully: the licence lives with that account permanently, so use one you will keep rather than a temporary address.

Step 2 — Download and install

Once redeemed, the download is offered directly from your Microsoft account page. Run the installer package and follow the prompts. Office for Mac is a large download, so allow time on a slower connection.

Step 3 — Sign in and confirm

Open Word or any installed app and sign in with the same Microsoft account. The licence is recognised automatically — there is no key to type at this stage. Confirm through the Word menu under About Word, which names the licensed edition.

Which Mac edition should you buy?

Home & Student covers Word, Excel and PowerPoint and is licensed for non-commercial use. Home & Business adds Outlook and permits business use. If the Mac is used for work, buy Home & Business — the distinction is a licensing one rather than a technical one, but it is a real one.

If you need help

Send your order number and tell us what you see on screen. Every order carries our 180-day money-back guarantee, and if you bought a Windows edition by mistake we would far rather swap it than argue about it.

Browse Microsoft Office for Mac.