Miami IT Support & Cybersecurity Blog – The Computer Guys of Miami

Expert IT insights for Miami businesses — practical tips on support, cybersecurity, cloud, and network solutions.

Fixing the “Office Asking for Product Key” Error on Microsoft 365 Subscriptions

Are you seeing an “Enter your product key” error in Microsoft Office even though you already have an active Microsoft 365 subscription? You’re not alone. Many business and home users run into this activation problem, especially after a repair, update, or Windows security change.

The good news: you don’t actually need a key. This error is usually caused by a TPM (Trusted Platform Module) glitch on your device. At The Computer Guys of Miami, we’ve fixed this issue for countless clients, and here’s the exact step-by-step process we recommend.

Symptoms of the Error

  • Office apps (Word, Excel, Outlook) won’t open.
  • You’re prompted for a 25-digit product key even though you’re on a subscription.
  • Error messages mention device security or TPM.

Step-by-Step Fix

Step 1 – Disconnect Work Account

  1. Go to Settings → Accounts → Access work or school
  2. Select the work account (e.g., [email protected])
  3. Click Disconnect

Step 2 – Clear TPM (as Administrator)

  1. Press Start → type tpm.msc
  2. Right-click and choose Run as administrator (important!)
  3. In the TPM Management console, go to Action → Clear TPM
  4. Confirm and restart your computer

⚠️ Warning: If BitLocker is enabled, make sure you have the recovery key before clearing TPM.

Step 3 – Re-Add Work Account

  1. After restart, go to Settings → Accounts → Access work or school → Connect
  2. Sign in with your work account email (e.g., [email protected])

Step 4 – Open Office and Sign In

  1. Launch Word or Excel
  2. When prompted, click Sign in instead (not “Enter a code”)
  3. Enter your work email and password
  4. Office should now activate automatically with your Microsoft 365 subscription

Why This Fix Works

Microsoft 365 doesn’t use traditional product keys. Instead, your license is tied to your Microsoft account. When TPM or cached credentials get corrupted, Office mistakenly asks for a key. Clearing TPM (as admin) and reconnecting your account resets the trust relationship and restores subscription-based activation.

Wrap-Up: Microsoft 365 Support in Miami

If you run into the Office asking for a product key error, don’t waste time searching for codes that don’t exist. Just follow the steps above:

  • Disconnect your work account
  • Clear TPM as administrator
  • Re-add your account
  • Sign back into Office

At The Computer Guys of Miami, we specialize in solving frustrating Microsoft 365 errors, activation issues, and subscription glitches for businesses and home users.

Need help with Office activation or IT support in Miami? Contact us today—we’ll get your systems running smoothly again.

Why Backups Are Essential for Everyone

In today’s digital world, our personal and business data is more valuable than ever. Photos, documents, emails, client records, and financial information all live on our devices and in the cloud. But what happens if a hard drive fails, a laptop is stolen, or malware wipes everything clean? Without backups, that data could be gone forever.

A good backup system protects you from accidents, hardware failures, and cyberattacks. It gives peace of mind knowing that no matter what happens, your important information can be recovered.

Our Preferred Solution: IDrive

At The Computer Guys of Miami, we strongly recommend IDrive.com. It’s simple, reliable, and affordable.

  • Free plan available: Every personal account starts with 10 GB free.
  • Affordable upgrades: If you need more space, their pricing is among the most competitive on the market.
  • Excellent support: We’ve always been satisfied with their technical support team.
  • Fast recovery: In case of data loss, the restore process has been smooth and stress-free in our experience.
  • Backup monitoring: IDrive can send you an email alert if a backup fails, but it’s still wise to visually check the backup execution at least twice a week to be absolutely sure everything is running as expected.

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

We’ve seen too many cases where people only think about backups after disaster strikes. By then, it’s often too late. Setting up a secure backup plan today is one of the smartest decisions you can make.

👉 Need help setting up IDrive? We’re happy to assist.

Miami IT Support: Daily Challenges & Solutions

Running into IT problems every day? In this post we share real challenges and practical solutions from the field — from network glitches to software hiccups — so your Miami business can stay productive without costly downtime.

Fixing the “Office Asking for Product Key” Error on Microsoft 365 Subscriptions

If you have an active Microsoft 365 subscription but Office keeps asking for a product key after a repair or update, you don’t actually need a key. This problem is often caused by a TPM (Trusted Platform Module) glitch on the device. Here’s the step-by-step fix we use for clients.

Symptoms

  • Office apps (Word, Excel, Outlook) won’t open.
  • You’re asked for a 25-digit product key even though you’re on a subscription.
  • Error messages referencing device security or TPM.

The Fix

Step 1 – Disconnect Work Account

  • Go to Settings → Accounts → Access work or school
  • Select the work account (e.g. [email protected])
  • Click Disconnect

Step 2 – Clear TPM (as Administrator)

  • Press Start → type tpm.msc
  • Right-click → Run as administrator (important, otherwise it won’t open)
  • In the TPM Management console, choose Action → Clear TPM
  • Confirm and restart the computer

⚠️ If BitLocker is enabled, make sure you have the recovery key before clearing TPM.

Step 3 – Re-Add Work Account

  • After restart: Settings → Accounts → Access work or school → Connect
  • Sign in with the work account email ([email protected])

Step 4 – Open Office and Sign In

  • Launch Word or Excel
  • When prompted, choose Sign in instead (not “Enter a code”)
  • Enter the work email + password
  • Office should activate automatically under the subscription

Why This Works

Office subscriptions don’t use product keys. The license is tied to the Microsoft 365 account. If the TPM or cached credentials get corrupted, Office falls back to asking for a key. Clearing the TPM (as admin) and reconnecting the work account refreshes the trust relationship and fixes the activation.

Wrap-Up

Next time Office asks for a code on a subscription plan, don’t waste time hunting for a key. Just run TPM as admin, clear it, reconnect the account, and sign back in — and you’ll be back in business.