Quick answer: Microsoft 365 (subscription) does not use a product key — it is tied to your Microsoft account. Older standalone Office versions (2019, 2016, 2013) do have product keys stored in the registry. This guide covers both scenarios and shows you how to retrieve whichever applies to your setup.
In This Guide
Step 1: Determine Which Office You Have
Microsoft 365 / Office 365 (Subscription)
Paid monthly or annually. No product key. Reinstall by signing into your Microsoft account at office.com/setup.
Includes: Microsoft 365 Personal, Microsoft 365 Family, Microsoft 365 Business
Office 2019 / 2016 / 2013 (Standalone)
One-time purchase. Has a 25-character product key. Key must be saved before reinstalling Windows.
Also: Office Home & Student, Office Professional, Office Home & Business
How to check which you have:
- Open any Office application (Word, Excel)
- Go to File → Account
- If you see "Microsoft 365" with your email and a subscription expiry date — you have a subscription. Sign in at office.com after reinstalling.
- If you see "Office 2019" or similar with no subscription info — you have a standalone license and need to save the key.
Microsoft 365 Subscription: No Key Needed
Reinstalling is simple. After setting up the new Windows:
- Go to office.com/setup
- Sign in with the Microsoft account tied to your subscription
- Click Install Office
- Microsoft 365 downloads and activates automatically
If you are not sure which Microsoft account your subscription is on, check your email inbox for a receipt from Microsoft Store or microsoft.com. The account used to purchase is the one you need.
Standalone Office Key: Command Prompt Method
For standalone Office versions the product key is stored in the registry. The following command reads it via the Software Licensing Service.
Steps:
- Open Command Prompt as administrator
- Navigate to the Office folder. For Office 2016/2019 (32-bit on 64-bit Windows):
cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office16"
- Run this command:
cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus
This shows the last 5 characters of your product key and activation status.
Note
The ospp.vbs method only shows the last 5 characters of the key, not the full 25-character code.
Standalone Office Key: Product Key Recovery Tool
Product Key Recovery Tool retrieves product key information from the Windows registry and other system sources. For newer versions of Microsoft Office (2013 and later), only partial product key information may be available depending on the activation method.
Product Key Recovery Tool
Recovers full Office product keys from the registry in seconds — no command line required.
- ✓ Recovers Office 2007, 2010, 2013*, 2016*, 2019* product keys
- ✓ Also recovers Windows product key in the same scan
- ✓ Exports all keys to TXT/CSV/HTML for backup
- ✓ Works offline — no internet connection required
*Only partial product key information may be available depending on the activation method
What to Do Before Reinstalling
- Run Product Key Recovery Tool to export your Office key (and Windows key) to a text file
- Save the file to a USB drive or external hard drive — not to the drive you are formatting
- Note your Office edition (Home & Student, Professional, etc.) — the key only works with the matching edition
- Keep the Microsoft account email used to register Office, in case you need to verify ownership later
Frequently Asked Questions
Summary
If you have Microsoft 365, just sign in at office.com after reinstalling. If you have a standalone Office 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010 or 2007 license, use Product Key Recovery Tool to save the full key before formatting.
Download Product Key Recovery Tool — Free Trial