Fix: ‘Product Activation Failed’ Error in Microsoft Office

The “Product Activation Failed” error in Microsoft Word and other Office applications (such as Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) occurs when the software cannot verify its activation with Microsoft’s servers or a valid product key. This may happen for several reasons, including an expired trial version, invalid or missing license key, using the wrong Microsoft account, or network/firewall issues that prevent activation.

In some cases, this error also appears in volume-licensed editions when activation servers are unreachable. When triggered, Office switches to a reduced functionality mode, limiting editing and other features until the issue is resolved.

Now that you know the causes, let’s go through the solutions to fix it.

1. Running the OSPPREARM.exe as Administrator (3–5 Times)

The OSPPREARM.exe (Office Software Protection Platform Rearm) is a Microsoft tool that resets the activation grace period and clears any cached licensing data. This can help resolve activation errors caused by corrupted tokens or configuration issues. Running it multiple times (3–5 times) gives Office a fresh start and extends the trial period before you need a valid key.

1. Navigate to your Office installation folder. For Office 2016, the default path is:

   C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16

   Note: If you’re using Office 2013, 2019, or 2021, this folder will be named Office15, Office17, etc. Adjust accordingly.

2. Locate OSPPREARM.EXE, right-click it, and select Run as Administrator. Repeat this process 3–5 times.
   
3. Reopen Microsoft Word and check if the problem is resolved.

2. Rearming Using Command Prompt

If running OSPPREARM directly doesn’t work, you can do it via Command Prompt. This provides elevated access and bypasses restrictions from background services or antivirus software that may block the tool.

1. Open Command Prompt as an Administrator.
   
2. Type cd\ and press Enter to go to the root directory.
   
3. Navigate to your Office installation folder by typing:

   cd "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16"

   and press Enter.
   

4. Type the following command and press Enter to view the current license status:

   cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus

   

5. Finally, run:

   ospprearm.exe

   This will reset the licensing configuration and rearm Office.

   

6. Restart Word and check if the activation error is gone.

3. Permanent Fix: Activate Office with a Valid License

While the rearm process can temporarily restore functionality, it is not a permanent solution. You can only rearm up to five times, after which the trial expires. To fix the issue permanently:

• Purchase a genuine Microsoft Office license or subscription (Office 365/Microsoft 365).
• Sign in with the correct Microsoft account linked to your Office purchase.
• Check your internet connection and ensure your firewall or antivirus isn’t blocking Office activation servers.
• Contact Microsoft Support if your account is licensed but still not activating.

Once properly activated, Microsoft Word and other Office applications will return to full functionality without further errors.