Can I resell my Microsoft Office?

Microsoft has made its software available in the cloud for years now, but there are still plenty of people who prefer having their own copy of the program (or two or three). In fact, some businesses may actually need more than one version installed at any given time.

So if you're wondering whether you can resell your Microsoft Office license -- especially if you've upgraded from an older version like 2007 or 2010 -- here's everything you need to know about reselling your Office suite.

Can you uninstall Microsoft Office and install it on another computer?

Yes! You don't even have to remove your existing installation before installing Office again. Simply download and run the installer once you're ready to reinstall. The process is straightforward, and removing all traces of old versions should be no problem. If you want to get rid of your previous copies entirely, you'll have to sign out of your account and delete them manually.

However, this isn't necessarily recommended unless absolutely necessary. It means that every file stored online with your original Office subscription could potentially reappear after you've deleted those files locally. That includes emails sent via Outlook Web App and other Office Online services which might contain sensitive information. So we recommend keeping your local installations around just in case.

If you'd rather not go through the hassle of setting up a new subscription when you upgrade, you could always try using the same license on multiple computers instead – provided each machine runs the latest version of Office. This way, you won't have to worry about losing access to online features you rely on.

The only downside to doing so is that updates aren't automatically applied across all machines running the same version of Office, meaning you could miss important security patches and bug fixes. However, it would also mean you wouldn't have to deal with annoying prompts asking you to update your Office apps on a regular basis.

For most home users, however, this option probably makes sense. As long as you keep backups handy and avoid sharing critical documents between different machines, switching between machines shouldn't pose too many problems. Just remember to back up your data regularly to ensure continuity.

How do I transfer my Microsoft Office product key to another computer?

You can easily reset the activation code for your Office subscription without paying anything extra. First, open the Office Store app on whichever device you use frequently. Then click the Account tab followed by Manage Licenses within.

On the next page, select Add License. Enter the email address associated with your current Office subscription, then hit Next Step. Select Remove Product Code and enter the code into the box below. Click Confirm Removal and wait while it processes. Once complete, you'll receive instructions on how to set up Office on your new PC.

It takes less than 60 seconds per user, so you really don't have much to lose by trying it out first. Plus, you already paid for the full year anyway. In short, this method works well for anyone trying to switch away from Office altogether or simply moving to a newer model.

Are Windows keys illegal?

No. Microsoft doesn’t care where you buy your product keys because it lets you activate them wherever you choose. But some countries require you to register certain items before shipping them overseas, such as the UK (where Microsoft sells its goods), Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vietnam.

These countries typically impose restrictions on importing and exporting digital goods, including software. For example, if you purchase a physical DVD containing Office 2016 Home & Business Edition, you must register it with customs officials prior to leaving the country.

As far as licensing goes, these governments treat Office as a legal import regardless of whether you bought it directly from Microsoft or elsewhere. They recognize the right to resell licensed titles under specific conditions outlined above.

This doesn’t apply to Office 365 subscriptions, though, since they’re sold exclusively online. These plans let you take advantage of Office features whenever you want, as opposed to requiring you to pay monthly fees for perpetual access.

To find out more about the rules governing reselling in individual regions, check out our list of countries where reselling Office is banned.

Is selling OEM keys illegal?

Short answer: No. Selling pre-installed operating system discs does nothing wrong legally speaking. After all, it's common practice among IT professionals to rebrand third party hardware solutions with custom images and add-ons for customers' convenience.

But you certainly risk getting caught out by authorities if you attempt to resell boxed PCs without an official manufacturer sticker attached. While government representatives tend to focus on counterfeiting more than copyright infringement nowadays, you can expect to face hefty fines if you're found guilty of either crime.

We advise against buying boxes wholesale and then reselling them individually. Instead, look for ways to turn your inventory into revenue streams, such as renting out spare equipment or offering discounts to students.

While you never technically “own” a used hard drive, you may still face trouble if someone else discovers that you were responsible for leaking confidential company data onto the internet. Be sure to wipe all drives clean of personal data before returning them to stock.

What is the difference between selling an individual license or offering a subscription for Microsoft Office?

If you sell personal copies of Microsoft Office products directly to customers, then you can choose whether to offer them with a single-user licence that allows only one person on the computer to use the product, or with a multi-user licence that allows multiple users.

Multi user licences can be used either for home offices where several family members share workstations, or for small companies where employees all have access to each other's files without needing constant monitoring from IT. They also allow organisations to purchase additional licences if necessary.

For example, when working remotely, the ability to install Microsoft Word on up to five computers simultaneously means that everyone working together can keep track of changes, while not requiring anyone else to download updates manually each time Word gets updated.

The main benefit of a multi-user licence comes down to convenience. If you're running a business, you could even consider using a multi-seat licence rather than a traditional desktop machine.

It’s important to note here that this isn't just about office suites - these days we tend to think of programs like Photoshop, Premiere Pro and After Effects as “video editing tools”, but they aren't limited to video production. In fact, many creative professionals would argue that Adobe Creative Cloud – which includes all of those programs plus Illustrator, Dreamweaver and dozens of others – provides far better value than buying separate apps individually.

Many people don't realise that, although the cost of Microsoft Office varies depending on the number of seats purchased, there are no extra charges for adding new features over time. For instance, upgrading from Professional Plus 2013 to Professional 2016 costs $200 per seat, but once you've purchased that package,

Microsoft has made selling its software easier than ever before with their new cloud-based services that you can use on any device without needing an installation or having to worry about compatibility issues. But if you're looking to take advantage of this amazing opportunity while still making money from it, there's no better way to go about doing so than through becoming a Microsoft Reseller.

But just like in other markets where companies offer products at cheaper prices to customers who purchase them directly from the manufacturer, there are some limitations when it comes to reselling certain items such as Microsoft Office. In fact, you'll find many sellers offering Microsoft Office packages which cost more than buying individual components individually. This means that if you want to maximize profits when selling Microsoft Office, you need to know exactly which options are available and whether they meet all requirements needed to legally transfer ownership of the product to someone else.

In order to learn more about these restrictions, we spoke with Jason Miller, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Microsoft Partners United, a company that helps businesses sell Microsoft Enterprise solutions. Here, he explains why Microsoft Office cannot be sold separately, including details regarding the differences between different versions of the program and how to determine the price of each one based off the amount of hours worked by Microsoft employees. Lastly, he gives us advice on how to ensure our resale transactions are legal and avoid getting into trouble with the law and/or violating Microsoft policies.

How do people sell Microsoft Office so cheaply?

With the recent launch of Microsoft 365, anyone with access to a computer can sign up for a subscription plan online, meaning that you don't have to physically visit a retail location to buy Microsoft Office anymore. While this may sound great, keep in mind that because MSO is now part of a subscription model, Microsoft doesn't allow users to transfer ownership of the software after paying for it. As stated previously, only licensed individuals (like yourself) can actually own Microsoft Office and resell it to others.

The reason behind this restriction is simple: Microsoft wants to protect themselves against unauthorized copying and distribution of their products. However, it also allows them to control the market, since they can set the price for their products. If you'd rather not pay full price for Microsoft Office subscriptions, but would like to earn extra income from reselling copies of the software, you may consider using websites like eBay and Amazon Marketplace instead. These platforms provide buyers and sellers alike with a platform to safely exchange goods and services.

When listing your item on these sites, you should always include the following information:

Full name of seller

Your contact info

A description of the product being offered

Item condition

Price

Shipping costs

Once you've listed the item on either website, potential buyers must click "Buy It Now" to complete the transaction. Once payment is received, you'll receive shipping instructions via email, and once shipped, you'll receive tracking numbers. You can also opt to ship via USPS Priority Mail Express, FedEx Ground, UPS Next Day Air, or DHL Global Forwarding.

After receiving your package, please verify receipt within 5 business days. Failure to respond will result in cancellation of sale. Also note that both ebay and amazon have rules regarding copyright infringement, fraud, and other illegal activities. They prohibit users from posting copyrighted material unless approved by the content owner first.

If you're interested in learning more ways to sell Microsoft Office online, check out our article detailing 12 places you can sell your old hardware for cash. Alternatively, here's a list of 20 apps you might already have installed on your PC that could generate additional revenue.

What is the cheapest version of Office?

As mentioned above, Microsoft does not permit you to sell Microsoft Office as a standalone product. The only option is to work under a license agreement with them. Therefore, you won't be able to sell Microsoft Office 2016 Home Premium outright since it requires a valid Windows 10 Pro, 64-bit operating system. Although, you can try selling Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2021 Edition as long as you're working on a machine running Windows 7 SP1, 8.1, or 10.

On the other hand, if you choose to sell Microsoft Office 2013 Ultimate or earlier, you can charge $129 per user annually. For those who prefer to stick to older versions like 2010 and 2007, you can charge anywhere between $49 - $69 depending on the version. Keep in mind though that the lower priced versions require less time spent training your customer on how to properly utilize the software. On average, however, users tend to spend three hours every month fixing problems caused by incorrect usage.

To see the difference between various editions, check out the chart below.

How can I get Microsoft Office for free Legally?

There are two main ways to obtain Microsoft Office for free, aside from simply buying a copy of the software. First, you can enroll in the Microsoft Education Suite Programs for Students and Teachers. With these programs, students and teachers can download and install Microsoft Office on computers and mobile devices provided that they fulfill the eligibility criteria.

Second, you can ask Microsoft for a complimentary trial version of Office. After signing up for a 30 day trial, you'll be sent an activation code that grants you access to Microsoft Office during the duration of the trial period. To activate the product, you'll need to enter the code found inside a letter included with your activation kit.

Finally, if neither of the aforementioned methods apply, you can always attempt to negotiate a deal with friends or colleagues. Since Microsoft offers volume discounts for large purchases, it's possible that you can save thousands over the course of several years. Just remember to document the terms of your negotiations in writing before agreeing to anything!

Can Microsoft Office be transferred to another computer?

Even though Microsoft makes it very easy to acquire a copy of Microsoft Office for free, you'll need to follow specific guidelines in order to successfully transfer ownership of the software to another person. Most importantly, you'll need to make sure that they agree to the same licensing agreements. According to the Microsoft licensing FAQ page, you can only transfer ownership of Microsoft Office to another eligible user if:

You purchased the software from Microsoft

They qualify for a student or teacher account

Their current license expires before yours ends

Their previous license was issued prior to July 1st 1993

While the last point isn't applicable to most cases, the rest cover almost everyone.

Additionally, you'll need to notify Microsoft about the transfer of ownership along with providing proof that you fulfilled all conditions outlined above. When transferring your rights to another party, you'll also need to inform them of the expiration date of your original license.

Lastly, you should never transfer ownership to someone outside of Microsoft's official channels. Doing so may result in fines, fines, and even lawsuits.

This guide provides valuable insights into how to effectively sell Microsoft Office and maximize your earnings. By taking care of small details like documenting your deals in writing, keeping track of receipts, and ensuring that you adhere to all relevant laws, you'll be well prepared to start selling Microsoft Office today.

Microsoft has made several changes in the past few years that have affected the way you can use its software applications. This includes making them available on both desktop and mobile platforms, offering subscriptions for all of their productivity tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) instead of individual licensing options, and even introducing some new features like Teams Meetings.

Along with these updates came an increase in demand for Office 365. In fact, according to Gartner Research, “Office 365 is expected to grow at double-digit rates through 2023”. If you are interested in selling or renting out Office 365, here's everything you need to know about how to go about it.

Can I sell my Microsoft Office license?

If you own a copy of any Microsoft application including Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, OneNote, Visio, Publisher, Access -- which we recommend you download before buying anything else if you're looking for a free alternative), then you may be able to sell this license directly to customers who want to buy into the same program. You'll also find that there are many other companies willing to purchase such licenses, so don't feel discouraged just because someone asked you if you could sell something.

This is especially true when dealing with smaller businesses. Some companies offer more than one version of Office, but most only allow users to install whatever version was originally purchased. For example, if you bought a Home Premium version of Microsoft Office, then you can only install that particular edition. However, if you later decide to upgrade to Professional, then you must uninstall the previous version first.

There are two ways to remove the old installation of Office:

The easiest method is simply to delete the file(s). The process varies depending upon whether you installed Office using Windows Installer or manually via the setup executable files. Most people choose to automatically remove older versions with the click of a button, although you can always perform this task yourself by right clicking on each folder containing the installation source code and selecting Remove.

You can also disable certain components of Office after removing the entire product. To do this, open up the Control Panel " Programs & Features " View Installed Updates. Then select the Product category and scroll down until you locate the name of the product you wish to update. Uncheck the box next to it and follow the instructions provided to complete the removal of the outdated component.

In either case, once the unwanted program is no longer running, you should see a notification informing you that the system needs to reboot. Once the computer reboots, the office apps will be removed and no sign of the program will remain on the hard drive.

On the flip side, if you've already upgraded to a paid subscription, you cannot legally sell access to those services unless you were given permission to do so. Even though you might think it would be easy to switch over to a different plan without having to pay again, you'd end up incurring additional costs. It's best to stick with the original plan unless you really require a specific feature not offered by the current plan.

However, if you want to try your hand at becoming a full-time professional reseller, there are still opportunities out there. Keep reading below to learn how to release your Office 365 license.

How do I release my Office 365 license?

Once you've decided to let others use the licensed copies of Office, you'll need to give them control of the license keys. These codes provide access to the cloud-based services within Office 365. By releasing these keys, you relinquish ownership of the product while giving others the ability to run the application on multiple machines.

To begin the process, log into your Microsoft Account dashboard and head to My Apps " All Applications " Licenses. Here, you'll see a list of any licenses currently associated with your profile. Clicking on Add License allows you to add a new one.

Next, enter the information required to create a license key. Name it appropriately and set the type to Active User. After doing so, you'll be taken to a page where you can assign permissions to the newly created license.

As long as you haven't assigned the license to anyone yet, you can continue assigning permissions until you reach 100% completion. When you finish adding the remaining users, you'll receive emails letting you know that the license has been released.

Now that you've completed the steps necessary to release your Office 365 license, you can start charging for the usage of this important resource. Just remember to keep track of how much time everyone spends working with the app and adjust accordingly.

Can I transfer Office 365 license to another account?

When you initially purchase Office 365, you won't actually get a physical license disc. Instead, you'll receive a digital code that allows you to activate the software remotely. That means you can install the product onto as many computers as you'd like without ever needing to visit a customer site.

While this approach works well and saves you quite a bit of time, there's a downside -- namely the inability to migrate the license between devices. As mentioned above, you'll lose access to the licensed software if you move away from a device that contains the activation key. Fortunately, however, there is a workaround.

You can send a link to your Office 365 administrator so he/she can install the software onto the target machine. From there, you'll be able to grant him/her access to the license. Of course, you'll need to ensure that the recipient has been added to your organization's trusted group beforehand.

Keep in mind that sending links isn't limited to just administrators. Anyone who uses Office 365 can request access to the program. You'll need to approve the user's request before granting them access to the license.

After installing Office 365 on the second PC, you'll need to revoke the existing license and issue a brand new one. Simply repeat the steps listed earlier to do so.

Can I get my money back from Office 365?

Unfortunately, unlike traditional retail purchases, Office 365 doesn't include a return policy. While you may be able to obtain a refund if you use the product for less than 30 days, you won't be eligible for reimbursement if you stop paying altogether.

That said, if you're unhappy with Office 365 and want to cancel your contract early, you can contact your provider to discuss options. Depending on the length of your agreement, you may be entitled to a partial refund or perhaps you'll qualify for a discount off of future payments.

Alternatively, you may prefer to look elsewhere for a solution. Perhaps you're tired of spending hours every month downloading large documents, hoping that nothing goes wrong along the way. Or maybe you're ready to finally embrace the cloud and ditch the local office suite entirely.

Whatever the reason, check out our comparison chart of affordable alternatives to Office 365 before signing up! We hope this article helped answer your questions regarding how to sell Microsoft Office products online. Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below.