Microsoft Office 365 is a vital productivity suite for businesses, professionals, and students. Activating it correctly ensures uninterrupted access to tools like Word, Excel, and Teams. This guide, intended for intermediate users and IT administrators, shows how to verify and activate Office 365 using the Windows Command Prompt (CMD). Important: You must have a valid product key and run CMD with administrator privileges. Always use legitimate keys from authorized sources like Microsoft or licensed resellers.

Examples:

1. Check Office Version and Activation Status When to use: Before activating or troubleshooting, verify the installed Office version and current activation state.

1. Press Windows + S, search for cmd, right-click on "Command Prompt", and select Run as administrator.
2. Enter the command:

cscript "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\OSPP.VBS" /dstatus

If unsure about the path, use:

dir "C:\Program Files*\Microsoft Office*\OSPP.VBS" /s

Result: You’ll see details like the product name, license status (LICENSED or UNLICENSED), the last 5 characters of the key, and expiration date if relevant.

Note: If it fails, verify Office is installed and the path is correct. Errors like “Product key not found” mean Office is not activated.

2. Activate Office 365 with a Product Key When to use: You have a valid product key from Microsoft or a certified reseller.

1. Open CMD as administrator (as above).
2. Replace XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX with your 25-character product key:

cscript "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\OSPP.VBS" /inpkey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

3. Then activate it:

cscript "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\OSPP.VBS" /act

Result: You should receive a “Product activation successful” message. Confirm with /dstatus.

Note: If activation fails, check your internet connection, the validity of the key, or for errors like 0xC004F074 (activation server not available). Contact Microsoft Support if needed.

Practical Tips for Office 365 Activation:

• Troubleshooting: If /dstatus shows UNLICENSED, retry /act or reinstall the key. Ensure no firewall blocks activation servers (e.g., kms.msguides.com).
• Mass Activation: For multiple machines using a KMS server:

cscript "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\OSPP.VBS" /sethst:your_kms_server

• Alternative Method: Use the graphical interface in Word or Excel via File > Account > Activate Product.
• License Backup: Save your product key and export the license status using /dstatus for future reference.