How To Setup Office 365

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What to Know

  • Go to Office.com, log in to your account, and buy a Microsoft 365 subscription.
  • Go back to Office.com and select Install Office. Download and run the .exe file. Follow the on-screen directions to install Office on your PC.
  • Activate Microsoft 365 for Home by opening one of the apps, logging in, and accepting the license agreement.

Microsoft 365 is a subscription service that offers the Office 2019 desktop apps (including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) along with the Office Online web apps. This article explains how to sign up for the service and install the apps on your computer. Instructions in this article apply to Microsoft 365 Home on Windows 10 devices.

 

Purchase a Microsoft 365 for Home Subscription

Purchasing a subscription to Microsoft 365 involves choosing the version of Office you want and providing your payment information.

 

  1. Open a web browser and go to Office.com.

     

  2. Sign in to your Microsoft account.

    The Welcome to Office web page used to sign in to a Microsoft account
     

  3. After you sign in, the Office portal opens where you’ll access the Office Online apps and manage your Office subscription.

     

  4. Select Buy Office.

    The "Buy Office" button
     

  5. Select Buy now for the Office subscription you want if you want to pay an annual subscription fee. Or, select Or buy for $9.99 per month if you prefer to pay a monthly subscription fee.

    Do you want to take Microsoft 365 for a test drive before you buy it? Select Try for free and sign up for a 30-day trial of Microsoft 365.

  6. Review the information in the Cart and select Checkout.

    The Checkout button
     

  7. Select a payment type. Choose either a credit card or debit card, PayPal, or bank account.

     

  8. Enter the payment details.

     

  9. Select Save.

     

  10. Select Place order.

    The "Place Order" button
     

  11. Your order processes and you’ll receive an email receipt for the transaction.

     

Install Microsoft 365 for Home

After you purchase a Microsoft 365 subscription, install Office on your PC.

 

  1. Use the computer where you want to install Office.

     

  2. Go to the Microsoft 365 portal page and sign in to your Microsoft account.

     

  3. Select Install Office.

    The "Install Office" button
     

  4. On the Microsoft 365 Home web page, select Install Office.

    The Office 365 Home account page showing the links to install Office 365
     

  5. On the Download and install Microsoft 365 Home screen, select Install.

    The Download and install Office 365 Home pop-up window
     

  6. Depending on the web browser you use, a prompt to Run or Save the downloaded file might appear. Select Run.

     

  7. Office gets things ready and then installs the Office apps.

    The Office 365 installation window
     

  8. When the installation finishes, Office might prompt you to enter an email or phone number to receive a download link for the Office mobile apps.

Activate Microsoft 365 for Home

After Office installs, activate your subscription.

 

To activate Office:

 

  1. Open one of the Office apps, for example, Word.

    The Word icon in Windows 10
     

  2. Enter your Microsoft email address and password.

     

  3. On the Accept the license agreement screen, select Accept.

    The Office 365 license agreement
     

  4. The Office app opens, and you’re ready to create Office documents and spreadsheets.

     

 

Install Microsoft 365 on Another Device

You can install your Office subscription on as many devices as you want.

 

You can simultaneously sign in to Office on five devices.

To install Office on another PC, use the computer where you want to install Office and sign in to your Microsoft account. On the Office portal page, choose Install Office.

 

To install Office on a mobile device, use the smartphone or tablet where you want to install Office. Then, go to either Google Play, the Apple Store, or Windows Store and download the apps.

 

 

Share Your Microsoft 365 Home Subscription with Others

If other members of your household use Microsoft 365, they don’t have to buy a subscription. You can share a Microsoft 365 Family subscription with five other people.

 

When you share a Microsoft 365 subscription, each person has access to:

 
  • Apps: The latest version of the Office apps for PC, Mac, tablets, and smartphones.
  • Cloud storage: 1 TB of storage on OneDrive.
  • Skype calls: Call mobile phones and landlines, limited to 60 minutes per month.
  • Outlook email: 50 GB of email storage.
 

To share a Microsoft 365 Home subscription:

 

  1. Sign in with the Microsoft account that you used to set up Microsoft 365.

     

  2. On the Office portal page, select Install Office.

    The "Install Office" button
     

  3. Select the Sharing tab.

    The Sharing tab on Office 365
     

  4. Select Start sharing.

    The Start Sharing button
     

  5. On the Share Office window, choose to either:

    • Invite via email: Sends a link in an email message.
    • Invite via link: Creates a link that you can copy and give to the person in an email, a text message, or another way.
     

  6. When your family member receives the link, they use the link to install Office on their PC.

     

 

Explore the Different Microsoft 365 Subscriptions

Microsoft offers several subscription levels for Microsoft 365. Three levels are aimed at home users:

 
  • Microsoft 365 Family: Up to six users can share this subscription. Each user can install the Office apps on all their devices and has access to 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage.
  • Microsoft 365 Personal: This subscription is for one user, although you can install the Office apps on all your devices. You also gain access to 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage. 
  • Office Home & Student 2019: This is a one-time purchase of Office and includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. You can only install the Office apps on one PC or Mac, and the version does not come with any OneDrive cloud storage space.
 

 

FAQ

  • How do I install Office 365 on a Mac?

    Go to Office.com and sign in. Select Install Office and begin the download. When the download finishes, go to Finder > Downloads and double-click the installation file. Follow the setup prompts, enter your Mac username and password if prompted, and select Install Software.

  • How many computers can you install Office 365 on?

    You can install Office 365 on all your devices and sign in at up to five devices simultaneously. This can include PCs, Macs, and mobile devices. If you sign in on more than five devices, Office 365 will automatically sign you out to stay within your limit.

  • How long does it take to install Office 365?

    Your Office 365 installation should take between 15 and 30 minutes. If it takes any longer or the installation appears to have stalled, you may have a problem with your internet speed or connectivity.

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