Understanding "Unlicensed Product" Issue

The unlicensed product error occurs when paying subscribers of Office 365 or Office 20XX receive an 'Unlicensed Product' error message upon every startup of the MS Outlook application. Users across different operating systems have reported this issue.

Encounter of Unlicensed Product Problem

The unlicensed product error appears when there's a disconnection between the software and the associated license. This issue might occur due to network inconsistency, conflicting activation entries, or local corruption within your Office installation.

Whenever a license-associated glitch occurs, the MS Office cannot verify the subscription status. So, despite having a legitimate paid subscription, users might encounter an unlicensed product problem.

Impact on MS Outlook and User's Productivity

The unlicensed product error significantly impacts MS Outlook operations and overall user productivity. When this issue occurs, many features of the Outlook application are reduced, making tasks such as drafting emails and scheduling meetings difficult or impossible. As a result, users face disruptions in their work, and productivity decreases.

Office Activation and its Timer

The 'Unlicensed Product' error is directly linked to the Office activation process. The server used for activation checks the license status from the devices regularly, typically every 30 days. This process is called the 'Office Activation.' If, for any reason, the server cannot establish a successful communication with the device during this cycle, it leads to an 'Unlicensed Product' error.

The timer of Office activation plays an important role in the process. The 'Office Activation' check establishes a handshake between the server and the client's device. If an activation check fails or cannot be completed successfully for any reason, such as a failed network connection, the timer set for the operation could expire, leading to the 'Unlicensed Product' error.

Step-by-step resetting of Office Activation

Resetting the Office Activation can help rectify the 'Unlicensed Product' error. The process involves quitting all current Office applications, locating the Microsoft Office folder through File Explorer, running the "ospprearm.exe" as an administrator, and finally restarting the system.

Quitting All Current Office Apps

The first step towards resetting the Office Activation is ensuring that no Office application is running. This means shutting down Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, or any other Office application that might be open. You can do this through the Task Manager or manually closing each application.

Navigating Through File Explorer to Locate Microsoft Office Folder

After ensuring all Office apps are closed, the next step is to navigate the File Explorer to locate the Microsoft Office folder. The folder's location may vary depending on your version of Office and Windows, but it is usually found under "Program Files."

Running "ospprearm.exe" as Administrator

Within the Microsoft Office folder, find the "OfficeXX" folder (it may be named differently for other versions). Here, navigate to a file named "ospprearm.exe." Right-click on it and select 'Run as administrator.' This command will reset the product activation.

Restarting The System

Lastly, you need to restart your system after running the "ospprearm.exe" as an administrator. This step will ensure changes made take effect correctly. After the system reboots, open an Office application, and you should no longer see the 'Unlicensed Product' error.

If the error persists, it's recommended to proceed with further troubleshooting, such as running the Activation troubleshooter compatible with Office 365 and Office 20XX or manually removing every element involving Office activation via CMD, Registry Editor, and Credentials Manager. They can yield a solution to the 'Unlicensed Product' error.

Removing Corrupted License Data and Reactivating Office Products

If resetting the Office Activation fails to resolve the 'Unlicensed Product' error, it might be necessary to manually remove any corrupted license data and then reactivate the Office products. This process will need you to uninstall the current product key, note down its last five characters, execute a command to uninstall the product key, delete the associated registry with the key, and finally delete associated Microsoft Office credentials.

Uninstalling the Current Product Key Using the Terminal

The first step is to use the command-line interface to display the installed Office XX and Office 365 licenses and then uninstall the product key. For this, you need to open an elevated command prompt. You can do this by clicking the Start button, typing 'cmd,' right-clicking on the Command Prompt, and choosing 'Run as administrator.'

Noting down the Product Key's Last 5 Characters

Next, you need to make a note of the last five characters of the product key. This is crucial as it'll help you identify the key when you have to uninstall it. Display the last five characters using a specific command navigated via the Command Prompt.

Modifying and Executing Commands to Uninstall the Product Key

Once you have the last five characters, use them to modify a given command that uninstalls the product key and then execute this command. You should receive a confirmation message saying the uninstallation was successful.

Deleting Associated Registry with the key

This step involves careful deletion of the Office License from the Windows Registry. Navigate to the Windows Registry Editor, find the entry associated with the product key you uninstalled, and delete it. Remember, modifying the Windows Registry erroneously may lead to system issues, so be extra careful.

Deleting Associated Microsoft Office Credentials

Finally, ensure every element associated with the product key has been deleted by going to the Windows Credential Manager and removing any saved credentials associated with Office 365 or Office 20XX. Once done, restart your system and reactivate your Office product. After these steps, the 'Unlicensed Product' error should be resolved.

Supplementary Solutions

If the previously mentioned methods don't rectify the 'Unlicensed Product' error, the problem can often lie in file corruption or outdated versions. In such situations, solutions include:

• Utilizing "appwiz.cpl" to repair Microsoft Office components.
• Uninstalling obsolete versions of MS Office.
• Checking the post-effects after product uninstallation.

Correlation Between File Corruption and Activation Issue

The 'Unlicensed Product' error could occur due to local corruption in the Office installation folder. This corruption often occurs after an unexpected machine interruption or an antivirus scan quarantines some items belonging to the Office installation. These events may impede the communication link between the activation server and the device, primarily causing the 'Unlicensed Product' error.

Utilizing "appwiz.cpl" to Repair MS Office Components

The inbuilt utility 'appwiz.cpl' can effectively repair the Microsoft Office suite. It accesses the 'Programs and Features' menu, where you can scroll down to the application of the Office installation that is causing issues. By right-clicking on it and choosing 'Change' from the context menu, you will be led to a repair window. Here, choose 'Online Repair' and follow the procedure for a comprehensive repair strategy.

Uninstalling Obsolete Versions of MS Office

If you have made several upgrades to your MS Office suite over time, there might be remnants of the outdated versions on your device. These obsolete versions can often cause conflicts that result in the 'Unlicensed Product' error. Check the installed programs list and uninstall all older versions of MS Office to avoid conflicts.

Checking Post-effects After Product Uninstallation

After uninstalling the obsolete versions or performing the repair procedure, restart your system to allow changes to take effect. Once the system reboots, check if the 'Unlicensed Product' error persists. In most cases, these strategies should help you resolve the issue and activate your product successfully.