No matter how much you spent on buying the new MS office 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 program once it got corrupted either you have to completely remove office program and reinstall it or change the product key.
It is like a nightmare when you open it after installation or few days after installation and start getting an error that “Cannot verify the license for this product“
This is a known issue with Office 2010, 2013 and 2016. Whenever you open Microsft office on Windows 7 or Windows 10 the program opens ut immediately throw an error “Microsoft Office cannot verify the license for this product. You should repair the Office program by using Control Panel.”
If you are running Office 2010 then it will show only the first line of the error message.
But rather than reinstall or inserting new product key follow this trick which will surely help you to reactivate office 2010 without a new license key.
- Re-Enter Product Key.
- Install every single item you could select during the install.
- Removed Product key with office remover.
- Remove office + reinstall office.
- Repair Office Program
- Rebooted many times
With no luck ?? Then try the below method to activate it.
Fix Microsoft Office 2010 “Cannot Verify The License For This Product” Error
This method to fix Cannot verify the license key for this product works on every version of MS Office. You may be running office standards, professional, professional plus, office 365 or any other version of Microsoft Office. You can apply below fix to all such office versions.
Step 1. Open Command Prompt as administrator. ( Go to Start and Search for CMD do a right click on it then click on “Run as administrator“).

Step 2. In command prompt navigate to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14. (or similar folder as per your office version like office16).
By typing following command in cmd-
cd.. Hit Enter on your keyboard
cd.. Hit Enter
cd program files Hit Enter
cd microsoft office Hit Enter
cd office14 Hit Enter

If you are using the 64-bit version of windows then navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14.
by typing the similar command in the cmd window. [Or find similar folder according to your office version]
Step 3. Now type cscript ospp.vbs /act in cmd window and hit Enter on your keyboard.

The above command will re-register your office using the same product key. After that, you will get the following message into the cmd window.

Enable the Software Protection Service
Software protection service is necessary to run the MS Office program if it is disabled then you can restart the service.
- Press Win + R keys together on your keyboard.
- Type in “services.msc” in the RUN dialog box and hit OK.
- It will take you to Windows services.
- Find the Software Protection service, right-click on it and hit Start.
- Now Reboot your Windows machine.
Now reopen office 2010 program, you will not get any error. You can try this fix on other versions of the office like office 2013 office 365 etc.
Above solution will help you to fix “Cannot verify the license for this product” but if you are running pirated or non-genuine version of Microsoft office 2010 it may not work.
However, you can get the original Microsoft office from Amazon at very low cost, using an original product support the developers and keep you safe from the different type of malware which comes along with pirated programs.
If you face any trouble during this process or have any question then comment below and do not forget to share this trick.
Also Read-

A tech enthusiast who loves to explore new technologies and mess with software & hardware just to see what could go wrong and then try to fix it.
Thank you!!!! Thank you!!!! Thank you!!!! This should *never* happen. Period. End of story. It is reasons like this that so many gravitate away from MS. I have been a professional in the financial reporting business for over 20 years. There are more and more financial professionals like me who are becoming frustrated with these shenanigans and are tired of throwing money at the problem. I use the Office version for my at-home clients as a supplement to the other financial information software programs I use for them. The financial information/data generating tools in Office (Excel, et al.,) has competition… Read more »
Legend! cscript ospp.vbs /act worked
how do active this i cant do this
please help me
You are my new best friend. Saved my keister! . Thanks
oops (message above)…sorry, just got an update (windows 10) unexpectedly and my office 2010 is still responding with “Cannot verify the license for this product,” this is going to be devastating if I can’t figure it out soon!!!
Sign…I’m not really certain that I’ve done everything correctly but I’ve tried everything as stated above…nothing seems to be working!
This worked great. I was using the Office14 Retail edition which it reinstalled. It also blocked an OfficeProfessional-DeltaTrial edition which I don’t know where that came from.
The following method worked instantly. Thank you so much
Worked, thanks! Those of you receiving INPUT ERROR try Program Files (x86) as you are likely running 64-bit version.
This worked great for me, thank you so much! Microsoft’s suggestion is to remove and reinstall. I don’t think so, MS.
Got the same as John Somers (11 May 2016)
ERROR CODE: 0x80070426
ERROR DESCRIPTION: Run the following: cscript ospp.vbs /ddescr:0x80070426
Installed product key detected – attempting to activate the following product:
ERROR DESCRIPTION: An unknown error occurred.
Can’t trace any resolution to that. Any ideas…
I’m having the same problem. Did you ever get a fix?
Works like a dream, works in Office 2016 as well I can confirm.
Thanks!
Works like a charm kudos sir~!
We are using office 365 and got the following error-
Error Code:0xc004f017
Error Description: the software licensing service reported that the license is not installed.
Any suggestions?
Hi, I am using the 64-bit version mentioned below but I am unsure at what point I am supposed to type that in?
If you are using the 64-bit version of windows then navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14.
by typing the similar command in the cmd window. [Or find similar folder according to your office version]
And also as they mention or find similar folder where do I find what exactly it should be?
Sorry If my question is a thick one.
Thank you in advance for your help.
It depends on your Office version, you can try accessing both C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14 and C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
and execute the commands.
Let me know if it is working or not.
My Office product came installed on my computer. For whatever reason, I have Office14 in both Program Files and in Program Files (x86). When I run you fix on Program Files (x86) it does not find cscript. ospp.vbs. When I run it on Program Files I get error code 0xC004F074 , no KMS could be contacted. Where do I go from here?
All good until I put in cd office10 and get ” the system cannot find the path specified ” Can you help?!!
I ran this and worked like a charm except after restarting my PC it came right back. Is there a permanent fix??? Please help!
I’ve spent weeks trying to get office to stay activated after a fresh boot. I can do an office repair, put in the magic number and it activates and all is good. until…. I boot my PC. I’m running windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit and office 2010 professional. I’ve given Network service rights to everything I can think of and still no joy. This is getting EXTREMELY ANNOYING!!! I think the problem is getting Office Protection Platform service to run. It is running after the repair but after boot I can’t get it start.
Try enabling the full access permission to the users for office program.
Worked like a charm! Thanks so much!
Mmmmm….didn’t work for me (annoyingly!)…this is what I got…??
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14>cscript ospp.vbs /act
Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.812
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
—Processing————————–
—————————————
ERROR CODE: 0x80070426
ERROR DESCRIPTION: Run the following: cscript ospp.vbs /ddescr:0x80070426
Installed product key detected – attempting to activate the following product:
ERROR DESCRIPTION: An unknown error occurred.
—————————————
—————————————
—Exiting—————————–
thats also what i got did you get a fix.
Sir – you are a LIFE SAVER!!!!! Works brilliantly and saved my ass – BIG TIME!
can’t thank you enough!
Thank you so much. Easy to follow and it worked perfectly.
OMG. This worked. Thank you sooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Boom. I wasted 30 minutes trying to follow the MS support instructions…. Follow this and done in no time.
error code: ox8007000D
error description: run the following: cscript ospp.vbs /ddescr:0x8007000D
When I ran the code i got a Windows Activation error window describing it as invalid data.
Works really well, thanks..
i am still unable to change product key this came out instead http://i.imgur.com/i8QDi68.png pls help me
Worked fine!
Thanks!
Yes yes yes.
This worked for me.
Be site to leave a gap after the .vbs
THANKS . YOU SAVED ME FROM STAYING OVER
Thank you, thank you! My problems started after deinstalling Norton Internet Security 21.0.
This method showed me that I had a 0x8007000D error. Google sent me to the following article: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2230957. Running the Fixit on that page solved my problem and also fixed a weird driver error that also came up after the deinstall.
Thanks again.
I’m running windows 8.1 and it made it all the way to “Processing” Then I got an Error code 0x80041013, then it ran a cscript that had that error code # in it.
It detected the key, attempted to activate, then got an unknown error and exited to C:\Program Files \Microsoft Office\Office14>
What is going on?
not worked 🙁
mình làm tới bước nhập cuối cùng….thì thông báo bị lỗi input…..help me…plz…
I followed the procedure and got error @ the activation server determined the specific product key has been blocked
This saved me a huge hassle!! thanks
After i type the script and hit enter, an error box display “An error occurred while making the connection. ERROR CODE: -2147023838” , pls help me!
Thank you.
i got error @ the activation server determined the specific product key has been [email protected]
What to do now
when I run the script, I get the following message: CScript Error: Can’t find script engine “VBScript” for script “C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14\ospp.vbs”.
I’m running in Safe Mode because the system is unresponsive in normal mode.
Help
Well it didn’t work for me. After entering all the commands, I got the following message:
Error description: Run the following: cscript ospp.vbs /ddescr:0x8007043C
Installed Product Key detected – attempting to activate the following product:
ERROR DESCRIPTION: An unknown error occurred.
I should mention I’m running in Safe Mode with networking due to inability to bring up Windows 7 cleanly. I followed a previous fix that at least allowed Outlook to open before giving me the current license problem. I’m just hoping to get to save some emails as I believe this computer is toast.
Wait, I got it! Flush of pride followed by slumped shoulders: the script didn’t work.. It reported “product activation successful” but the damn software still won’t configure successfully. onwards. Thanks for the boost.
Restart your computer and check whether it is working or not, to be honest it also depends on luck, above method does not have 100% success ratio.
Thanks so much, Sandeep, that worked. but when i type in the script, it just says, “can not find script file…”
me too
Hi, maybe a stupid question here, when i open the command window and type cd.., it says, ‘cd..’ is not recognized as an internal or external command…”
I’d love to try this fix but can’t get past the first step!
c:\windows\system32>cd..
then I get the error message.
Help please?
Make sure CMD is running as administrator and try again you can also use cd/ instead of cd.. to navigate to root drive.
HI,
Got Error Code: 0xc004f074, Error Description: The Software Licensing service reported that the computer could not be activated. No Key Management Service (KMS) could be contacted.
Please Help!
Excellent …. worked like a charm!!!!
input error: can not find script file “c\program files\microsoft office/office14\ospp.vbs
Woohooo! works! thank you so much, good sir.