Hi,

Isn't it possible anymore to retrieve the Office Product Key installed on a computer via third party inventory software such as Belarc Advisor? I used to do that to see the Microsoft Office Product Key installed on a computer for previous Office versions. However, I tried with a computer where Office 2013 Home and Business is installed and Belarc Advisor didn't show its Product Key. Is it due to the new license management that consists of linking it to a Microsoft account and only entering the account credentials during the installation process instead of the Product Key? Isn't the Product Key stored somewhere on the computer anymore?

The method of using 3rd-party software to retrieve product key is not supported. To get help finding your product key, please contact the Microsoft Customer Service for help.

To contact the Microsoft Customer Service Center call one of the following numbers:

North America (English): 1-800-MICROSOFT (1-800-642-7676)
UK: 0844 800 2400

Or go to our Contact Us page to find phone number for the other locations.

Hi,

Thanks for your answer although it's a typical half useless reply from an official Microsoft staff...

Actually, I understand that Microsoft doesn't support third party software to retrieve a product key but my question was rather technical and driven by curiosity rather by the need of retrieving the product key. Indeed, I took over a computer park in a company and I'm performing an IT inventory. During this inventory, I retrieve Windows and Office Product Key. The licenses are genuine but since I'm not the one who purchased and installed these computer, I don't know them. Therefore, a simple solution is to use inventory software such as Belarc Advisor. But I noticed that it can't retrieve Office 2013 Product Key anymore whereas it was able with previous versions of Office.

So to reformulate the question: isn't the Product Key stored somewhere locally on the computer anymore with Office 2013? Because if no, that would explain why third party software can't retrieve it anymore.

My question is rather technical about the new way of managing Product Key with Office 2013 and driven by curiosity. So I don't need any official technical assistance.

Thanks

It might be a subscription-based Office installation?
In which case, no, there isn't a product key as such, since subscription-based products perform license revalidation by connecting to the MS account which was used for the purchase, and this happens every 30days to re-validate the subscription.

Hi Don,

No it isn't a subscription-based Office. It's a 1 time payment for Office 2013 Home and Business linked to a Microsoft account. I do have the licenses written on a paper provided by the IT supplier we purchased it from.

Max,

Being that this applies to Office 2013 Home and Business, as well as all the other Office FPP products, which are not subscription products. My question is how is this "feature" an enhancement to the Office product over all the previous versions of Office?

Whether it is 10, 20 or 50 machines, keeping track of the licenses is a necessary process when staying current with Microsoft Licenses for a customer.

No longer being able to use a third party product like Belarc to inventory and track where the licenses are does not seem to be an advancement in technology, but instead a step backwards.

I am interested in Microsoft's perspective on this issue.

Thanks for your help.

Rick Lindberg

I couldn't agree more...

Yes there is something called Produkey. All you have to do is web search it, and then download and it will give you the key. I've already done it for Office 2013.

Produkey does not work for Office 365. Tried this after Belarc Advisor and both reveal nothing other than the Windows 8.1 Key and IE which are both the same.

They were not asking about Office 365, was asking about Office 2013.