This trick removes Microsoft Office from PCs you no longer own
When support for Windows 10 ended last year, many people discarded their old computers. One problem when disposing of an old computer is forgetting to remove installed programs.
For example, Microsoft Office can only be installed on a limited number of computers, so it can cause problems if one of the licenses is still linked to a computer you’ve already sent for recycling. Fortunately, this problem is easy to solve.
These days, all Microsoft licenses are managed online. This means you can remove a license even after you no longer have access to the computer.
This applies, for example, to the Office suite (now called Microsoft 365). Here’s how to do it:
- Go to your Microsoft account (account.microsoft.com) on any computer and log in.
- Select Subscriptions in the left-hand column. Go to Microsoft 365 and select Manage.
- Scroll down to Microsoft 365 apps for your devices and select the arrow on the far right. You’ll see a list of the devices you’re signed in on.
- Go to the device you want to remove and select Sign out. Confirm by selecting Sign out, then Done.
Your account will now be signed out on that device, and the license can be used on another device.