Question Can one MS account be used on multiple machines?

[tablespoon]

Hello, I have a workstation PC which I used to set up a Microsoft account. I also installed Office Home and Student 2021 on it.

I just set up a new PC. When I tried to create a new user account, Windows asked me to enter the information of my Microsoft account as an option. I skipped that. Is it recommended to tie that Microsoft account to this new user account?

Will there be a problem if I add that MS email address to this new user account? Will I mess up the system of the older workstation PC which is using the same MS account?

 

[bba-tcg]

No problem at all.

 

[OlyAR15]

Yes, I currently have something like 5 PCs associated with my account.

 

[tablespoon]

Thank you.

I added my MS account to the newly created user account on the new PC.

I thought all the software bought under that MS account and installed on the older workstation PC got automatically installed on the new PC just like the way Mac works. However, on the new PC, Office Home and Student 2021 is not installed. Instead, it has Office 365 which requires me to pay a subscription. Looks like Windows works differently as Mac. How does it work?

 

[Pohemi]

I think the only way it'd cause an issue is if you were trying to use the same activation key on both machines. Otherwise, you can be logged into multiple systems and choose to sync settings between systems.

Edit: MS Office Home & Student 2021 would need two separate activation keys to install on two separate systems, just like the two separate Windows activation keys.

 

[bba-tcg]

Thank you.

I added my MS account to the newly created user account on the new PC.

I thought all the software bought under that MS account and installed on the older workstation PC got automatically installed on the new PC just like the way Mac works. However, on the new PC, Office Home and Student 2021 is not installed. Instead, it has Office 365 which requires me to pay a subscription. Looks like Windows works differently as Mac. How does it work?

Not sure if you bought the software, but for a subscription there will be an install apps option in your MS account. Probably the same for the purchase.

 

[tablespoon]

I bought a perpetual version.

So rather than having one installed on the old PC and another one on the new one with the permission to use Office on one machine at a time, I have to buy two licensees or uninstall from one PC first and then install on another?

 

[bba-tcg]

I bought a perpetual version.

So rather than having one installed on the old PC and another one on the new one with the permission to use Office on one machine at a time, I have to buy two licensees or uninstall from one PC first and then install on another?

No idea on the licensing. What does the EULA say?

 

[tablespoon]

MS told me that if I want to use it on another machine, I have to uninstall from the older machine first and then install on the new machine.

 

[bba-tcg]

MS told me that if I want to use it on another machine, I have to uninstall from the older machine first and then install on the new machine.

Sometimes MS itself is ignorant of (or in) its own policies. If you have the product key, I would go ahead and install it on the new PC. As long as you're only using it on one machine at at time, you're not really breaking any rules. I thought they would give better advice on this, but I guess the quest to make more money is strong with MS (as well as most everyone else).