Change Microsoft Office's serial number, Easy!
Over a year ago we published a tip detailing how to change the serial number on an installed copy of Microsoft Office X or Microsoft Office 2004. That tip described a technique for digging around in library preferences, and hunting down an invisible OfficePID file.
It turns out there is a much, much, easier method!
The Remove Office tool that comes with Microsoft Office 2004 has a hidden feature that removes the serial number on installed copies of Microsoft Office (both version X and 2004).
Like This Tip? Make sure you don't miss the new tips coming next week:
Weekly
Email Tips — or — 
RSS
Feed (What's
RSS?)
Tip: You can find the Remove Office app in the Microsoft Office 2004 application folder inside the Additional Tools folder.
When you see the the initial "Welcome to Remove Office" splash screen, hold down the Option key. The Continue button will change to read "Remove Licensing Information Only."
When you click the button, a second screen appears warning you that "files you no longer need must be removed from your computer." These files include that difficult OfficePID file. Make sure all your Microsoft Office applications are not running, and click "Remove."
The Remove Office tool will process for a bit. When it is done you can quit (ignore the warning that nothing was removed). When you launch Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Entourage the next time, you'll be presented with the opportunity to enter a new serial number.
Now, that's much easier! No hidden OfficePID file, no preferences.
Tip: What if you need to change the serial number for Microsoft Office X, and don't have access to 2004's Remove Office tool? Here's a trick: Download the free Office 2004 Test Drive which includes the needed Remove Office tool!
Source: The difficult version of this tip (Tip #43 Change Microsoft Office's serial number) was published on May 30, 2005. Since then about 50 people a day have visited that tip through various Google searches. We were delighted to discover this easier technique on the great Mac OS X hints website.
Comments
Sorry but what does it mean 'splash screen' ?
Posted by: Wik | October 11, 2006 09:26 AM
doesn't work for Office 2004 test drive... doesnt ask for a serial..just starts the 30 day trial over again..
Posted by: d | November 10, 2006 10:54 AM
Tried it with test drive ages ago and it worked. Tried it again after downloading testdrive just today and it didn't work. Has something changed?
Posted by: RB | November 15, 2006 02:06 PM
sorry, posted before but with wrong e mail. now you have my correct one, any suggestions what I can do?
Posted by: RB | November 20, 2006 09:06 AM
Geez, doesn't work for me. Even tried the older tip. Deleted all that stuff, but the Test Drive is still running. BIZARRE?!
HELP ME! I WANT MS OFFICE!
Posted by: s | January 1, 2007 06:32 AM
What is the ¨option key¨?=)
Posted by: Jack D | January 23, 2007 11:29 PM
Realised I had the same serial on my new MacBook as my iMac after transfering everything via Target Disk Mode. As I had the Edu version of Office I thought I could simply change the serial with this tip. Unfortunately I have tried this on both machines without any success at all and ended up uninstalling and then reinstalling office :P Ug, how PC of me!
Posted by: Shi'an | February 8, 2007 08:23 PM
Did not work for me either. Office just started again as usual. Tried on an Intel Mini and MacBook--had to do the whole reinstall!!!
Posted by: Word for All | February 20, 2007 07:39 PM