How to Download, Install and Activate Office 2021 Professional Plus

This guide explains how to download, install and activate Microsoft Office 2021 Professional Plus on a Windows PC using the official installer from Microsoft's servers. The whole process takes about 15 minutes. You'll need a genuine Office 2021 Professional Plus product key.

Please note: Microsoft support for Office 2021 ends on October 13, 2026. Office keeps working after that, but without security updates. For support until 2029, see Office 2024 Professional Plus.

What's Included in Office 2021 Professional Plus

Professional Plus is the most complete Office 2021 edition. It installs Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access and Publisher. Highlights include XLOOKUP, LET and dynamic arrays in Excel, real-time co-authoring in Word, and a built-in Translator in Outlook. Microsoft Teams is a separate free download.

Requirements

• Windows 11 or Windows 10
• 1.6 GHz, 2-core processor
• 4 GB RAM (64-bit) or 2 GB (32-bit)
• 4 GB free disk space and a 1280 × 768 display
• Internet connection for download and activation

Office 2021 Professional Plus is Windows only. Mac users need Office 2021 Home & Business for Mac.

Step 1: Remove Older Office Versions

Different Office versions installed side by side are the number one cause of activation problems. Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps and uninstall any Microsoft 365, Office 2016, 2019 or trial versions. Restart your PC afterwards.

Step 2: Download the Official Installer

Office 2021 Professional Plus is distributed as a disk image (.img) directly from Microsoft's content delivery network. Download the Office 2021 Professional Plus installer (English), about 4 GB. Need another language? Contact our support team for the correct link.

Step 3: Mount the Image and Install

1. Double-click the downloaded ProPlus2021Retail.img file. Windows mounts it as a new drive under This PC.
2. Open the drive and run Setup.exe.
3. Setup installs all apps automatically: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access and Publisher. Wait for "You're all set!" and click Close.

Step 4: Activate With Your Product Key

1. Open Word. When the activation window appears, choose Enter product key instead. If it doesn't appear, go to File → Account → Change Product Key.
2. Type your 25-character key and click Activate Office.
3. Check File → Account. It should show "Product Activated — Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2021".

After Activation: Recommended First Steps

• Install updates: in any Office app, go to File → Account → Update Options → Update Now to get the latest security fixes.
• Set up Outlook: add your email account under File → Add Account. Most providers configure automatically.
• Pin your apps to the taskbar or Start menu for quick access.
• Keep your key safe: save your order email so you can reinstall later.

Troubleshooting

To check licence status, open an admin Command Prompt and run cscript "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\OSPP.VBS" /dstatus.

Still stuck? Our support team is available 24/7 by email and Discord, and every key we sell is covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee and lifetime replacement warranty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Microsoft account?

No. Office 2021 Professional Plus activates with the product key alone.

Can I install it on more than one PC?

Each key activates one PC. For several machines, see Office 2021 Professional Plus for 5 PCs.

Does it include Publisher?

Yes. Office 2021 is the last version that includes Publisher.

Conclusion

Remove older Office versions, install from Microsoft's official image, and activate from File → Account, and Office 2021 Professional Plus is ready in about 15 minutes.

Useful Links