No License found after install of 2019 office home and business on Mac Tahoe 26.4

Hello Dan M,

I understand that you are having issue with error "No License found" after installing 2019 Office Home. I truly understand how you feel. Let me assist you go through this situation.

Based on what you described, you own Office 2019 Home & Business (one‑time purchase). However, you installed Office via your Microsoft account / Subscriptions, which installs the Microsoft 365 (subscription) build or Mac App Store–based build. Office 2019 perpetual licenses do NOT activate on Mac App Store / Microsoft 365 builds. This produces the exact error you’re seeing: “License not found” and prompts to buy Microsoft 365.

I have this suggestion for you:

Step 1 — Completely remove the wrong Office apps

1. Quit Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook
2. Open Finder > Applications
3. Move these apps to Trash:
   • Microsoft Word
   • Microsoft Excel
   • Microsoft PowerPoint
   • Microsoft Outlook
4. Empty the Trash

(This removes the Microsoft 365 / App Store build)

Step 2 — Download the correct Office 2019 installer (not App Store)

Use Microsoft’s direct installer for Office 2019:

Office 2019 for Mac (Home & Business) https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=525133

Do not install from:

• Mac App Store
• “Install Office” subscription button

Step 3 — Install Office

1. Open the downloaded .pkg installer
2. Complete installation
3. Launch Microsoft Word

Step 4 — Activate correctly

1. When prompted, sign in with the SAME Microsoft account used to redeem Office 2019
2. Do not choose Microsoft 365 trial
3. Activation completes automatically

Word should open without license errors. For more information, please check at these pages:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-office-activation-and-the-mac-app-store-a699bd24-a8f1-4f40-9d19-9b6b6034ec51

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/where-to-enter-your-office-product-key-0a82e5ae-739e-4b92-a6f4-2ec780c185db

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/activate-office-for-mac-7f6646b1-bb14-422a-9ad4-a53410fcefb2

I hope this will help with your situation. Please feel free to reach back if you have further update or more questions.

Best Regards,

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