How to troubleshoot “MS Office cannot verify the license” error code?

Microsoft Office or Office is a suite for Windows devices which has various optimal tools for performing various tasks. You can consider MS Office as the starter pack of programs for Windows devices. A Windows device without Office looks incomplete because it allows the user to perform numerous jobs. Once you download and install Microsoft Office on your computer then you have to activate your suite with a license. If you don’t have a license then you can’t use MS Office. This license is crucial for ensuring that you are using a legit Office suite on the PC. But some people reported they are getting errors while verifying the license. Whenever they try to open the Office app “Microsoft Office cannot verify the license for this product” error appears on the screen. 

Symptoms of cannot verify Office license error:

1. Whenever you try to open Office application on your computer; error appears on the screen and the screen freezes
2. When to download a file and then try to open the file on Word then the error appears on the screen and you are unable to open the file
3. You are trying to access Microsoft PowerPoint but Office crashed immediately and an error appears on the screen

The most common cause of this error is compatibility issues. This error mostly appears when you are trying to open your Office on compatibility mode for different OS. 

Steps for troubleshooting Office cannot verify the license for this product error:

Stop running MS Office on compatibility mode

Close the MS Office program which is showing you the error

Now go to your Office application. Office suite depends upon the type of Outlook and bitness of Outlook and Windows:

For click-to-run installation type:

<disk drive>\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office 1x

<disk drive>\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office 1x

For MSI-Based installation type:

<disk drive>\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office 1x

<disk drive>\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office 1x

1. Now right-click on your MS Office application (which is showing the error) 
2. Hit the properties button
3. If you see the Compatibility tab then click on it and follow the steps given below:

• Open the compatibility option and then clear the Run this program in compatibility mode tab.
• Hit the change settings for all users button
• Open Compatibility for all users button and run this program in compatibility mode for button
• Hit the OK button
• Hit the OK button

    4. If you don’t get the Compatibility button then press the Cancel button and chose the page

• Now right-click on the Outlook.exe file and choose the Troubleshoot compatibility option
• Click on Troubleshoot Program button
• Now clear all the options and then hit the next button
• Choose No, I am done investigating the problem button
• Click on Next
• Hit the Close button

Now restart your Windows PC and open Office to check whether you are getting the verify license issue.

Use Office Client KMS activation diagnostic tool

Sometimes this error can appear when your license is unable to activate your Office. You can use the Office Client KMS activation tool for fixing the error:

1. Login to Office client
2. Visit Office Client KMS activation diagnostic tool and sign in
3. Go to the New Session page and click on Office Client KMS activation diagnostic
4. Now enter the Session name
5. Click on create button
6. Hit the download button to start the analysis
7. A prompt will appear on the screen; click on the Run button
8. Now follow the on-screen commands.
9. Go to This Computer and hit the Next button
10. Click on Start and go to Open Report

Now check all the reports and troubleshoot the error by following the recommended solutions. If your error doesn’t get fixed then try to activate your license again and then check whether now you can work properly.