How To Fix Microsoft Office Ltsc Professional Plus 2021 Preview Has Expired

This method clears the expired license keys from your system’s registry and allows you to input a valid key.

Step 1: Open Command Prompt as Administrator

Step 2: Navigate to Office Installation Folder

Step 3: View Current Licenses

Step 4: Remove the Expired Preview Key

Step 5: Install a Valid Key

Step 6: Activate

The “Microsoft Office LTSC Professional Plus 2021 Preview has expired” error is a deliberate license restriction, not a malfunction. The only permanent fix is to uninstall the preview and deploy a properly licensed, non‑preview version of Office LTSC 2021 or migrate to a Microsoft 365 subscription. Temporary reactivation methods are unreliable and not suitable for business continuity.

Recommended vendor action: If you have a valid VLSC agreement, download the latest Office LTSC 2021 Professional Plus image and redeploy using the provided MAK/KMS key.

To fix the "Preview has expired" message for Microsoft Office LTSC Professional Plus 2021, you must transition from the preview version to a licensed version. Preview versions are time-limited evaluations that automatically enter a restricted, read-only mode upon expiration. 1. Update to the Full Version

If you have already purchased a valid license, you do not need to reinstall the software. You can simply update the activation status:

Change Product Key: Open any Office app (like Word or Excel) and go to File > Account. Select Change Product Key (or Activate) and enter your 25-character product key.

Update License: If you are moving to a subscription model, sign in with your authorized Microsoft 365 credentials in the same Account section to overwrite the preview license. 2. Volume License Activation (For Organizations) This method clears the expired license keys from

For LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel) versions typically used in business environments, activation is handled via specific volume licensing methods:

Multiple Activation Key (MAK): Use the Office Customization Tool to enter your MAK key, or change it manually on one device via the File > Account menu.

Key Management Service (KMS): If your organization uses a KMS server, you can trigger activation through an elevated Command Prompt:

Navigate to the Office folder: cd "\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16" Check current status: cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus

Enter the KMS client key: cscript ospp.vbs /inpkey: Activate: cscript ospp.vbs /act 3. Clear Expired License Files

If the "expired" message persists even after entering a new key, residual preview license files may be interfering. Close all Office apps. Step 2: Navigate to Office Installation Folder

Navigate to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Office\Licenses (you may need to "Show Hidden Items" in File Explorer). Delete all files in this folder.

Restart Word or Excel and follow the prompts to re-enter your valid product key. 4. Full Reinstallation

If the preview version remains stuck, a clean install of the retail or volume license version is recommended.

What to do if you see “Preview Expired” in Office | Help Center

If you're using a preview version, you can convert it to a non-preview version by installing the final version of Office LTSC Professional Plus 2021. To do this:

If neither of the above works, the preview components are deeply corrupted. You must start fresh. Step 3: View Current Licenses

This may re‑enable Office for a short grace period but does not convert preview to full version. Suitable only for data recovery before uninstalling.

Steps: