To sign in to the installed Word app on Windows, open Word and choose File > Account > Sign In. Enter the personal Microsoft account or work/school account associated with the files and license you need. For Word in a browser, go to Microsoft365.com, sign in, and open Word from the app launcher. Signing in can connect your cloud files; it does not automatically grant a paid desktop license.
Sign in to Word on Windows
- Open the installed Word app and create or open a document. Select File > Account.
- Choose Sign In if it appears. Enter the email address for the Microsoft account you used to buy or subscribe to Office, or the work/school account assigned by your organization.
- Enter the password and complete any verification prompt. If a work or school organization uses a separate sign-in page, follow its instructions.
- Return to File > Account and check the displayed account and product information. Open a file from the intended OneDrive or SharePoint location to confirm you are using the right account.
Microsoft’s sign-in instructions also cover Mac, mobile, and web. On a Mac, Microsoft directs you to open Word and choose Sign In; the precise location may differ from the Windows File > Account screen.
Use Word in a browser
Open Microsoft365.com, choose Sign In, then select Word from the app launcher. A personal Microsoft account can use the free web version. Microsoft explains that a Free badge gives access to web Word, while desktop app features depend on an eligible subscription or license. This distinction matters if a reader expects signing into a free account to activate the installed Word program. The official free-versus-subscribed comparison explains the difference.
Choose the account that owns the file or license
A personal Microsoft account and a work/school account can use the same email-like username but lead to different storage and subscriptions. If Word opens but a document is missing, check the account shown in the app and the file’s OneDrive or SharePoint location. If Word says Unlicensed Product, verify that the signed-in account is the one associated with the desktop license. A successful sign-in to another account does not activate a license you do not have. If Word is not installed, our guide to downloading Word on a laptop explains the separate installation step.
Sign in on a phone or tablet
Open the Microsoft 365 or Word app, select Sign In from its account screen, and use the same personal or work/school account that has the document. The available editing features can depend on the device, app, and license. After signing in, open a known cloud file to verify that you reached the correct account. If two accounts have similar names, check the account avatar before creating a new file so it is saved in the intended storage.
Switch accounts or sign out
- In desktop Word for Windows, choose File > Account.
- Under User Information, select Switch account to add or choose another account, or Sign out to remove the current one.
- Confirm when Word asks. Signing out affects the other Microsoft 365 apps on that computer too.
You can also select your name or picture at the top of the Word window to see the signed-in account and switch it.
If sign-in does not work
- Wrong password or verification method: Use the account provider’s recovery flow. For a managed work or school account, contact the organization when your verification method has changed.
- Word opens under another person: Check File > Account and switch to the correct account before saving cloud files. On a shared device, sign out when finished.
- Sign-in succeeds but editing is unavailable: Check the license and activation status, the document’s view-only permissions, and whether the file is protected. These are separate from authentication.
- The cloud file is not visible: Confirm its location and sharing permission. A file stored only on another computer will not appear merely because you signed in.
- Desktop Word is not activated: Microsoft recommends checking the email used for the subscription or purchase; its activation troubleshooting covers account and license checks.
Do not enter your password into a document or send verification codes to someone offering to “activate” Word. Use the sign-in dialog supplied by Microsoft or your organization. After signing in, save a small test file to the intended location and reopen it to confirm that the account, access, and license meet your actual task.
Matt has been writing about Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft products since the days of Windows XP. He spends much of his time writing for sites like WindowBrain.com