This error message is caused by licensing issues and geographical restrictions. Perhaps you traveled to another country without first proceeding with the key activation on your device. Regardless of what happened, this error prevents users from activating Office products even if they spend money to get them. However, you can easily fix this problem by turning to a type of service that bypasses geo-blocks and makes it look like you’re trying to activate Microsoft 365 from another country where it’s allowed.

Why is Microsoft not accepting my product key?

If you see this notice, it indicates that the product key you are using was purchased in a nation or area that is not the same as the one in which you are now situated. Product keys for Microsoft Office may only be redeemed in the nation or area in which they were originally purchased. However, there are ways to bypass this notice, one of them is using a VPN service that will mask your true region. Follow along to see what else you can do if Microsoft office is not accepting your product key!

Microsoft Office 365 country restrictions

As it is stated on their website, customers who acquire Microsoft 365 have the ability to assign a Microsoft 365 license to a user who resides in any country on the planet, with the exception of Cuba, Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Sudan, and Syria. For more information about the country restrictions, check out Microsoft’s dedicated page. Now, let’s see how you can fix the This product key cannot be used in your country/region issue. Keep on reading!

How do I get rid of the This product key cannot be used in your country/region message?

1. Use a VPN service

Using a VPN is the best way to get rid of the Sorry this product key cannot be used in your country/region message and activate your Microsoft 365 product successfully. A VPN changes your IP address and geo-location so that you can fool Microsoft into believing you’re trying to connect its products from a country where licensing is permitted. The trick is to choose the right country. We recommend Private Internet Access because we believe it’s the best VPN for circumventing firewalls and accessing blocked websites. PIA VPN comes with a very user-friendly graphical user interface that can be used on a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac OS X, Android, Linux, and straight in your web browser. It provides superb connection speeds regardless of whether you are browsing the web safely, downloading or streaming content, or gaming with pals. More about PIA:

WireGuard and OpenVPN with up to 256-bit encryption Supports torrenting and streaming More than 3,300 VPN servers in 48 countries No logs or leaks 24/7 live chat support 30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)

2. Check your key’s source

You need to search for the product key with great attention in order to determine whether or not you are utilizing the appropriate kind of product key. For instance, if you acquired the activation key for a different package of Microsoft Office or for an earlier or newer version of Microsoft Office, then it will not function for the different versions of Office that you have. Moreover, it is imperative that you always get the product key from an authentic, official, or approved source. If you purchased the key to activate Office 365 from anywhere other than the Microsoft Store, there is a good risk that the vendor gave you an unauthorized duplicate of the product key.

3. Change your region from Settings

Note that although this method will indeed change your region or country, Office 365 might not be convinced by this simple setting, thus you might have to resort to a VPN after all.

4. Contact customer support

You are welcome to get in touch with Microsoft’s customer support service if you believe the mistake is on their end and there is nothing wrong with the region in which you are located or the key you are using. As stated on their website, you can reach them at this number if you are calling from within the United States: (800) 865-9408. If that is not the case, you should look at their list of phone numbers for other countries.

How to check if the Microsoft Office product key has been used?

Unfortunately, there is no method to check whether a product key has previously been utilized by other users; nevertheless, if you attempt to use it, you will certainly receive an error notice. Always acquire your items from a legitimate vendor, so you may steer clear of situations in which you wind up purchasing already used keys. You have the option of purchasing licenses that are authentic as well as reliable from the Microsoft Store. In case that Microsoft Store won’t open in Windows 10/11, we have already prepared an in-depth guide on how to fix it. Make sure to check it out! To summarize, you can use a trustworthy VPN to get rid of the This product key cannot be used in your country/region error message by connecting to a VPN server in a country where the key activation is allowed. Although it’s tempting to use a free VPN, it doesn’t usually work the way you expect. Instead, resort to a premium VPN service like Private Internet Access. Don’t hesitate to leave a comment in the section below and tell us what you think. Thanks for reading!

Name * Email * Commenting as . Not you? Save information for future comments
Comment

Δ