Ever since Microsoft 365 consumer plans have existed, you’ve been able to buy them cheaper from other retailers to extend your subscription. Here’s the simple steps to extend your subscription with a product key bought for less money,
When you buy from another retailer, you should get a product key which is a 25 character text string. Paste that key into your Microsoft 365 account and your subscription is extended by the months purchased (usually either 12 or 15 months).
Of course, Microsoft would prefer you pay full price direct from them, ideally using automatic renewal. But you don’t have to. Get Microsoft 365 for less money.
Here’s how it now works. The process has changed a little over the years though the basics remain the same.
Get a Microsoft 365 Product Key
Buy a Microsoft 365 plan from a reputable retailer who sells the same plan (Personal or Family) without any gotchas from the likes of Amazon and BestBuy have.
The seller will give you a product key either on the web site or email like this:
Open your Microsoft 365 billing page
Now go to your account details at Microsoft using this link
https://account.microsoft.com/services/microsoft365/details#billing
That shows you the current subscription status. In this case, the plan is expiring soon.
Click on the link “Redeem a code or prepaid card”.
Add the Microsoft 365 product key
Paste the product key into the box on the Microsoft web site.
Make sure you’re adding to the correct Microsoft account. The email address of the account is shown.
There’s a final confirmation screen that shows the type of Microsoft 365 plan and country that the product key represents. If it’s all OK, click Redeem.
You’re then taken to a Microsoft 365 page which might be useful for new purchasers but has little for existing customers.
Check your new expiry date for Microsoft 365
Instead, go back to your Microsoft subscriptions page to confirm the new expiry date.
6 steps to saving on Microsoft 365 renewals or first purchase
