How to Install and Activate Office LTSC (2021-2024)

This guide explains how to download, install, and activate Microsoft Office, Project, and Visio LTSC editions. Choose the correct product and version, then follow the shared installation and telephone activation steps.

Before you begin: update Windows, remove incompatible Office installations, keep a stable internet connection, and have the valid 25-character key for your LTSC edition ready.

1. Download the correct LTSC package

Select Office Pro Plus, Project Pro, or Visio Pro and then choose 2024 or 2021. The download opens the corresponding package; choose the installation language after opening it.

LTSC DOWNLOADS

Download Microsoft LTSC

Choose the product and version. You can select the language after opening the download.

Product Version

Download LTSC installer

InstantLicX LTSC product and version download selector — Choose the folder that matches the LTSC product you purchased.

2. Extract the package and move the product folder

Extract the download. Inside it, locate the final folder for the product you selected and copy that complete folder directly to the root of C: or D:. Avoid nesting it inside Downloads, Desktop, or another folder because the included scripts expect a short, predictable path.

Office LTSC installer folder in the root of drive C — Keep the complete product folder directly in C: or D: before starting setup.

3. Run the installer for your language

Open the product folder and double-click the script for the language you want. Use install_in_english for English or instalar_en_espanol for Spanish. Do not choose “Run as administrator” for these scripts.

Double-click install_in_english to install the English edition.

For Spanish, use instalar_en_espanol. Other included scripts select their corresponding language.

Keep the computer connected to the internet while setup downloads and installs the required files. Continue only after Microsoft confirms that installation is complete.

Microsoft Office installation progress window — Keep the computer online while Microsoft installs the selected LTSC product.

If setup cannot find the configuration file

Error 0-2048 (0) usually appears when setup is launched from the wrong location or cannot find the selected XML file.

Office LTSC error 0-2048 configuration file not found — This message normally means setup cannot find the XML configuration file from the current path.

Confirm that the final product folder is directly in C: or D: and was extracted completely.
Install pending Windows updates and restart the computer.
Open PowerShell as administrator, change to the product folder, and run setup with the XML file for your language.

cd "C:\Office 2024 LTSC"
.\setup.exe /configure .\english.xml

Replace Office 2024 LTSC with the exact name of the product folder you downloaded. Also replace english.xml with the XML file that matches your selected language, and change the drive letter if the folder is located on another drive.

PowerShell command to start Office LTSC setup with an XML file — Run setup.exe from inside the product folder and specify the XML file for your language.

4. Open the application and enter your product key

Open Word for Office, Project for Project LTSC, or Visio for Visio LTSC. When the activation screen appears, choose I have a product key.

Microsoft Word screen with I have a product key option — Choose "I have a product key" when the application asks you to sign in.

If the activation screen does not appear, go to File > Account, then choose Activate Product or Switch License.

Office Account screen highlighting Switch License — If the prompt does not appear, open File > Account and choose Switch License or Activate Product.

Enter the 25-character key exactly as supplied and select Activate Office. Close every Office application completely, then reopen the product.

Microsoft Office product key entry window — Enter your 25-character product key and select Activate Office.

5. Choose telephone activation and copy the Installation ID

In the activation wizard, select I want to activate the software by telephone and continue.

Office activation wizard telephone option — Select the option to activate the software by telephone.

The wizard displays an Installation ID (IID) split into groups. Copy every group in order; the complete IID is required to obtain a Confirmation ID.

Office activation wizard showing Installation ID — Copy every group of the Installation ID in the displayed order.

6. Obtain your Confirmation ID

Choose one of these three methods to exchange the Installation ID for a Confirmation ID (CID):

Microsoft Product Activation Portal: the official, free option. It is a manual process: sign in, choose product activation, and enter the IID groups.
InstantLicX Telegram bot: a faster paid option. Send the IID to the Telegram bot as text or as an image; you do not need to enter each group manually.
GetCID.xyz: a paid web experience that accepts the IID as text or image. It also offers an API, a WordPress plugin for store integrations, and WhatsApp and Telegram bots.

Using the free Microsoft portal

Open the Microsoft Product Activation Portal, sign in with your Microsoft account, choose the option to activate a Microsoft product, and select the version that matches your installation.

Microsoft Product Activation Portal search result — Open the official Microsoft Product Activation Portal for the free manual method.

Microsoft Activation Portal product activation selection — Choose the option to activate a Microsoft product.

Product selection in Microsoft Activation Portal — Select the matching product and continue to the Installation ID form.

Paste the complete Installation ID, verify the groups, and submit it.

Microsoft portal Installation ID field — Paste the complete Installation ID and submit it.

If the portal asks how many computers have been installed with this copy and this is a new activation, enter 0.

Microsoft portal number of computers question — For a new activation, enter 0 if the portal asks how many computers use this copy.

7. Enter the Confirmation ID and finish activation

After the IID is accepted, the selected method returns a Confirmation ID divided into groups.

Confirmation ID generated after submitting Installation ID — Copy the Confirmation ID returned by your selected activation method.

Return to the activation wizard and enter each CID group into its corresponding box from A through H. Select Next or Finish.

Office activation wizard Confirmation ID fields — Enter each Confirmation ID group into its matching field.

Open File > Account once more. Product Information should now confirm that Office, Project, or Visio is activated.

Microsoft Office activated status — The Account screen confirms when the LTSC product is activated.

Troubleshooting

Make sure the installed LTSC product, edition, and year match the product key.
Check that the complete product folder is directly in the root of C: or D:.
Remove incompatible Office editions before reinstalling LTSC.
Verify that IID and CID groups were copied in the correct order.
If setup still fails after Windows is fully updated, test on a clean Windows installation.