How To Replace A Lost Office CD

If you have lost your Microsoft Office CD (or it is damaged) you will not be able to reinstall Office e.g. in the event of hard drive failure or installing a new version of Windows.

However, if you still have your genuine MS Office product (license) key, you may be able to replace the original CD or download a replacement Office installation program – you must choose exactly the same version of Office e.g. if you had Office 2007 Home & Student before then you must choose that again, you can’t ‘upgrade’ to Professional or 2010 editions.

The product key is a 25 character license to use Office – you can normally find it on your Office product package, confirmation email or Product Key Card. This guide is for the installation CD/program only – if you don’t have a valid product key you will not be able to activate or use Office.

Note: Please do not ask me for a product key – it would be illegal to provide one. Any comments offering a pirated key will be deleted and the person posting the comment may be banned. Below are a number of options to replace a lost Office CD:

Replacement CD – from Microsoft

For US and Canadian customers – if you have lost, broken, or misplaced your original Microsoft Office or Microsoft Publisher installation CD, you can order replacement media from Microsoft – see here for details. A charge will be made for postage but it is usually quite reasonable.

1. Office 2010 Download – for Retail Disc versions – from Microsoft

A Retail Disc version means that you originally bought Office on a DVD which you may have since lost. If you need to reinstall your Microsoft Office 2010 software, you can do so from here. To download or order a backup DVD you will be required to provide a valid Office 2010 Product Key. During the process, you will be given the choice to download the software (for free) or order a new DVD (for a fee).

Note: you will need a Windows Live ID (or have to create a new one) to complete the download process.

2. Office 2010 Download – for Product Key Card versions – from Microsoft

A Product Key Card version means that you originally bought Office as a product key label (stuck on a card) only i.e. it never came with a DVD. This version is popular when buying new computers where Office is pre-installed – you only had to activate it by using the product key code.

But if you have to replace the hard drive or reinstall Windows you will no longer have Office pre-installed – so you need to download it. If you need to reinstall your Microsoft Office 2010 software, you can do so from here. To download you will be required to provide a valid Office 2010 Product Key.

Note: you may need a Windows Live ID (or have to create a new one) to complete the download process.

3. Office 2010 Direct Downloads – for all versions

If you prefer not to use the links above, don’t want a Windows Live ID or need to download different versions/individual products (e.g. Outlook by itself) then you can find links to direct downloads from Windows.net (Microsoft’s online distribution channel) here in a variety of languages.

I have not validated any of these links except that they appear to be from Windows.net – read the author’s notes at the top of the page before scrolling down to the download section.

Note: like all the links and downloads referenced in this article, these downloads do not include a product key – you still need to use your own.

Office 2007 Links

1. Office 2007 Download – for Retail Disc versions – from Microsoft

A Retail Disc version means that you originally bought Office on a DVD which you may have since lost. If you need to reinstall your Microsoft Office 2007 software, you can do so from here. To download you will be required to provide a valid Office 2007 Product Key.

Note: you may need a Windows Live ID (or have to create a new one) to complete the download process.

2. Office 2007 Download – for Medialess License Kit versions – from Microsoft

A Medialess License Kit version means that your computer was pre-installed with a version of Office 2007 i.e. it never came with a DVD, just a product key code. But if you have to replace the hard drive or reinstall Windows you will no longer have Office preinstalled – so you need to download it.

If you need to reinstall your Microsoft Office 2007 software, you can do so from here. To download you will be required to provide a valid Office 2007 Product Key. Note: you may need a Windows Live ID (or have to create a new one) to complete the download process.

3. Office 2007 Direct Downloads – for all versions

If you prefer not to use the links above, don’t want a Windows Live ID or need to download different versions/individual products (e.g. Outlook by itself) then you can find links to direct downloads from Windows.net (Microsoft’s online distribution channel) here in a variety of languages.

I have not validated any of these links except that they appear to be from Windows.net – read the author’s notes at the top of the page before scrolling down to the download section.

Note: like all the links and downloads referenced in this article, these downloads do not include a product key – you still need to use your own.

Conclusion

If you lose your Office 2010 or 2007 CD or DVD, you should still be able to download your Office suite again and reinstall it if you still have your product key. Before anyone asks ;-) I didn’t find any downloads for Office 2003 (or earlier) but as it is now 9 years old, it is well worth upgrading to a 2010 version anyway for better security and features.

6 thoughts on “How To Replace A Lost Office CD”

  1. I have my MS Office Student and Teacher Edition 2003 that I’m trying to reinstall but I do NOT have my CD key. Is there any way to get the CD key from my program disk? Or anywhere else. I’m recovering from a total crash and cannot get the key from the old registry; it’s gone.

    • Harriet – the product key is not stored within the installation CD so you can’t retrieve it from there. Without the old registry backed up you’d need to either find the original product key sticker or contact Microsoft to see if they can help, assuming you’re reinstalling on the same PC and it was a legal copy – not sure they’ll be much use for 10 year old software though…

  2. I have the CD and key for MS Office student and teacher edition 2003.
    I’ve had a few problems with my PC before and the office CD would not install. The last time this happened I was able to down load from the internet. I have now installed a new hard drive, the CD still will not work and I cannot find the web page I used before. Can you help please?

    P.S. I do not use the computer very often so I would rather not upgrade.

    Eamon

    • Hi Eamon, as far as I know Microsoft no longer offer downloads of Office 2003 as it is so old.

      Try to get a CD from a friend/shop or see if you can order a replacement CD from Microsoft – for UK the link is http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-gb;326246

      You could also try the CD in another computer – if it works there, copy the CD contents to a flash drive and use that to install (or replace your CD drive if it’s faulty)

  3. We had a fire and I lost most of my computer stuff. I have a new computer now and want to reload
    Office 2007 Pro. I have my key and I have clicked on the “here” link that you have provided and it goes to Microsoft and just “spins”. It goes no further.

    • Hi, I have just gone to both the Microsoft Office 2007 links (retail and medialess) and they are working fine at the moment – both these MS sites can occasionally be very busy so you probably just hit a busy time when it was timing out.

      Try again and hopefully you’ll get through this time – if not, try at a less busy time of day e.g. late evening.

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