Microsoft Legally Allows Installation and Use of Microsoft Office on Two Computers

Do you want to know if you can use Microsoft Office on two computers? Yes, you can as Microsoft legally allows the installation and use of Microsoft Office on two computers (1 desktop and 1 laptop computer system).

In a twitter reply by Microsoft Australia (MSAU), offered an interesting insight that many of you might not have been aware of. You can use any version of Microsoft Office legally on both your home computer and a portable computer system like laptop. As long as both the systems belong to you and you’re the person who has bought the copy of Microsoft Office. That’s a very handy tidbit of information. The reply to a tweeted question also stated that the Home and Student edition of Microsoft Office is licensed for installation on up to three machines.

Specifically, the license terms state (Extract from the MSLT):

Microsoft Software License Terms (MSLT) for Microsoft Office 2010 Extract

You can easily get the theory behind this not well-publicized license term. Today, many computer-users have both a desktop and a laptop or a notebook (or any other portable device), so if Microsoft charges these users for both machines, then it will be unjustified. After all, if you’re using your computers for commercial purposes you’re obviously not supposed to be using Microsoft Office Home and Student versions. Thanks to section c, however, you can set up your portable install on a laptop or any other portable device and still be fully compliant and legal — thus saving your hard-earned money.

This license term applies to all Microsoft Office retail products, including the Academic editions.

Neowin also updated their post saying, “other productivity suites may have similar license terms (ie. Adobe products), so be sure to always check your license terms before shelling out for extra copies.”

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