Do you want to install the 2019 version of Microsoft desktop applications? Are you not completely sure how to use the Office Deployment tool? Are you feeling ambitious? Then this guide was prepared for you!

We have laid out precise steps for members who are not familiar with using Windows Command Prompt. We’ve even taken care of the coding for you! So anyone, whatever their level of tech proficiency, can follow the steps in this guide to download and install the software. 

Please Note: Software Assurance allows you to install the previous version of Microsoft Office instead of the most current one. If you do not wish to follow the steps in this guide and would prefer an easier installation, you can install the 2016 version of your Microsoft software by following our Office 2016 installation guide.

Use this guide to help you install 2019 Microsoft Desktop Apps for Windows, such as:

Access 2019 Office Standard 2019 Office Professional Plus 2019

Project Standard 2019 Project Professional 2019 Visio Standard 2019 Visio Professional 2019

Here are the things you need before you get started:

1. an internet connection, 
2. to be running Windows 10, 
3. administrator account password for your PC (Ideally, you should be logged into an administrator account for your installation),
4. licence activation key or your organization’s VLSC account credentials so that you can get your activation key.

       - If you have not yet created a VLSC account, please see our How to set up a VLSC account guide. For more help, see Step 5.

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Outline

1. Prepare your computer
2. Download and install the Office Deployment Tool 
3. Download your configuration file 
4. Download and install your app through the Windows Command Prompt 
5. Get your activation key from the VLSC 
6. Activate your software 
7. Pin your apps (optional)

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Step 1: Prepare your computer

A) Uninstall any previous versions of the Microsoft Software you’re installing.

Note: The installation will not work if the Microsoft App is already installed, regardless of the version.

B) IMPORTANT! Check that your computer did not come pre-installed with Office 365.

Many new computers come pre-installed with Office 365. To check:

1. Click on the Start menu. Type “Apps and features” and select the match with the same name. (Note: You cannot get to the required page through the Control Panel).

2. Search the Apps & features list for “Microsoft Office”

3. If the results list "Microsoft Office Desktop Apps" or "Microsoft Office 365" click on the item, and then click “Uninstall”. Otherwise, you can proceed to Step 2.

 

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Step 2: Download and install the Office Deployment Tool

A) Create a new folder on your Desktop. Name it “ODT”.

B) Download the Office deployment tool (ODT).

Visit the Microsoft Download Center and click on the Download button. 

C) Install the ODT.

Open the file to install it. You will be prompted to accept Microsoft’s Software Licence Terms.

Note: If you are not logged into an administrator account, you will be prompted for an administrator's password.

D) Store the extracted files in the right folder.

You will be prompted to select a folder to store the extracted files. Make sure your username is indicated in the dialogue box.

Store extracted files from the Office Deployment Tool in the new “ODT” folder in your Desktop. This is the folder we created in Step 2 Part A.

If you opened your ODT folder on your desktop, it should look like the image below:

 

 

  

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Step 3: Download your configuration file

[ + ] Click to learn more about XML files

In this step, you will be downloading an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file that TechSoup Canada has prepared for you. XML files describe the transportation, structure, and storage of data. We will be using these XML files to download the installation files for our software via the Windows Command Prompt.

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A) Select the right XML file for your software.  

The XML files are available below section B. Click on the name of the software you want to install to access the version and language you need.

 

B) Download the XML file.

When you click on a link under the product titles below, you will be taken to a file hosted in box. Download the file by clicking on Download near the top right corner of the Window.

A dialogue box may appear after a few seconds. Save the file.

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C) Move the XML file to the "ODT" Folder.

Move the XML file from your Downloads folder to your new “ODT” Folder in your Desktop. This is the folder we created in Step 2 Part A.

If you opened your ODT folder, it should like the image below:

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Step 4: Download and install your app through the 'Windows Command Prompt' application

[ + ] Click to learn more about Windows Command Prompt

In this step, you will be using command functions to tell the computer to download the installation files onto your system.

The Windows Command Prompt is an application that is native to your Windows Operating System. It is used to give your computer instructions to perform a task. In this case, we will be using Windows Command Prompt to do two things:

First, you will be telling the computer to download the installation files for your Microsoft 2019 Apps from the Office Content Delivery Network (CDN).

Second, you will install those files on your computer.

If that didn’t make too much sense, don’t worry. Simply follow the instructions below.

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A) Open Windows Command Prompt.

Open Windows Command Prompt by clicking on the Start button and typing cmd.  Open the application.

The command prompt will show your version of Windows and copyright information in the first 2 lines.

The next line will show you your current working directory, it should say something like “C:\Users\username”. This is called your home directory. 

B) Change your current directory to the ODT folder on your desktop.

[ + ] Click to learn more about the cd command

In this step, we will use the command below to get into your new ODT folder on your Desktop, which should be located inside your home directory. The ‘cd’ command changes your current working directory. You can think of a directory as a folder in your computer.  

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1. Copy the command below:

cd Desktop\ODT

2. Paste this command by right-clicking in the command prompt 
3. Hit Enter on your keyboard to execute the command.  This should change your current working directory to the ODT folder in your Desktop.

C) Download your Microsoft 2019 Apps.

Copy and paste the command below:

setup /download configuration.xml

Hit Enter .

 

This command can take around 10 minutes to finish running. It will seem as though nothing is happening, but files are being downloaded to your ODT folder. 

If you opened your ODT folder, it should look like the image below:

You will know the command has finished running when the Command Prompt window looks like this:

 

There is a new line starting with C:\Users\username where you did not enter a command. 

D) Install your Microsoft 2019 Apps.

Once the previous command has finished running you must copy and paste, the command below:

setup /configure configuration.xml 

Hit Enter.

You will be prompted to allow Microsoft to make changes to your device.

Once you agree, a display window will appear, showing the progress of your installation.

 

When the installation is complete, the display will disappear. You can then close the command prompt.

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Step 5: Get your activation key from the VLSC

In this step, you will log onto the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) to retrieve your activation key.

A) Login to the VLSC.

 Go to the Volume Licensing Service Center and log in with the email listed on your TechSoup Account for Software Delivery. 

B) Retrieve your installation key.

1. Go to the Downloads and Keys tab. Find the Microsoft 2019 app you are installing in your list of products.

2. Click on the Key tab beside the product you want to install. Copy the MAK key in the bottom table. 

The image below shows the right and wrong keys. Your most recent key is the one with the biggest licence ID number. 

 

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Step 6: Activate your software

A)Open an Office application.

Once you have copied the correct key, open one of your new Microsoft applications. We opened Microsoft Excel.

B)Enter the Activation Key.

1. Open a blank document. 

2. Go to File > Account > Change Product Key and paste your activation Key. Activate your software.

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Step 7: Pin your apps (optional)

Microsoft 2019 apps don’t show up when you click your Start Menu and search, and won’t create shortcuts for your desktop.

To make them easy to access, click on your Start Menu, and go down your list of programs to locate the Microsoft Office Apps.

When you come across the ones you wish to pin, right click on the app, and then click Pin to Start.

 

The programs to pin for Office Standard 2019 are:

Excel OneNote 2016 Outlook

PowerPoint Publisher Word

The programs to pin for Office Pro Plus 2019 are:

Access Excel OneNote 2016 Outlook

PowerPoint Publisher Word

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Need to install another Microsoft 2019 App?

To install another Microsoft 2019 Desktop App, delete the "configuration.xml" file from your ODT folder (and your Downloads folder if it's in both places) and redo the process starting from Step 3.

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Need to install your software on another computer?

To install the software on another computer, copy the “ODT” folder onto a USB stick, save the folder on the Desktop of the other computer, and repeat the process from Step 4.

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