Suddenly, users would open Word 2013 to type a resume, only to be greeted with a red error bar: "This product has been blocked." The reliance on cloud verification meant the key was no longer a permanent unlock code; it was a permission slip that Microsoft could revoke at any moment.
These were often keys meant for volume licensing (corporate keys) or keys stolen from educational institutions. People bought them, entered them, and they worked—for a while. Then Microsoft’s servers would audit the volume license, realize the key was being used illegitimately, and remotely deactivate the software. microsoft office 2013 key
If you bought the traditional standalone version—Office Home & Student 2013—you likely didn't get a disc. In a controversial cost-cutting move, Microsoft discontinued the installation media for retail copies. Instead, you bought a box containing nothing but a small card. On the back of that card was the 25-character alpha-numeric key. Suddenly, users would open Word 2013 to type