OT: Need advice with MS "Publisher" download & license transfer

LeatherGryphon

I may have shot myself in my foot trying to do a good thing.  My brother's wife has been hinting for a while that she wants a new version of Microsoft Publisher but doesn't want to spend $400 for the full Office suite that contains it.

I finally found that standalone (i.e. non-cloud) "Publisher  2019" is available for separate purchase directy from Microsoft for $140.  It's exactly what she said she wanted.  So, for Christmas I went ahead and purchased it for her through my MS Account but discovered that they don't send you a box with CD but they do send you a license key and a link to download & activate it through your "Microsoft Account".  But I really want her to own it in her own MS Account.  But now I apparently "own" a copy of "Publisher 2019" that they expect me to install and activate on my computer.  However, I have not yet downloaded it but I do have the license key for it.

Can I somehow download an ISO file for "Publisher 2019", and transfer that file to her computer and then get her to login (or create) her own MS Account and by installing the ISO and activating with the key essentially "give" her ownership of the application?

OR do I have to actually talk to somebody at Microsoft (shudder) to try to convince them that I bought the "Publisher 2019" as a gift and want the ownership transferred to her MS Account?

She does not own any of the other apps of the Microsoft Office suite.  But has used an old version (2007?) of Publisher for years.  Her OS is Win10 Home.

Taoz

(Sorry, thought there was a trial download, but that was for Office only.)

LeatherGryphon

Possibly does the link from my account take you to a process that gives you the option of:

1) installing now on this machine

or

2) later on another machine?

 

Anybody been through the current download process of Microsoft Office apps, and are able to provide a roadmap of what happens during the process?

Anybody know how to actually contact live people at Microsoft? (shudder)

I just don't want to do anything that results in the app being linked to my account and computer permanently.

Taoz

You could try here:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/

nonesuch00

LeatherGryphon said:

Possibly does the link from my account take you to a process that gives you the option of:

1) installing now on this machine

or

2) later on another machine?

 

Anybody been through the current download process of Microsoft Office apps, and are able to provide a roadmap of what happens during the process?

Anybody know how to actually contact live people at Microsoft? (shudder)

I just don't want to do anything that results in the app being linked to my account and computer permanently.

Office or MS are actually good with live support if you call them. There should be number listed in Office, Windows, or MS Store documentation. Also Live Chat works good if they offer that.

You might consider buying her a gift certificate & sending her the link to buy the SW with the gift vertificate using her MS account directly. You might be able to return your purchase.

nonesuch00

LeatherGryphon said:

I may have shot myself in my foot trying to do a good thing.  My brother's wife has been hinting for a while that she wants a new version of Microsoft Publisher but doesn't want to spend $400 for the full Office suite that contains it.

I finally found that standalone (i.e. non-cloud) "Publisher  2019" is available for separate purchase directy from Microsoft for $140.  It's exactly what she said she wanted.  So, for Christmas I went ahead and purchased it for her through my MS Account but discovered that they don't send you a box with CD but they do send you a license key and a link to download & activate it through your "Microsoft Account".  But I really want her to own it in her own MS Account.  But now I apparently "own" a copy of "Publisher 2019" that they expect me to install and activate on my computer.  However, I have not yet downloaded it but I do have the license key for it.

Can I somehow download an ISO file for "Publisher 2019", and transfer that file to her computer and then get her to login (or create) her own MS Account and by installing the ISO and activating with the key essentially "give" her ownership of the application?

OR do I have to actually talk to somebody at Microsoft (shudder) to try to convince them that I bought the "Publisher 2019" as a gift and want the ownership transferred to her MS Account?

She does not own any of the other apps of the Microsoft Office suite.  But has used an old version (2007?) of Publisher for years.  Her OS is Win10 Home.

You can gift it to her since you've not activated it or if you find the hoops you have to jump through for that too much hassle make a return and buy her a MS Store gift certificate and send her a direct link to the product you bought because ultimately you want her to get any updates directly via her MS account not yours.

LeatherGryphon

Taoz said:

You could try here:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/

Thank you.

LeatherGryphon

nonesuch00 said:

LeatherGryphon said:

Possibly does the link from my account take you to a process that gives you the option of:

1) installing now on this machine

or

2) later on another machine?

 

Anybody been through the current download process of Microsoft Office apps, and are able to provide a roadmap of what happens during the process?

Anybody know how to actually contact live people at Microsoft? (shudder)

I just don't want to do anything that results in the app being linked to my account and computer permanently.

Office or MS are actually good with live support if you call them. There should be number listed in Office, Windows, or MS Store documentation. Also Live Chat works good if they offer that.

You might consider buying her a gift certificate & sending her the link to buy the SW with the gift vertificate using her MS account directly. You might be able to return your purchase.

Thanks for the suggestions.  I'll check more closely.  I just hate making phone calls.  Call it a phobia.