Problem Installing Microsoft Office Due to License Conflict – Error Code 0x80070005 / 0xC004F014 / 0x8004FC12

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If you’re getting error code 0x80070005, 0xC004F014, or 0x8004FC12 while installing Microsoft Office 365 Business alongside existing Office products like Office Home and Business 2016 or Project Professional 2016, the issue is likely due to a license type conflict. Microsoft doesn’t allow mixing different Office installation technologies or license types (e.g. Retail, OEM, MSI-based, and Subscription) on the same system.

These error codes commonly appear when attempting to install incompatible Microsoft Office licenses on the same machine—for example, installing a Retail or Office 365 subscription-based license over an existing Non-profit, OEM, or MSI-based setup. Basically, you can’t mix various types of licenses within one system.

In our case, we had:

• Microsoft Office Home and Business 2016
• Microsoft Project Professional 2016
• And we were trying to install Microsoft Office 365 Business (subscription-based license)

How to Fix Office Installation License Conflict​

1. Uninstall Existing MSI-Based or Retail Office Products
   Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features
   Uninstall Office Home and Business 2016 and Project Professional 2016
   If the uninstall fails, use the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA)
2. Remove Leftover License Keys and Settings
   Open Command Prompt as Administrator
   Run this command to list Office licenses:
   

   cscript “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\OSPP.VBS” /dstatus

   Then remove old licenses using:
   

   cscript “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\OSPP.VBS” /unpkey:XXXXX

   Replace XXXXX with the last 5 characters of the license key shown in the list.
3. Delete Old Activation Data (Optional but Recommended)
   Navigate to:
   

   C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\OfficeSoftwareProtectionPlatform

   Delete all files inside that folder.
4. Reboot the System
5. Install Microsoft Office 365 Business
   Use the Office Deployment Tool (ODT) or download from your Microsoft 365 portal.
   This will install the Click-to-Run version compatible with your subscription.
6. Sign in with the Correct Microsoft 365 Account
   Open any Office app after installation.
   Sign in using the Microsoft account tied to your subscription.
   Activation should complete automatically.

If you’re managing systems with mixed Office installations, it’s best to standardise on one license type to avoid future issues. Removing conflicting versions first will save you time and headaches during deployment. Hopefully, this guide helps you resolve the problem quickly!