The real problem here isn't the missing license. It's the invisible tangle between hardware, email accounts, and Microsoft's activation logic, a tangle that turns a simple email swap into a frustrating loss of access.
This user's story is familiar to anyone who has ever trusted that a pre-installed application will behave like a permanent possession. The laptop came with Excel. No separate purchase. No product key in the box. That arrangement works fine until you need to reinstall. Then the rules change. The Microsoft Store sees a different email and assumes you are a new customer. It asks for payment. The license, it turns out, wasn't tied to the machine. It was tied to the original account that first activated the software. That distinction matters, and it is rarely explained.
What does this mean in practical terms? First, stop trying to install from the Store while logged into the new email. The license is almost certainly linked to the original email you used when setting up the laptop. Switch back to that account in the Store, and Excel should appear as a free download. If that doesn't work, check your Microsoft account online under "Services & subscriptions." Pre-installed licenses often appear there, even if they were bundled with the hardware. If you still see nothing, contact Microsoft support with the laptop's serial number and proof of purchase. They can transfer the license to your current account.
The deeper lesson is uncomfortable but honest: pre-installed software is a convenience, not a guarantee. It feels like a permanent feature of the machine, but the activation chain depends on account continuity. Change your email, reformat the drive, or let the license sit dormant too long, and the link breaks. This isn't a design flaw unique to Microsoft. It is how most bundled software works. The fix is to treat your original account credentials like you treat the laptop's charger, keep them accessible, and know where they lead.
Our advice is direct. Log back into the original email. Reclaim the license. Then consider whether you want your data tools tied to a single account at all. That question is worth exploring before the next email swap.