Stop MS Office From Always Asking You to Accept EULA

Reader Jean has a problem: she installed Office 2003 on her brand new Windows 7 system, and every single time she runs it, a pop-up forces her to accept Microsoft's End User License Agreement (EULA).

Dang it, Microsoft, she accepts already! She accepts!

Let's not focus on why this is happening. It's a Microsoft product, 'nuff said. Instead, let's fix it. Here's how:

1. Run Windows Explorer and navigate to the folder containing the Office executables (i.e. the actual programs, not their shortcuts). On my system that's C:, Program Files (x86), Microsoft Office, Office12. (Note: I use Office 2007. Your folder might be called Office11.)

2. Find the executable for any program that's exhibiting this problem. For this example, we'll use Outlook.

3. Right-click the Outlook icon and choose Run as administrator. The program will load, and the EULA will pop up as usual. Accept it--for what should be the last time.

4. Now close the program, wait a moment, and then run it again like you normally do (using the shortcut). Presto! No more EULA!

5. Repeat the process for any other offending Office programs.

Click to expand...

Source -
Stop MS Office From Always Asking You to Accept EULA - Computerworld

That is an interesting and easy fix.

Would like to add a couple of things:

1) The reason for this behaviour is that the user doesnt have permission to modify registry setting. In case this method doesnt resolve the problem, there is a workaround available. Navigate to the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0 (for 32 bit windows) or

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Office\11.0 (for 64 bit windows)

Click Permissions.

Click Users and then click to select the Allow check box for the Full Control permission.

Click OK, and then quit Registry Editor.

Start an Office program, and then accept the End User License Agreement.

Now remove the Full Control permission that you gave to Users.

2) If you have Windows XP, then you need log in to Windows as Administrator, start an Office program,
accept the EULA, close the Office program, log out of Windows as Administrator, and log back in using your normal user profile.

3) These methods work equally well for Office 2007. The registry keys for that would be:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0 (for 32 bit windows) or

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Office\12.0 (for 64 bit windows)

Good post and good information, Bill.