Trying to activate my MicroSoft Office Pro 2010 have issue Access.en-us/Access.en-us/branding.xml.

Question

Trying to activate my MicroSoft Office Pro 2010 have issue Access.en-us/Access.en-us/branding.xml.

Diane Hughes 0

Trying to activate my MicroSoft Office Pro 2010 have recurring error message - Access.en-us/Access.en-us/branding.xml.

Where can I download a fix for this problem please?

George Hepworth 22,220 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-11-02T13:32:21.2866667+00:00

Office Pro 2010 is quite old in software terms, and it's not unsurprising you'd have trouble installing it on a newer Windows version such as 10 or 11.

It's possible that what you have is not an end user licensed version, though, but one obtained through a bulk licensing distribution. That's implied, I think, by the reference to a branding.xml.

Perhaps, though, if you provide more details about the context -- where you obtained this installation, how you licensed it, what version of Windows you're using, and so on -- someone could offer better suggestions for dealing with it.

1 answer

Your answer

George Hepworth 22,220 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-11-02T13:32:21.2866667+00:00

Office Pro 2010 is quite old in software terms, and it's not unsurprising you'd have trouble installing it on a newer Windows version such as 10 or 11.

It's possible that what you have is not an end user licensed version, though, but one obtained through a bulk licensing distribution. That's implied, I think, by the reference to a branding.xml.

Perhaps, though, if you provide more details about the context -- where you obtained this installation, how you licensed it, what version of Windows you're using, and so on -- someone could offer better suggestions for dealing with it.

Answer 1

Hi Diane Hughes

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A Forum and sharing details of your issue with activating Microsoft Office Professional 2010.

The error referencing Access.en-us/branding.xml typically indicates a corrupted or missing file within your Office installation. It’s important to note that Microsoft Office 2010 reached end of support in October 2020, so official downloads and updates are no longer available through standard Microsoft channels. While there isn’t a specific downloadable “fix” for this issue, based on my research, here are some related troubleshooting steps that may help resolve your activation problem:

Start by closing all open Office programs like Word or Access. Then refer to this article to Repair an Office application. After it's finished, please restart your computer and then try to activate Office again.

The next step is a complete reinstallation. Please know that for this, you will need your original 25-character Product Key and your installation media (the disc or downloaded file). You would need to uninstall Office 2010 from the Control Panel, restart your computer, and then reinstall it from scratch. Please note: Make sure to back up all databases before reinstalling.

Run Windows Update to confirm that any remaining Office 2010 updates have been installed. If updates fail, you may need to manually download the last available Service Pack (SP2) from the official Microsoft Download Center: Download Service Pack 2 for Microsoft Office 2010 (KB2687455) 32-Bit Edition from Official Microsof…

Since Office 2010 is no longer supported, continuing to use unsupported software can expose your system to vulnerabilities and compatibility issues with newer Windows versions. I strongly recommend considering an upgrade to a modern version to ensure you have the latest features and critical security protection. Your options include the subscription-based Microsoft 365 or a one-time purchase of Office 2021. For your reference: Plan an upgrade from older versions of Office to Microsoft 365 Apps - Microsoft 365 Apps | Microsof…

I hope one of these steps gets you back up and running. Please let us know how you get on, as your feedback can help others in the community facing the same problem.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Flora-T 7,385 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-04T14:48:18.9933333+00:00

Hi Diane Hughes

I hope you're doing well.

I just wanted to check in and see if you had a chance to review my previous reply.

If you have any updates, please feel free to reach out again.
Flora-T 7,385 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-06T14:46:09.3+00:00

Hi Diane Hughes

I would kindly follow up to ask if the information I provided was helpful or if you have any updates. If the reply was helpful, even in part, it would be great if you could mark my initial answer as Accepted. This also helps other members of the community who may face similar challenges and further strengthens our platform.

Thank you for your time and understanding!

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Trying to activate my MicroSoft Office Pro 2010 have issue Access.en-us/Access.en-us/branding.xml.

1 answer

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