How to download and install Microsoft Office on Mac

Before you download

To create and edit documents, you need a Microsoft 365 subscription (Personal, Family or a business plan with the desktop apps) or a one-time Office 2024 license. Without one, the apps only open and print files. The usual way to get the installer is to sign in at microsoft365.com with the account that has your subscription and use the install button there. The file on this page is the same Microsoft package.

• One file for every Mac. The installer works on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
• macOS 14 Sonoma or later. On older macOS, Office already installed keeps working but gets no more updates.
• About 10 GB of free space. The package alone is close to 3 GB.

The installer is a .pkg that runs with administrator rights, so download it only from microsoft.com or microsoft365.com. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote are also in the Mac App Store one by one.

How to install Microsoft Office

1. Open Microsoft_365_and_Office_…_Installer.pkg in your Downloads folder.

2. Click Continue, read the license and click Continue and Agree.
3. To skip apps you don’t need, click Customize and untick them. Then click Install.
4. Enter your Mac password and click Install Software. Installing takes several minutes.
5. When the installer says it is done, click Close. The apps appear in Applications.

The full suite also installs Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft Defender and Microsoft AutoUpdate. Untick OneDrive and Defender under Customize if you don’t use them. AutoUpdate is needed for updates.

What to set up after the first launch

• Activation. Open Word or any other Office app, click Sign In and use the Microsoft account with your subscription or license. One sign-in activates all Office apps.
• Updates. Microsoft AutoUpdate checks for new versions by itself. To run it now, choose Help › Check for Updates in any Office app.
• Opening at login. Office apps don’t open at login, but OneDrive does. To stop it, turn it off in System Settings › General › Login Items.
• Caches. Office keeps caches and temporary files that grow over time, especially Outlook with a big mailbox.
• The installer. Move the .pkg from Downloads to the Trash once the apps run: it takes almost 3 GB.

If Office won’t install or open

• The installer stops with an error. Check that you have about 10 GB free and are signed in to macOS as an administrator, then download the package again.
• The apps open documents only for reading. Office isn’t activated. Choose Sign Out in the app’s menu, sign in again with the account that has the subscription and check that the subscription is active.
• Office won’t start on an older Mac. Check your macOS in About This Mac: current versions need macOS 14 or later.
• Nothing helps. Remove Office completely, with its license and settings files, and install it again: see how to uninstall Microsoft Office on Mac.

Alternatives to Microsoft Office

• LibreOfficeFree and open source, opens Office files.
• ONLYOFFICEFree editors that look and work much like Office.
• PagesApple’s free documents, spreadsheets and slides.