Introduction: How to Install Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac for Free
Microsoft has put out the free download of Office 2016 for Mac public preview, without any Office 365 subscription required. The new software includes support for Retina displays, iCloud syncing, and looks like the versions of Office currently available on Windows and mobile.
You can begin the free download here.
Step 1: Download the Install
Apple today released OS X 10.11.1, the first update for El Capitan, and implied that the refresh includes a fix for the problems users of Microsoft's Office 2016 for Mac have reported. Office 2016 include applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. They’re available as a one-time purchase for use on a single PC. Microsoft 365 plans include premium versions of these. I recently installed Mac OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan on my MacBook. I can no longer access my Word and Excel files (2004 Microsoft Office) and need to install an upgrade. But, I've heard about numerous problems re Microsoft Office 2016 in connection with El Capitan and that people aren't able to run Word or Excel.
Office 2016 For Mac 10 11 Upgrade
Once you download the 2.6GB file to your downloads folder, click on the Office Preview Package to get started. You will be guided through the necessary steps to install this software.
Office 2016 For Mac 10 11 Version
Tip: I had to upgrade my OS X because you can't install Office for Mac with any version of OS X below 10.10. To see my tutorial on how to upgrade your OS X go here.
I also had some internet interruptions on my initial download to my downloads folder and had a hard time opening the package because it did not download the full 2.6GB. Make sure that you fully downloaded the package.
Step 2: Read and Agree to Licensing Agreement
The software license agreement comes in many languages, this one in English. Once you read the agreement, you will have scrolled to the bottom. Click continue to agree.
Step 3: Agree to the License Agreement to Begin Installation
You will then be prompted to agree. Once you do you will select what users of your computer will have access to the software to select the destination for install. You will need 5.62GB of free space to install. Select and click continue.
Step 4: Install Office for Mac
I want all users of my computer to be able to access Office and made sure to have the available space. Now I am ready to install. I click install. I had to wait a few moments for the installation to complete. Then I was notified that the installation was successful. And my installation is complete.
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Note
Office 365 ProPlus is being renamed to Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. For more information about this change, read this blog post.
Summary
Existing Office 2016 for Mac customers will be seamlessly upgraded to 64-bit versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote as part of the August product release (version 15.25). This affects customers of all license types: Retail, Office 365 Consumer, Office 365 Commercial, and Volume License installations.
Deployment options for the 64-bit update
AutoUpdate (MAU)
Customers who use Microsoft AutoUpdate (MAU) to keep their Office applications up-to-date will see a 'regular' monthly update notification when their selected channel is upgraded to 64-bit builds. Depending on which version is installed on the local computer, MAU will offer either a delta or full update. The update package size does not change between 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Also, MAU can deliver a delta update when applicable to update a user from 32-bit to 64-bit applications. Therefore, customers won't experience a sharp increase in download activity. For the release to the Production channel, customers will see '(64-bit)' in the update title to make them aware that this is a 64-bit update.
For information about how to use the MAU, see Check for Office for Mac updates automatically.
Manual updates
The August release of Office for Mac is available for manual download. The following file provides a 64-bit package to replace existing 32-bit applications with 64-bit variants during installation:
Download the Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac August update package now.
Virus-scan claim
Microsoft scanned this file for viruses, using the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to it.
Volume License Service Center
Volume License customers typically get their Office 2016 software from the Volume License Service Center (VLSC). These builds are refreshed infrequently and are typically aligned with new language editions. The VLSC will continue to offer 32-bit installers (15.23) until November 2016. However, all updater packages that are released after August will be based on 64-bit builds. Therefore, a VLSC customer who updates either manually or through AutoUpdate will be transitioned to 64-bit builds.
More Information
64-bit only
The Mac operating system has been 64-bit for several years. Unlike for Windows, there's no choice between running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of the Mac operating system. Similarly, we won't offer a choice between 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Office 2016 for Mac. After each 'channel' is transitioned per the rollout schedule, only 64-bit builds will be available.
Effect on third-party applications and add-ins
The transition to 64-bit Office for Mac was announced in April 2016. IT Pros will want to understand which compiled add-ins are deployed to the users whom they manage so that they can assess the effect of the upgrade. The following Microsoft Office website summarizes the issues that affect the more common add-ins that are used together with Office 2016 for Mac:
Tools for inspecting product architecture
To verify the architecture of an Office application (that is, to understand whether you have a 32-bit or 64-bit build), start the application, open the Activity Monitor, and then enable the Kind column.
You can also use the file command in a terminal session to inspect the binary. For this use, type file -N <path of binary>.This method can be used with for any binary file, including third-party add-ins.
The file command returns one of three values.
| Return value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mach-O 64-bit executable x86_64 | 64-bit binary |
| Mach-O executable i386 | 32-bit binary |
| Mach-O 64-bit executable x86_64 | FAT binary (compatible with both 32-bit and 64-bit processes) |
| Mach-O executable i386 | FAT binary (compatible with both 32-bit and 64-bit processes) |
Options for reverting to 32-bit installations
There may be situations in which the customer has to change code that's not 64-bit ready. If customers can't immediately move forward to 64-bit builds, we will make available a one-time 32-bit update for the 15.25 release in addition to the default 64-bit updates. The 32-bit updates will be available only for manual download from the Office CDN.
The latest 32-bit release of Office 2016 for Mac (15.25.160818) can be downloaded from https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=823192.
Customers who manually install the 32-bit release won't be offered the 64-bit version of 15.25 through MAU. However, MAU will offer the 64-bit version of 15.26 in September 2016. Therefore, customers have a limited time to remain on 32-bit builds.
If a customer has already upgraded to the 64-bit update of Office for Mac 15.25 and wants to revert to the 32-bit version, follow these steps:
- Exit all open Office 2016 applications.
- Start Safari, and then browse to https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=823192 to start the download of the 32-bit installer.
- Double-click the downloaded package, and then follow the instructions.
The 64-bit installation has a build date of 160817. The 32-bit version has a build date of 160818.