How to Update Microsoft 365 and Recent Versions of Office

Keeping your Microsoft Office software up to date is crucial for security, stability, and accessing the latest features. For Microsoft 365 and perpetual licenses like Office 2021, 2019, 2016, and 2013, updates are typically managed directly within any Office application.

Step-by-Step Guide to Updating Office

You can easily check for and install updates directly through the application interface. Here's how, using the method described in the reference:

1. Open an Office Application: Start any Microsoft Office program, such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
2. Create or Open a Document: You can open an existing document or create a new blank one.
3. Navigate to Account Settings:
   • Go to the File menu in the upper-left corner.
   • Select Account. (In Outlook, this option might be labeled Office Account).
4. Access Update Options: Under the Product Information section, you will find details about your Office installation. Look for the Update Options button.
5. Initiate Update: Click on Update Options.
   • If you see Enable Updates, click this first to allow Office to receive updates.
   • Once updates are enabled or if they were already enabled, select Update Now.

Your Office applications will then check for available updates and download/install them. You may need to save your work and close Office applications during the update process.

What to Expect

• Office will search for the latest updates released by Microsoft.
• If updates are found, they will be downloaded automatically.
• You might see a progress bar indicating the download and installation status.
• You may be prompted to close any open Office programs to complete the installation.
• Once finished, your Office suite will be running the most current version available for your license type.

This in-app method ensures your specific Office installation is current with the latest patches and feature rollouts relevant to your version or subscription.

Why Keep Office Updated?

Regularly updating your Office software provides several benefits:

• Security: Updates often include crucial security patches to protect against vulnerabilities.
• Bug Fixes: Updates resolve known issues and improve application stability.
• New Features: Microsoft 365 subscribers and sometimes perpetual license holders receive new features and improvements through updates.
• Performance: Updates can include performance enhancements.

Using the "Update Now" feature within the application is the most direct way to manage updates for supported versions of Office.