20-05-2021

Deleting Microsoft Office From Mac

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Note

How to Uninstall Office on a Mac Manually. The first thing you should always do when uninstalling any app is to quit the program. So close Microsoft Office and make sure that there are no processes related to the app working in the background. Jul 11, 2019  After you restart your computer, the uninstall tool automatically re-opens to complete the final step of the uninstall process. Follow the remaining prompts. If you need to reinstall Office, select the version you want to install and follow those steps: Office 365, Office 2019, Office 2016, Office 2013, Office 2010, or Office 2007.

Office 365 ProPlus is being renamed to Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. For more information about this change, read this blog post.

Symptoms

When you start Microsoft Word for Mac, or when you try to open a new document, you experience one of the following conditions:

  • The program closes unexpectedly.

  • Error message:

Note

This error message may also occur during usage of application such as saving a document.

Resolution

To resolve this problem, follow steps below.

Microsoft Word for Mac 2008 or Later

Step 1: Quit all applications

  1. On the Apple menu, click Force Quit.

  2. Select an application in the 'Force Quit Applications' window.

  3. Click Force Quit.

  4. Repeat the previous steps until all active applications.

Warning

When an application is force quit, any unsaved changes to open documents are not saved.

Step 2: Remove Preferences

  1. Quit all Microsoft Office for Mac programs.

  2. On the Go menu, click Home.

  3. Open Library.

    Note

    The Library folder is hidden in MAC OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.

  4. Open the Preferences folder.

  5. Look for a file that is named com.microsoft.Word.plist.

  6. If you locate the file, move it to the desktop. If you do not locate the file, the program is using the default preferences.

  7. If you locate the file and move it to the desktop, start Word, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, quit Microsoft Word, and restore the file to its original location. Then, go to the next step. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the com.microsoft.Word.plist file to the trash.

  8. Quit all Microsoft Office for Mac programs.

  9. On the Go menu, click Home.

  10. Open Library.

    Note

    The Library folder is hidden in MAC OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.

  11. Open the Preferences folder.

  12. Open the Microsoft folder.

  13. Locate the file that is named com.microsoft.Word.prefs.plist.

  14. Move the file to the desktop.

  15. Start Word, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, quit Word, and restore the file to its original location. Then, go to the next step. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the com.microsoft.Word.prefs.plist file to the trash.

  16. On the Go menu, click Home.

  17. Open Library.

    Note

    The Library folder is hidden in MAC OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.

  18. Open the Application Support folder.

  19. Open the Microsoft folder.

  20. Open the Office folder.

  21. Open the User Templates folder.

  22. Locate the file that is named Normal, and move the file to the desktop.

  23. Start Word and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the Normal file to the Trash. If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next step.

If the issue continues to occur, go to the next step.

Step 3: Peform clean boot

For information how to clean start your Operating system (OS), see Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

2398596 How to use a 'clean startup' to determine whether background programs are interfering with Office for Mac

If the issue continues to occur in Safe mode, go to the next step.

Step 4: Remove and then reinstall Office

For information how to remove and then reinstall Office, see the following article:

If after removing and then reinstalling Office, the problem continues to occur, go to the next step.

Step 5: Use the 'Repair Disk Permissions' option

You can use the Repair Disk Permissions option to troubleshoot permissions problems in Mac OS X 10.2 or later versions. To use the Repair Disk Permissions option, follow these steps:

  1. On the Go menu, click Utilities.
  2. Start the Disk Utility program.
  3. Click the primary hard disk drive for your computer.
  4. Click the First Aid tab.
  5. Click Repair Disk Permissions.

Note

The Disk Utility program only repairs software that is installed by Apple. This utility also repairs folders, such as the Applications folder. However, this utility does not repair software that is in your home folder.

Microsoft Word 2004 for Mac

  1. Quit all Microsoft Office for Mac programs.

  2. On the Go menu, click Home.

  3. Open Library.

    Note

    The Library folder is hidden in MAC OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.

  4. Open the Preferences folder.

  5. Look for a file that is named com.microsoft.Word.plist.

  6. If you locate the file, move it to the desktop. If you do not locate the file, the program is using the default preferences.

  7. If you locate the file and move it to the desktop, start Word, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, quit Word, and restore the file to its original location. Then, go to the next step. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the com.microsoft.Word.plist file to the trash.

  8. Qit all Microsoft Office for Mac programs.

  9. On the Go menu, click Home.

  10. Open Library.

    Note

    The Library folder is hidden in MAC OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.

  11. Open the Preferences folder.

  12. Open the Microsoft folder.

  13. Look for a file that is named com.microsoft.Word.prefs.plist.

  14. Move the file to the desktop.

  15. Start Word, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem still occurs, quit Word, and restore the file to its original location. Then, go to the next step. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the com.microsoft.Word.prefs.plist file to the trash.

  16. On the Go menu, click Home.

  17. Open the Documents folder.

  18. Open the Microsoft User Data folder.

  19. Locate the file that is named Normal, and move the file to the desktop.

  20. Start Word, and check whether the problem still occurs. If the problem seems to be resolved, you can move the Normal file to the trash.

Third-party disclaimer information

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.

The information and the solution in this document represent the current view of Microsoft Corporation on these issues as of the date of publication. This solution is available through Microsoft or through a third-party provider. Microsoft does not specifically recommend any third-party provider or third-party solution that this article might describe. There might also be other third-party providers or third-party solutions that this article does not describe. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, this information should not be interpreted to be a commitment by Microsoft. Microsoft cannot guarantee or endorse the accuracy of any information or of any solution that is presented by Microsoft or by any mentioned third-party provider.

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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

This article contains more information about the following topics that are related to the removal of Office updates:

  • The requirements to remove Office updates by using the Add or Remove Programs tool.
  • How to determine whether an Office update can be removed by using the Add or Remove Programs tool.
  • Known issue that may occur when you try to remove Office updates.
  • How to remove an update by using a Microsoft Windows Installer command.

Note Some Office updates cannot be removed. Some examples include the following:

  • Service packs
  • Office server product updates
  • Some updates to Office shared components. In this case, the Microsoft Knowledge Base article that describes the update notes that the update cannot be removed.

More Information

The requirements to remove Office updates by using the Add or Remove Programs tool

The computer that is running Microsoft Office must meet the following prerequisites to use the Add or Remove Programs tool to remove Office updates:

  • Microsoft Windows Installer version 3.0 or version 3.1 must be installed before you install the removable Office update.

    Notes

    • Microsoft Windows Installer version 3.1 is preferred.

      For more information about how to obtain Windows Installer 3.1 (v2), see Windows Installer 3.1 v2 (3.1.4000.2435) is available.

    • Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) already includes Microsoft Windows Installer 3.0.3790.2180. Additionally, the 2007 Microsoft Office suites require Windows XP SP2.

    • Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) already includes Microsoft Windows Installer 3.1.4000.1830.

    • Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 already includes Microsoft Windows Installer 4.00.6001.0

  • The computer must be running Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2003 SP1.

    Note When you install either of these service packs, the Add or Remove Programs tool is updated to display Windows Installer updates under the product name.

  • Removing an Office XP update requires the original installation source to be available. Removing an Office 2003 update requires the original installation source to be available if the Local Installation Source feature in Office 2003 Setup is not used.

How to determine whether an Office update can be removed by using the Add or Remove Programs tool

Windows XP and Windows Server 2003

To determine whether an Office update can be removed by using the Add or Remove Programs tool, follow these steps:

How do you uninstall microsoft office on mac
  1. Click Start, click Run, type appwiz.cpl in the Open box, and then click OK.
  2. In the left column, click Change or Remove Programs.
  3. Click to select the Show Updates check box.
  4. In the Currently installed programs and updates list, click the update that you want to remove.

If the Remove button is available, you can remove the Office update.

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008

To determine whether you can use the Add or Remove Programs tool to remove an Office update, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, typeappwiz.cpl in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
  2. Under Tasks, click View installed updates.
  3. Locate and select the update in the list.
  4. If the update can be removed, theUninstall option will be available in the toolbar.

Known issue that may occur when you try to remove Office updates

The computer meets the prerequisites, but you cannot remove an update.

This issue may occur if the computer did not meet the prerequisites at the time that the update was installed. The computer must be running Windows Installer version 3.0 or version 3.1 before you install the removable update.

How to remove an update by using a Windows Installer

There are some cases in which you do not have the option to remove an update when you use the Add or Remove Programs tool.

If this issue occurs, you can remove the update by using Windows Installer 3.1. The Windows Installer 3.1 redistributable system component will install on the following operating systems:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP3) and Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 (SP4)

  • Windows XP original release version, Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1), and Windows XP SP2

  • Windows Server 2003 original release version

    Note Windows Server 2003 SP1 already includes Windows Installer 3.1.

Deleting Microsoft Office From Mac To Mac

For more information about how to obtain Windows Installer 3.1 (v2), seeWindows Installer 3.1 v2 (3.1.4000.2435) is available.

Command syntax

Microsoft Office 365 Login

With Windows Installer 3.1, you can remove an update by typing a command in the Run dialog box. For example, to remove an update, click Start, click Run, type the following command in the Open box, and then clickOK:

msiexec /package {product_code} /uninstall 'full_path_to_.msp_file' /qb

Uninstall Office 2011 Mac

Notes

  • When you try to remove an Office update, you may be prompted for your Office source CD-ROM.

  • The following explains the placeholders for this command:

    • The product_code placeholder represents the product code GUID that is associated with the Office product that you installed an update for.
    • The full_path_to_.msp_file placeholder represents the full path of the update package (.msp file).

  • The following explains the parameters for this command:

    The /qb switch. If you use the /qb switch, you are prompted if an update is not removable. If you use the /passive switch, you are not prompted if an update is not removable. If you use the /qb switch and if an update is not removable, you receive the following message:Uninstallation of the patch package is not supported.

For example, to remove an update where the product code is '{0C9840E7-7F0B-C648-10F0-4641926FE463}', and the path of the .msp file is 'C:Updatefile name.msp', you would type the following in the Run dialog box:

msiexec /package {0C9840E7-7F0B-C648-10F0-4641926FE463} /uninstall 'c:updatefile name.msp' /qb

To obtain the full path of the .msp file, follow these steps:

Microsoft Office Free Download

  1. Locate the .exe file that you used to install the Office update. If you do not have the file saved to the hard disk drive, download and then save the Office update to a folder on the computer.

  2. Use a file extraction utility, such as WinZip, to extract the files from the .exe update file.

    One of the files that is extracted should be a .msp file. This is the file that you must point to when you run the command to remove the Office update.

Note Instead of the full path of the .msp file, you can also specify the patch GUID. For example, to remove an update where the product code is '{0C9840E7-7F0B-C648-10F0-4641926FE463}', and the patch GUID is '{EB8C947C-78B2-85A0-644D-86CEEF8E07C0}', you would type the following in theRun dialog box:

msiexec /package {0C9840E7-7F0B-C648-10F0-4641926FE463} /uninstall {EB8C947C-78B2-85A0-644D-86CEEF8E07C0} /qb

Delete Microsoft Office Cache Mac

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.

References

For more information about how to remove Office updates that are installed by using Windows Installer version 3.0 or version 3.1, see Uninstalling Patches.