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Turn off auto update

Xe mez 0 Reputation points
2026-03-15T18:21:32.9933333+00:00

Instructions on how to turn off the automatic updater on my macOS Office 2019.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For home | MacOS
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  1. Xe mez 0 Reputation points
    2026-03-15T21:00:35.8333333+00:00

    I’ve done all these things; there’s a hidden switch somewhere because the annoyance won’t stop.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-03-15T18:21:43.2833333+00:00

    To turn off automatic updates for Office on macOS, disable Microsoft AutoUpdate and/or automatic app updates, depending on how Office was installed.

    1. Open any Office app (for example, Word or Excel).
    2. In the top menu bar, select Help > Check for Updates to open Microsoft AutoUpdate.
    3. In Microsoft AutoUpdate, turn off or uncheck any option that enables automatic updates (for example, deselect automatic checking or installing of updates), if available.

    If using macOS Ventura or later and want to stop AutoUpdate from running in the background:

    1. Open System Settings from Launchpad.
    2. Select General > Login Items & Extensions.
    3. In Allow in the Background, turn Microsoft AutoUpdate off.

    If Office was installed from the Mac App Store and automatic updates are enabled there, they can also be controlled at the system level by turning off automatic app updates in the App Store settings (note that the context only covers how to update, not how to disable that feature).

    If reverting to an earlier Office build and wanting to prevent future updates after that, disable updates from within Office (Windows example in context, conceptually similar on Mac):

    1. Open an Office app such as Outlook.
    2. Go to File > Account (or equivalent account/settings page on Mac).
    3. Under Product Information, choose Update Options and select Disable Updates (where available).

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  3. Bob Jones AKA CyberTaz MVP 436K Reputation points
    2026-03-15T22:49:49.4266667+00:00

    See whether this helps:

    In >System Settings - Notifications flip the toggle switch for Microsoft Update Assistant - Allow Notifications to Off.

    That should disable the other toggle switches as well. Restart the Mac afterward.

    If that doesn't do the job please provide a screenshot of the automatic updater you're referring to.

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