some apps have encountered errors when trying to update on Mac

Question

My Microsoft (Office) AutoUpdate says some apps have encountered errors when trying to update. I have tried:

1. With the auto update. Nothing.
2. Per app (Word, Excel). Nothing.
3. Updated MAU manually for Nov 2025 update. Nothing.

How can I continue updating my Mic Office apps without "encountering errors?"

Thank you!

Answer 1

If you're encountering errors while trying to update Microsoft Office apps on your Mac, here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve the issue:

1. Check for Multiple Configuration Profiles: If your organization uses Microsoft Intune to manage updates, ensure that there are not multiple configuration profiles managing Microsoft AutoUpdate (MAU) settings. Having multiple profiles can cause conflicts. Ideally, you should deploy only one configuration profile that includes all necessary MAU settings for the Microsoft 365 apps.
2. Repair Permissions: Sometimes, permission issues can prevent updates from being applied. You can try repairing permissions on your Mac to see if that resolves the issue.
3. Reinstall Microsoft AutoUpdate: If the above steps do not work, consider uninstalling and then reinstalling Microsoft AutoUpdate. This can help reset any corrupted settings.
4. Use Terminal Commands: You can also try using the command-line tool msupdate to manually check for updates. Open the Terminal application and navigate to the MAU directory, then run ./msupdate --help to see available options.
5. Check for System Updates: Ensure that your macOS is up to date, as sometimes system updates can affect application updates.
6. Contact Support: If none of these solutions work, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for further assistance.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the update errors and continue updating your Microsoft Office apps without issues.

Answer 2

Hi RC,

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community. I'm here to help!

The error “Some apps have encountered errors” in Microsoft AutoUpdate (MAU) on Mac usually happens due to corrupted cache, outdated MAU, or permission issues.

I'd suggest trying the steps below:

• Quit all Office apps and open Microsoft AutoUpdate from /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0/.
• Clear the MAU cache: Open Terminal and run: defaults delete com.microsoft.autoupdate2
• Download and reinstall the latest MAU from Microsoft’s official link.
• Restart your Mac, then run MAU again and click Check for Updates.
• Check permissions: Ensure MAU has Full Disk Access under System Settings > Privacy & Security.

If the issue persists, try updating apps individually from within the app: Open Word or Excel → Help → Check for Updates.

If none of these work, the last resort is to reinstall Office using the full installer from Microsoft 365 download page.

You may also refer to this article for more information: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/troubleshoot-microsoft-autoupdate-in-microsoft-365-and-office-for-mac-d12d756a-4bb1-4c93-93a7-3d82aa918351

I hope you find this information helpful. Please let me know if you have any further questions If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer".

Regards,
Carlo