Office 2024 update problem

Question

After installing Office 2024 on my Mac - updates do not work. I receive a message "update error"

Answer 1

Hi, I'm John! I will help you with this.

Did you upgrade from an older version of Office, like Office 2021 or 2019? Or was this a completely fresh install on your Mac?

If this was an upgrade, sometimes old license files or remnants from the previous version can block updates and cause the "update error" message.

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If you haven't already, I’d suggest is to uninstall any existing Office apps on your Mac to avoid conflict:

• Here are the steps: https://support.microsoft.com/office/uninstall-office-for-mac-eefa1199-5b58-43af-8a3d-b73dc1a8cae3

Then, to reinstall Microsoft Office:

• Go to https://account.microsoft.com/services again.
• Sign in using the same Microsoft account linked to your license.
• Find your Microsoft Office 2024 and click the "Install".
• That will download the installer for the Office apps, just run it and follow the steps.

If anything’s unclear or the "Install" option still doesn’t show, feel free to let me know. I’ll be happy to walk you through it!

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I really hope this information is helpful! Let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.

Regards,

John J.D.

Answer 2

Use Microsoft AutoUpdate (MAU) and, if needed, reinstall Office to resolve the generic “update error” on Mac.

1. Confirm macOS is supported
   • Office 2024 for Mac supports only the three most recent macOS versions, and starting with the September 2025 update (16.101), macOS Sonoma (14) or later is required to continue receiving updates.
   • If macOS is older than Sonoma, Office apps will still run but will no longer receive any updates. In that case, upgrade macOS to Sonoma or later to restore updates.
2. Check/update via Microsoft AutoUpdate
   • Open any Office 2024 app (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
   • On the top menu, select Help > Check for Updates.
   • Ensure Microsoft AutoUpdate is set to automatically check for updates, or manually trigger Check for Updates and install all available updates.
3. If updates still fail with “update error”
   • Completely reinstall Office, which has resolved similar Mac update errors:
     1. Uninstall/remove the existing Office 2024 for Mac installation (move apps from /Applications to Trash and empty Trash, or use any organization-approved removal method).
     2. Reinstall Office 2024 for Mac from the original installer or from the account/portal used to obtain it.
     3. After reinstalling, open an Office app and run Help > Check for Updates again.
4. If the error persists after reinstalling and confirming macOS is supported
   • Contact Microsoft Support for further diagnostics, as the issue may be specific to the device or account configuration.

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References:

• Upgrade macOS to continue receiving Microsoft 365 and Office for Mac updates
• Deploy updates for Office for Mac
• Office for Mac update error: "Office <update version> can't be installed on this disk"
• Fixes or workarounds for recent Office installation or activation issues
• cannot install update in MAC sequoia - Microsoft Q&A