I have office home and business 2021 mac subscription. It prompts me to update but when i am trying to update it just keep sauying update required but won't update a

Question

I have office home and business 2021 mac subscription. It prompts me to update but when i am trying to update it just keep saying update required but won't update.

Screenshot 2026-08-11 at 12.31.09 PM.png

Answer 1

This problem is widely reported and it is caused by the July update, the working method to resolve this problem is to completely uninstall Office from your Mac using the steps provided on this link, then download and install the Office apps again.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/lifecycle/officeinstall/uninstall-office-for-mac

Answer 2

my ms office is 16.78. What do i need to do then

Answer 3

I followed and it is still not working. Mac os is 15.7.4

Answer 4

For Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac, this usually means either the Mac cannot reach the required Office build, Microsoft AutoUpdate is failing, or the app needs a sign-in refresh after updating.

Try this in order:

1. Check the minimum supported versions.
   • Mac must be on macOS 12 (Monterey) or later.
   • Office must update to at least version 16.83.
   • If the Mac cannot upgrade to macOS 12 or later, the required Office update cannot be installed on that device.
2. Update from inside an Office app.
   • Open Word or Excel.
   • Select Help > Check for Updates.
   • In Microsoft AutoUpdate, select Update or Update All.
   • When the update finishes, restart the app.
3. If Microsoft AutoUpdate keeps failing or loops on “Update required,” reinstall the latest Microsoft AutoUpdate.
   • A missing helper file or incorrect permissions can cause this behavior.
   • Download and run the latest AutoUpdate installer, then try Help > Check for Updates again.
   • If the Mac is managed by an organization and software installation is blocked, contact the help desk or IT administrator.
4. If Office updates but still stays in reduced functionality or will not save/edit, quit and sign in again.
   • Quit the app completely with Command + Q.
   • Reopen the app.
   • Go to the app’s Account settings.
   • Sign out, then sign in again with the Microsoft account.
5. If this is actually Office 2019 for Mac, updating will not fix it.
   • Office 2019 for Mac is out of support and cannot be updated to the required version.
   • In that case, use Microsoft 365 on the web or move to a supported Office version.

Important correction: Office Home & Business 2021 is a one-time purchase, not a subscription. If the app is prompting for Microsoft 365 features instead of recognizing the 2021 license, old license data may be interfering. In that case, removing old Office license files can help.

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• Update Microsoft 365 or Office on your macOS or iOS device
• Troubleshoot Microsoft AutoUpdate in Microsoft 365 and Office for Mac
• Update Microsoft 365 or Office on your macOS or iOS device
• Update Office for Mac automatically