Microsoft guidance: Determining the installed version of Microsoft 365 Apps (Click-to-Run)

Summary

For Microsoft 365 Apps installed by using Click-to-Run technology, use the Click-to-Run Inventory registry data as the authoritative source for determining the installed Office product and version.

Specifically, use the values under the following registry key:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\ClickToRun\Inventory\Office\16.0

including:

  • OfficePackageVersion

  • OfficeProductReleaseIds

These inventory values represent the installed Office product state. Use them for software inventory, compliance reporting, application detection, and deployment validation.

Important

Don't use the following registry value as a source of truth for the installed Office version:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\ClickToRun\Configuration\VersionToReport

VersionToReport is an internal Office telemetry value. Office components use it for telemetry and reporting purposes. It's not a supported installation-state contract.

Because VersionToReport serves a telemetry function, its value doesn't guarantee a fully installed, validated, and operational Office build. Solutions that use VersionToReport as a compliance or deployment detection mechanism might report an Office version that differs from the version currently installed on the device.

Recommended detection method

Use the Click-to-Run Inventory key to determine the installed Office version:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\ClickToRun\Inventory\Office\16.0

Office version

Use:

OfficePackageVersion

Example:

OfficePackageVersion = 16.0.19725.20170

This value represents the Office build currently installed on the device. Use it for:

  • Configuration Manager application detection

  • Compliance reporting

  • Endpoint inventory

  • Update validation

  • Deployment targeting

Office product identification

Use:

OfficeProductReleaseIds

Example:

OfficeProductReleaseIds = O365ProPlusRetail

This value identifies the installed Office product and can be used to validate that the expected Microsoft 365 Apps SKU is present.

Why This Guidance Matters

Detection and compliance systems rely on authoritative installation data to determine whether a software deployment succeeded.

Using telemetry-oriented values for deployment validation can result in inaccurate compliance reporting. In certain failure scenarios, a telemetry value might indicate a newer version than the version currently installed on disk. If compliance decisions are based on that telemetry value, deployment systems might incorrectly determine that a device is compliant and therefore not offer remediation or a subsequent update.

Using OfficePackageVersion avoids this issue because it reflects the installed Office version maintained by the Click-to-Run inventory subsystem.

Best Practices

Microsoft recommends that administrators:

  1. Review existing scripts, Configuration Manager detection methods, compliance baselines, and inventory solutions.

  2. Identify any logic that depends on VersionToReport.

  3. Migrate version detection to OfficePackageVersion.

  4. Use OfficeProductReleaseIds when product identification is required.

  5. Validate compliance and update workflows by using the Click-to-Run Inventory registry location.

Conclusion

For Microsoft 365 Apps (Click-to-Run), the supported and recommended source for determining the installed Office version is the Click-to-Run Inventory registry data, particularly OfficePackageVersion. Administrators should treat VersionToReport as an internal telemetry value and shouldn't use it as the authoritative source for deployment detection, compliance evaluation, or version inventory.

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