Plastic bag Office editors from Microsoft exists in the most different versions, differing both in the set of programs and in the year of release. Despite the availability latest versions, many users still prefer . This is due to low PC requirements, conservative views on design and arrangement of functions, and many others.

However, often the need to upgrade to an older version still arises. For example, new modules are needed that are missing in older editions. Let's say you want to upgrade to the 2010 version. But you need to do this without removing the main package. Is it possible to upgrade Microsoft Office 2007 to 2010?

Transition to a new Office

The MS company provided in advance the opportunity to carry out a soft transition to an older version of the editor suite. In this case, you do not need to remove the old Office and install the new one from scratch. To save user settings and a number of other parameters, you can carry out the upgrade process. How to update MS Office?

  1. Download the original 2010 edition distribution from the official website.
  2. Run the installer.
  3. After checking the files, it will offer you the "Update" option. Activate it.
  4. Select the installation type and additional options (remove old versions, remove specific modules, etc.). It is recommended to select automatic installation if you do not have the necessary skills.
  5. Once the process is complete (it can take from 20 to 40 minutes depending on the power of your PC), you will receive updated version package.

Important aspects

Here it is necessary to note several important nuances. First of all, if you decide to upgrade Office 2007 to Office 2010, you will need to activate the edition with a new license key. Yes, sometimes Microsoft runs promotions where you can upgrade to an older version for free. But that rarely happens. In most cases, it is necessary to purchase a new product again.

However, no need to worry. After the transition, you will be given a 30-day grace period. During this time you can use full version package, that is, use all available modules and download updates. If you are satisfied with everything, then all you have to do is purchase license key and go through activation. If you do not complete the procedure after 30 days, the Microsoft software will go into limited functionality mode.

More recently, information has been received that new versions will be released soon Word programs, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. When will Microsoft update? office design, and what changes will follow?

When to expect changes

Users will be able to evaluate the updated design and functionality of Word, Excel and PowerPoint as early as June this year. Updates to Outlook for Windows will appear in July, and the version for Mac will suffer the same fate in August.

What new will Microsoft introduce?

Microsoft intends to include new version the following updates to their programs:

  • the search engine will become more “advanced”. New search will give you access not only to information, but also to teams, people and shared content. A “Zero Query” option will be added, which, when you hover over search bar, she will give you more suitable options queries based on AI algorithms and Microsoft Graph;
  • colors and icons will be updated. All users will be able to see the new color palette, which will be presented in the form of scalable graphics. The developers are confident that this approach will not only modernize programs, but will also help make design more accessible and inclusive for every user;
  • products will have an internal survey function. This will create a strong connection between developers and users for more effective information sharing and the ability to make changes.

The developers report that it will be simplified appearance tapes. Manufacturers are confident that this move will help users better concentrate on work and not get distracted. For those who simply need more options for the tape, there will be a mode that allows you to stretch it to a more familiar classic appearance.

Microsoft tries to keep up with progress and makes changes to its programs in such a way that every user feels comfortable using them. Microsoft does everything so that the client can achieve more.

Sooner or later, any application needs updates related to both adding new functionality and fixing possible errors at work. The Microsoft Office system and, in particular, Word is no exception.

Currently, Microsoft has stopped supporting Office 2003 and earlier versions. Since October 2017, support for Office 2007 has also ended. Company specialists recommend installing a newer office suite.

In releases 2010, 2013 and 2016 ( latest version currently) the procedure for installing updates is slightly different.


So, for Word 2010, just launch the application. Open the "File" menu. Select "Help". IN this section automatic checking for updates is provided. After clicking the function of the same name, the page will open in the browser Microsoft support with options for solving problems.

In Word 2013, similar operations are located in the “Accounts” subsection of the “File” tab. Update options (enable/disable) can be set in the “Product Information” item.

Then you can use the “Update” button to get the latest packages.

Word 2016 has a similar menu and workflow to the 2013 version.

In a situation where the standard functionality does not help with the update, you can go to the Microsoft support site and use tips for troubleshooting problems and system settings.

The Microsoft Office software package is actively used in both the private and corporate segments. And it’s not surprising, because it contains in its arsenal the necessary set of tools for comfortable work with documents. We have previously talked about how to install Microsoft Office on a computer, and in this article we will talk about updating it.

By default, all programs included with Microsoft Office update automatically, but sometimes this does not happen. The latter is especially true in the case of using pirated assemblies of the package - in principle, they may never be updated, and this is normal. But there are other reasons - the installation of the update was disabled or the system crashed. Be that as it may, you can update official MS Office in just a few clicks, and now you will learn how.

Checking for updates

In order to check whether an update is available for the office suite, you can use any of the applications included in its composition. This could be PowerPoint, OneNote, Excel, Word, etc.


Turn automatic updates on or off

It happens that background installation of updates in Microsoft Office applications is disabled, and therefore needs to be activated. This is done according to a similar algorithm described above.


Updating Office via Microsoft Store (Windows 8 - 10)

The article about installing the office suite, which we mentioned at the beginning of this material, also talks about where and in what form you can purchase Microsoft branded software. One of possible options– purchasing Office 2016 in the Microsoft Store, which is integrated into the current versions of the operating system Windows systems. The software package purchased in this way can be updated directly through the Store, and by default, Office, like any other applications presented there, are updated automatically.

Note: To follow the recommendations described below, you must be logged in to the system with your Microsoft account, and it must match the one used in MS Office.

  1. Open Microsoft Store. You can find it in the menu "Start" or through the built-in search system ( "WIN+S").
  2. In the upper right corner, find the three horizontal dots located to the right of your profile icon and click on them.
  3. In the drop-down menu, select the first item - "Downloads and Updates".
  4. View the list of available updates

    and, if these include Microsoft Office components, click on the button at the top "Get updates".

  5. You can use Microsoft Office this way if you purchased it through the built-in Windows App Store.

    The updates available in it can be installed automatically, along with the operating system update.

Solving Common Problems

As already mentioned at the beginning of the article, sometimes various problems arise with installing updates. Let's look at the causes of the most common ones and how to eliminate them.

Missing Update Options button

It happens that the button "Update Options", which is necessary to check the availability and receive an update in Microsoft Office programs, is missing in the section "Product Details". This is typical for pirated versions of the software in question, but not only for them.

Enterprise license
If the office suite you are using has a corporate license, you can only update it through "Update Center" Windows. That is, in this case, Microsoft Office can be updated in exactly the same way as operating system generally. You can learn how to do this from separate articles on our website.

Read more: How to update Windows //

Organization Group Policy
Button "Update Options" may be absent if the office suite is used in the organization - in this case, updates are managed using a special group policy. The only thing Possible Solution– contacting the internal support service or system administrator.

MS Office programs won't launch

It happens that Microsoft Office, or more precisely, the programs included in it, stop starting. Therefore, install updates in the usual way(via options « Account» , In chapter "Product Details") will not work. Well, if MS Office was purchased through the Microsoft Store, then the update can be installed from it, but what to do in all other cases? There is a fairly simple solution, which, moreover, is also applicable to all versions of Windows OS.

  1. Open "Control Panel". You can do this as follows: key combination "WIN+R", enter the command “control” (without quotes) and press "OK" or "ENTER".
  2. In the window that appears, find the section "Programs" and click on the link below - "Remove programs".
  3. You will see a list of all programs installed on your computer. Find Microsoft Office in it and click LMB to highlight it. On the top panel, click the button "Change".
  4. In the window asking you to make changes that appears on your screen, click "Yes". Then, in the window for changing the current Microsoft installations Office select item "Restore", marking it with a marker, and press the button "Continue".
  5. Next, follow the step-by-step prompts. Once the recovery procedure is complete, restart your computer, then launch any Microsoft Office program and update the package using one of the methods described above.
  6. If following the steps above does not help and the applications still do not launch, you will need to reinstall Microsoft Office. The following materials on our website will help you do this:

Other reasons

When you can’t update Microsoft Office using any of the methods we’ve described, you can try downloading and installing the required update manually. This option will also be of interest to users who want complete control over the update process.

  1. By clicking on the above link, you will be taken to the page for downloading the latest available updates for programs from Microsoft package Office. It is noteworthy that on it you can find updates not only for the 2016 version, but also for the older 2013 and 2010. In addition, there is also an archive of all updates released over the past 12 months.
  2. Select the update that suits your version of Office and click on the active link to download it. In our example, the Office 2016 option will be selected and the only available update.
  3. On the next page you must also decide which update file you plan to download for installation. It is important to consider the following - if you haven’t updated Office for a long time and don’t know which file is right for you, just choose the most “recent” one located above in the table.

    Note: In addition to updates for the entire office suite, you can download separately current version for each of the programs included in its composition - all of them are available in the same table.

  4. Having selected the required update version, you will be redirected to the download page. True, you will first need to do right choice between 32 and 64 bit version.

If you have a licensed Office 2010 program, then you can update it to Office 2013 by registering your office and installing a new version of the program.

Of course this opportunity Not everyone has it, but only those who bought the Office 2010 program after the start of the promotion.

You can find out whether your program is suitable for updating only by starting the update.

So, let's take a closer look at how to make Word 2010, Word 2013, and so on.

Click on the green “Get office now” button.

2. Then proceed to entering the product key.

Select the country (1), enter the license key of your office (2), then accept license agreement and check the box (3), then enter the numbers and letters from the picture (4) and click on the send button.

3. System check.

3.1. If the program was purchased after the promotion, we receive a message stating that it is impossible to update.

3.2. If the program can be updated, then the test has passed and a new window will open with a choice of language and country.

If there are no accounts, then you need to register a mailbox.

7. Installation of "Office 2013 / Microsoft Office 2013". In fact, it’s said loudly, because those who don’t know how to install Office 2013 can simply run the file and the program will do everything itself.

8. After the office loads, a video greeting will appear.

9. The program will be activated after the first launch of the program. We only need to enter the activate button - the program itself will remind you of activation.

10. Let's start working.

This is what word office 2013 looks like - ribbon, buttons and bookmarks.

By the way, if you think that you can update Office Word 2010, then I thought so too.

Office 2013 is installed in a different folder and can be used separately.