Microsoft Office 2021 (365) Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
Article ID = 276Article Title = Microsoft Office 2021 (365) Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
Article Author(s) = Graham Needham (BH)
Article Created On = 25th February 2021
Article Last Updated = 15th April 2021
Article URL = https://www.macstrategy.com/article.php?276
Article Brief Description:
Frequently Asked Questions about Microsoft Office 2021 / Microsoft 365
Installation, Registration, Compatibility and Requirements
- Microsoft announced in a blog post on 23rd September 2020 that there will be a new version of Office (2021) released in the second half of 2021, including a Mac version. Availability of perpetual license versions were confirmed on 18th February 2021.
General FAQ
Q. When is Office 2021 shipping?
A. Office 2021 was announced on 23rd September 2020 with a release date in the second half of 2021.Q. How does the Office/Microsoft 365 subscription work and how much is it?
A. See our separate article.Q. What if I don't want to subscribe to Office/Microsoft 365?
A. There will be a perpetual licence (retail) product (confirmed on 18th February 2021) and for larger businesses there will also be "volume licensing" available.Q. What software is included?
A. The following applications are included in Office 2021 for Mac:- Excel
- OneNote
- Outlook
- Powerpoint
- Word
Q. Will Office 2021 for Mac be 64-bit?
A. Yes, as Office 2019 is already 64-bit.Q. Will Office 2021 for Mac support Apple Silicon?
A. Yes, as Office 2019 already supports Apple's own processors.Q. What's this I hear about Office LTSC?
A. Office LTSC has extended offline access to enable devices to stay activated without connecting to the internet for up to 180 days (instead of the normal 30 days). And, obviously, if Office LTSC is not connected to the internet, it cannot access features that require the internet to work e.g. Dictation. These features are referred to by Microsoft as "Connected Experiences". Office LTSC is only for very specific users and usage scenarios - most normal home/business users will have no use for it.Q. Should I upgrade to Office 2021?
A. If you are not running a supported version of macOS you will not be able to upgrade. As Office 2019 is supported until 10th October 2023 you can still use that until that date if you want.Q. What are the current, supported versions of macOS?
A. macOS 11 (Big Sur), macOS 10.15 (Catalina) and macOS 10.14 (Mojave) are supported by Apple. The latest security updates are:- macOS 11 - included in the macOS 11.2.3 Installer (or go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Software Update and install the 11.2.3 update)
- macOS 10.15 - included in the macOS 10.15.7 Combo Update + Security Update 2021-001 for Catalina + Supplemental Update 2 (9th February 2021)
- macOS 10.14 - included in the macOS 10.14.6 Combo Update + Security Update 2021-002 for Mojave
- SECURITY WARNING: macOS 10.13 and earlier are no longer supported with security updates - see our securing older operating systems article.
Q. Are there any alternatives to Microsoft Office?
A. Yes - see our list of alternatives to Microsoft Office.
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