Fix Microsoft Office 2019 Installation Errors on macOS High Sierra
Question details
The user is unable to successfully download and install Microsoft Office Home and Student 2019 on an older Mac operating system.
- Product
- Microsoft Office Home and Student 2019
- Device & OS
- macOS High Sierra 10.13.6
- Scenario
- Downloading the installation package and attempting to install Office 2019 on a Mac running an unsupported OS.
- Observed behavior
- The PKG download does not complete correctly, leaving a .pkg.part file, and newer Office installers fail to run because macOS High Sierra is no longer supported.
Ensure you have a stable internet connection for downloading large files and verify that you have administrative privileges on your Mac to delete corrupted system files and install new software.
Remove Incomplete PKG Files and Install a Compatible Office Build
Clear out the corrupted installation fragments and manually download a legacy version of Office 2019 that still supports macOS High Sierra.
When a file download is interrupted on a Mac, the system leaves behind a '.pkg.part' file. You must delete these fragments before attempting a fresh download, otherwise, the installer will fail to launch.
Additionally, newer Microsoft Office updates no longer support macOS High Sierra. To get Office running on this OS, you need to bypass the latest installer and download a specific, older build from Microsoft's update history (such as the September build prior to the release of macOS Big Sur).
Open the Finder on your Mac, navigate to your Downloads folder, and locate any files ending in '.pkg.part' or partial Office installers. Drag them to the Trash and empty the Trash.
Go to the official Microsoft website and search for the 'Office for Mac update history' page. Locate an older release version of Office 2019 published during the time High Sierra was supported.
Click the download link for the compatible PKG file. Wait until the download progress completely finishes and the '.part' extension disappears before attempting to open it.
Double-click the fully downloaded PKG file and follow the on-screen prompts to install Office Home and Student 2019 on your Mac.
Use WPS Office for Seamless Document Creation on Mac
If you are tired of struggling with OS compatibility issues, large installation packages, and legacy version hunting, WPS Office is an excellent free alternative. It is lightweight, frequently updated, and runs smoothly on various macOS versions without heavy system requirements.
- 1. Download the Mac Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the Mac version of the software.
- 2. Install the Application: Open the downloaded DMG or PKG file and move the WPS Office application into your Mac's Applications folder.
- 3. Open Your Documents: Launch WPS Office and instantly open your existing Microsoft Office files to resume your work with zero compatibility issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Office installation file have a .pkg.part extension?
A .pkg.part extension means that the file download was interrupted or is still actively downloading. The macOS system uses the .part extension as a placeholder until the full file is successfully received. You must delete these files and restart the download if it has stalled.
Can I run the latest version of Microsoft 365 or Office 2019 on macOS High Sierra?
No. Microsoft dropped support for macOS High Sierra with the rollout of newer operating systems like Big Sur. The latest installers will detect your older OS and block the installation. You can only use specific legacy builds.
Where can I safely find older versions of Office for Mac?
You can find genuine older installers directly on Microsoft's official 'Office for Mac update history' web page. Look for release versions from previous years when macOS High Sierra was still actively supported.
Will I lose my Office Home and Student 2019 product key if I reinstall?
No, your product license is tied to your Microsoft account, not the installation file. Once you successfully install a compatible older version of Office, you simply need to sign in with your Microsoft account to activate the software.
