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Office Installation Errors

Fix Office 2024 for Mac Installation Fails on macOS Sequoia

Maira MehtabMaira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where the Microsoft Office 2024 installation process fails near completion on an Apple Silicon Mac running macOS Sequoia.

Product
Microsoft Office 2024 for Mac
Device & OS
macOS Sequoia (Apple Silicon Mac)
Scenario
Attempting to install a newly purchased perpetual-license version of Office 2024 after removing Office 2019.
Observed behavior
The installation process consistently fails near the end, even after restarting the computer, redownloading the installer package, using Safe Mode, and attempting to remove older Office versions.
Before you start

Ensure you have administrator privileges on your Mac and temporarily disable any third-party security software that might interfere with the installation process.

Solution 1Recommended

Completely Uninstall Office and Use an Earlier Installer Package

This solution bypasses potential bugs in the latest Microsoft Office installer by reverting to a previously stable build from the official update history.

Occasionally, the most recent installer package released by Microsoft contains compatibility issues or bugs that cause the installation to fail on specific operating systems like macOS Sequoia. Using an older, stable package can help you bypass this error and successfully install the software.

1
Remove all existing Office components

Open the Applications folder on your Mac and move any existing Microsoft Office apps to the Trash. Additionally, open Finder, press Command+Shift+G, type '~/Library', and remove associated Microsoft Office preference files from the 'Containers' and 'Group Containers' folders to ensure a clean slate.

2
Download an earlier installer package

Visit the official Microsoft 'Update history for Office for Mac' webpage. Locate an installer package from a previous month (for example, one version prior to the current release) and download it to your Mac.

3
Run the older installer

Double-click the downloaded package file and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation process.

4
Pause automatic updates

Once the installation is complete and you have successfully activated Office, open any Office application and temporarily pause Microsoft AutoUpdate. This prevents the system from immediately downloading the faulty update again while Microsoft works on a fix.

Contacting Microsoft Support: If the installation still fails after trying an earlier installer package, take a screenshot of the exact error message provided by the installer and contact Microsoft Support for further assistance.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the Office 2024 installer fail on Apple Silicon Macs?

Installation failures on Apple Silicon Macs running macOS Sequoia can occur due to compatibility bugs in the specific version of the Microsoft installer package you downloaded, or leftover files from older Office versions (like Office 2019) conflicting with the new setup process.

How do I completely remove old Office versions on Mac?

To completely remove older versions, you must drag the Microsoft Office applications from the Applications folder to the Trash. Additionally, you need to open Finder, press Command+Shift+G, type '~/Library', and delete Microsoft-related files in the 'Containers' and 'Group Containers' folders.

Where can I find older Office for Mac installer packages?

You can find older installer packages by searching for 'Update history for Office for Mac' on the official Microsoft Learn or Microsoft Support websites. The page provides direct download links for previous stable release versions.

Can I run Office 2019 and Office 2024 on the same Mac?

It is highly recommended not to run both versions simultaneously. Having both versions installed can cause license conflicts, activation loops, and unexpected software behavior. Always completely uninstall Office 2019 before installing Office 2024.