How to Download Only the Microsoft Access 365 Runtime Installer
Question details
The user wants to download and deploy only the Microsoft Access 365 Runtime installer without downloading the entire Microsoft Office suite.
- Product
- Microsoft Access 365 / Office Deployment Tool
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Deploying the Microsoft Access 365 Runtime for database users via the Office Deployment Tool (ODT).
- Observed behavior
- An incorrect configuration or mismatched update channel causes the ODT to download a package larger than 3 GB, effectively downloading the whole Office suite instead of just the Access Runtime.
Ensure you have the latest version of the Office Deployment Tool (ODT) downloaded from the official Microsoft Download Center and verify the exact update channel and architecture (32-bit or 64-bit) of your existing Office installation.
Configure ODT XML for Access Runtime Only
Create a precise XML configuration file to instruct the Office Deployment Tool to only download and deploy the Access Runtime package.
By specifying the exact Product ID (AccessRuntimeRetail) and matching your current Office update channel, you can restrict the ODT from fetching the entire 3 GB+ Office installation package.
Open a plain text editor like Notepad and create a new file named configuration.xml in the same folder where you extracted the Office Deployment Tool.
Paste the following XML code into your file: <Configuration><Add OfficeClientEdition="32" Channel="MonthlyEnterprise"><Product ID="AccessRuntimeRetail"><Language ID="en-us" /></Product></Add><Updates Enabled="TRUE" /><Display Level="None" AcceptEULA="FALSE" /></Configuration>
Change the OfficeClientEdition to '64' if you are using 64-bit Office, and ensure the Channel attribute precisely matches your existing Office 365 installation channel.
Open Command Prompt as an administrator, navigate to the ODT folder, and execute the command: setup.exe /download configuration.xml
Once the download completes, deploy the Access Runtime to your system by running the command: setup.exe /configure configuration.xml
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my Access Runtime download over 3 GB?
If your Office Deployment Tool XML configuration lacks the specific 'AccessRuntimeRetail' Product ID, or if the update channel does not match your current Office environment, the tool will default to downloading the entire Microsoft Office 365 suite instead of just the Access Runtime.
Can I install the 32-bit Access Runtime alongside a 64-bit Office installation?
No. Microsoft requires that all installed Office products and runtimes on a single machine share the same architecture. You must change the 'OfficeClientEdition' attribute in your XML to match your current 64-bit or 32-bit Office installation.
What is the Office Deployment Tool (ODT)?
The Office Deployment Tool is a command-line utility from Microsoft that allows IT administrators to download, deploy, and manage Microsoft 365 Apps on client computers, providing granular control over exactly which apps and configurations are installed.
