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How to Safely Remove Office 2013 After Installing Office 2021
Question details
The user wants to safely remove older Office 2013 files remaining on a secondary disk after installing Office 2021 Pro Plus on a clean Windows system.
- Product
- Microsoft Office
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Upgrading to a newer version of Microsoft Office and wanting to safely clean up legacy installation files.
- Observed behavior
- Office 2013 installation files remain on the system alongside the newly installed Office 2021.
Ensure that all Microsoft Office applications are completely closed before starting. It is also recommended to have your Office 2021 product key or account details handy in case you need to repair file associations later.
Uninstall Office 2013 via Windows Settings
Use the built-in Windows application manager to safely remove the software without leaving broken registry entries.
Manually deleting the Office 2013 folder from your hard drive is strongly discouraged. This method leaves behind hidden registry keys and background services that can interfere with your new Office 2021 setup. Always use the official Windows uninstaller to ensure a clean removal.
Press the Windows Key + I on your keyboard to open the Windows Settings menu.
Click on 'Apps' in the left sidebar, then select 'Apps & features' or 'Installed apps' depending on your Windows version.
Scroll down or use the search bar to find 'Microsoft Office 2013' in the list of installed programs.
Click the three dots (or click directly on the app name) and select 'Uninstall'. Follow the on-screen prompts from the Microsoft Office uninstaller to completely remove the software.
Switch to WPS Office for a Hassle-Free Experience
If managing multiple versions of Microsoft Office feels overwhelming, try WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, all-in-one workspace for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files without a bloated installation process.
- 1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the 'Free Download' button.
- 2. Install the Software: Run the downloaded executable file and follow the quick setup instructions.
- 3. Open Your Files: Launch WPS Office to instantly open, edit, and save your existing Office documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will removing Office 2013 break my Office 2021 installation?
No, removing the older version should not affect Office 2021. However, if you notice that double-clicking documents no longer opens them in Office 2021 by default, you can fix this by running a 'Quick Repair' on Office 2021 in your Windows Settings.
Can I just delete the old Office 2013 folder from my hard drive?
It is strongly advised not to delete the folder manually. Deleting files manually bypasses the uninstaller, leaving behind orphaned registry entries and temporary files that could cause system errors.
Will I lose my Outlook emails if I uninstall Office 2013?
Your Outlook data files (.pst and .ost) are stored separately from the program files and will not be deleted during the uninstallation. The newly installed Office 2021 Outlook will continue to access your existing email profiles.
