Update & Upgrade Problems

How to Stop Office 2019 for Mac Upgrade Prompts

Muhammad Talha Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is experiencing persistent prompts from Microsoft AutoUpdate asking them to upgrade to a newer version of Office.

How to Stop Office 2019 for Mac Upgrade Prompts

Product: Microsoft Office 2019
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Opening and using Office 2019 applications after its end-of-support date.
Observed behavior: Microsoft AutoUpdate frequently displays notifications urging the user to upgrade to Microsoft 365 or Office 2021, causing disruption during work.

Before you start

Before modifying system files to disable updates, verify that your Mac is currently running Office 2019 and save any open documents to prevent data loss.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable Microsoft AutoUpdate on Mac

Since Office 2019 is no longer receiving security or feature updates, you can safely disable the Microsoft AutoUpdate tool to stop the upgrade prompts.

Microsoft officially ended support for Office 2019 for Mac on October 10, 2023. The recurring prompts are not an indication that your files are broken, but rather a promotional notification generated by the Microsoft AutoUpdate utility.

Open Finder

Click the Finder icon in your Mac's Dock, then click 'Go' in the top menu bar and select 'Go to Folder'.

Locate the AutoUpdate Folder

Type '/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/' into the search box and press Return.

Delete Microsoft AutoUpdate

Find the folder named 'MAU2.0' or 'Microsoft AutoUpdate'. Open it, right-click the 'Microsoft AutoUpdate.app' file, and select 'Move to Trash'.

Empty the Trash

Right-click the Trash icon in your Dock and select 'Empty Trash' to permanently prevent the update utility from running in the background.

End of Support Notice: Disabling the AutoUpdate tool means you will not receive any further notifications. Because Office 2019 has reached the end of its lifecycle, there are no future updates to miss anyway.

Solution 2

Upgrade to a Supported Microsoft Office Version

If you require the latest security patches and features, the official resolution is to upgrade to a supported version.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Switch to WPS Office to Avoid Upgrade Fees

Instead of paying for an expensive upgrade to Office 2021 or a recurring Microsoft 365 subscription, try WPS Office for Mac. It provides a robust, free suite of productivity tools without disruptive upgrade notifications and maintains excellent compatibility with your existing files.

1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the Mac version.
2. Install WPS Office: Open the downloaded file and drag the WPS Office icon into your Applications folder.
3. Open Your Files: Launch WPS Office and directly open your existing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files without any format conversion.

Completely free to use without disruptive, mandatory paid upgrades.Highly compatible with Microsoft Office formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx).Lightweight design optimized for Mac devices.Familiar user interface requires no learning curve to master.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my Office 2019 for Mac stop working after the end of support?

No, your existing Office 2019 applications will continue to function normally. You can still view, edit, and save your documents. However, you will no longer receive new features, bug fixes, or security updates from Microsoft.

Is it safe to keep using Office 2019 for Mac?

While you can still create and edit documents, continuing to use unsupported software may leave your Mac vulnerable to future security threats. It is recommended to use an actively supported alternative like WPS Office or upgrade your Microsoft license.

Why is Microsoft AutoUpdate still running if there are no updates available?

Microsoft AutoUpdate routinely checks for newer versions of all installed Microsoft apps. Even if Office 2019 has no available updates, the tool recognizes that a newer version of the Office suite exists on Microsoft's servers and triggers the promotional upgrade prompt.

Installation & Activation