How to Update Excel on Microsoft 365 or Office

Keeping Excel current reduces crashes, missing features, and security gaps. How you update depends on whether you use a Microsoft 365 subscription or a one-time Office purchase such as Office 2024. Confirm your license type first, then apply updates from Excel’s Account page or your OS update channel.

What Updating Excel Involves on Microsoft 365 and Perpetual Office

The objective is to update Excel when the current workflow does not complete as expected. Update and upgrade problems often come from an account-license mismatch, an unsupported system, a conflicting Office installation, or damaged setup files. Resolve ownership and compatibility checks before repairing or reinstalling so activation and local data are not disrupted unnecessarily.

Quick Answer: How to Update Excel

In desktop Excel, go to File > Account, then select Update Options > Update Now. Stay signed in with the Microsoft account that owns your Microsoft 365 subscription or Office license. On Mac, use Help > Check for Updates (or Microsoft AutoUpdate). If Update Options is missing, you may be on a managed IT channel—ask your administrator—or on the Microsoft Store/Mac App Store build, which updates through the store. After updating, restart Excel and confirm the version under File > Account.

Possible Causes When Excel Will Not Update

• You are signed into a different Microsoft account than the one that owns the license.
• IT policy or a metered/offline channel blocks user-initiated Update Now.
• A conflicting Office Click-to-Run installation or leftover MSI build interferes with updates.
• Insufficient disk space, blocked installer downloads, or damaged Office setup files.
• Unsupported operating system version for the latest Excel build.

Recommended Solution: Update Excel From File > Account

When to use this: Use this when you need Excel (and other Office apps) fully up to date on a PC or Mac you control.

1. Verify whether you use a Microsoft 365 subscription or a one-time purchase such as Microsoft Office 2024.
2. Open Excel and go to File > Account (on some builds: File > Office Account).
3. Confirm Product Information shows the expected license and the correct signed-in account.
4. Select Update Options > Update Now and wait for the download and install to finish.
5. Close and reopen Excel, then check the version/build under File > Account to confirm the update applied.

Why this works: Click-to-Run updates are delivered through the Account page for most Microsoft 365 and retail Office installs, keeping Excel aligned with the current channel build.

If this fails: Note the exact error, channel (Current/Monthly Enterprise/Semi-Annual), and whether Update Options is grayed out. On managed PCs, ask IT; otherwise proceed to repair options below.

Additional Fix: Repair Office When Update Now Fails

When to use this: Use this when Update Now errors, stalls, or never offers updates.

1. On Windows, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select Microsoft 365 or Office, and run Quick Repair; use Online Repair if Quick Repair fails.
2. Free disk space, temporarily allow Office CDN traffic in firewall/VPN software, then retry Update Now.
3. If you have conflicting older Office installs, uninstall unused versions carefully after backing up files, then reinstall from account.microsoft.com/services.
4. On Mac, open Microsoft AutoUpdate and choose Check for Updates; if needed, reinstall Office from Microsoft after quitting all Office apps.

Why this works: Repair replaces damaged Click-to-Run components that block the update pipeline without wiping your documents.

If this fails: Contact Microsoft support or your administrator with the version string and error text; avoid mixing Store and Click-to-Run builds on the same device.

Use WPS Office While You Update or Repair Excel

WPS Office cannot push Microsoft Excel updates, repair Microsoft Click-to-Run, or fix Microsoft licensing activation. Update and repair remain Microsoft or IT tasks.

While Excel is updating or being repaired, WPS Office can keep spreadsheet work available locally:

1. Download and install WPS Office.
2. Open Excel-compatible .xlsx files in WPS Spreadsheets.
3. Edit and save locally until Microsoft Excel finishes updating.
4. Reopen the files in Excel after File > Account shows the new build.

This reduces downtime during update or repair cycles. If you need a practical Office-compatible suite in the meantime, try WPS Office.

Prevention Tips for Smooth Excel Updates

• Stay signed in with the license-owning Microsoft account before checking for updates.
• Allow Office updates on a reliable network; avoid interrupting Update Now mid-install.
• On work devices, follow your IT update channel instead of forcing unsupported builds.
• Keep Windows or macOS within Microsoft’s supported versions for your Office release.
• Periodically confirm the build under File > Account after major Windows updates.

FAQs About How to Update Excel

Where is Update Now in Excel?
Open File > Account (or Office Account), then choose Update Options > Update Now on Click-to-Run installs.

Why don’t I see Update Options?
Your PC may be IT-managed, Microsoft Store-based, or using a channel that disables user updates. Check with your administrator or update via the store/AutoUpdate.

Can WPS Office update Microsoft Excel for me?
No. WPS Office does not update or repair Microsoft Excel; it can help you edit spreadsheets locally while Excel updates.