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Will Installing Microsoft 365 Remove Existing Office Desktop Apps?
Question details
The user wants to know if installing a new Microsoft 365 subscription will overwrite, remove, or conflict with their currently installed standalone Office desktop applications.
- Product
- Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Upgrading to or installing Microsoft 365 on a computer that already has an older, perpetual version of Microsoft Office installed.
- Observed behavior
- Users are uncertain about installation conflicts, MSI versus Click-to-Run compatibility, and whether their old applications will be automatically uninstalled during the Microsoft 365 setup.
Before beginning the installation, open your current Office application, navigate to File > Account, and determine whether your existing installation uses Click-to-Run or an MSI installer, as this dictates compatibility.
Uninstall Existing Perpetual Office Versions First
To prevent system conflicts and ensure Microsoft 365 runs reliably, Microsoft highly recommends completely removing older perpetual Office versions before installing the new suite.
Microsoft 365 generally cannot run alongside perpetual desktop versions using the same installation technology. Mixing MSI and Click-to-Run installations, or having two Click-to-Run versions on the same device, often leads to application crashes or license activation errors. It is best practice to start with a clean slate.
Click the Windows Start menu, search for 'Control Panel', and select it. Navigate to 'Programs' and then click on 'Programs and Features'.
Scroll through the list of installed applications to find your existing Microsoft Office installation (for example, Office Home & Student 2019 or Office Professional Plus 2016).
Right-click the Microsoft Office application, select 'Uninstall', and follow the on-screen prompts to remove the software completely.
Once the uninstallation finishes, restart your computer to clear any residual registry files before proceeding with the Microsoft 365 installation.
Install Microsoft 365 Side-by-Side (If Supported)
In specific scenarios, you can run Microsoft 365 alongside older Office apps if they use completely different installation technologies, though it is not officially guaranteed to be stable.
Avoid Installation Conflicts with WPS Office
If you are tired of dealing with complex Microsoft 365 installation rules, version conflicts, and expensive subscriptions, consider switching to WPS Office. It is a lightweight, fully compatible, and free alternative that runs smoothly alongside any software without interfering with your system.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the 'Free Download' button to get the setup file.
- 2. Install the Software: Run the lightweight installer file. WPS Office installs quickly and operates completely independently of any Microsoft services.
- 3. Start Editing Documents: Open WPS Office and instantly start editing your existing Microsoft Office files without worrying about compatibility issues or forced upgrades.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I lose my documents if I uninstall my old Office version?
No. Uninstalling Microsoft Office only removes the application executable files. Your personal documents, spreadsheets, and presentation files will remain safely stored exactly where you saved them on your hard drive.
What happens if I try to install Microsoft 365 over Office 2019 or 2021?
Because both use the Click-to-Run installation technology, Microsoft 365 will typically prompt you to remove the older version first, or it may automatically upgrade and overwrite the existing installation to prevent software conflicts.
Can I keep older standalone apps like Project or Visio when upgrading to Microsoft 365?
It depends heavily on the installation technology. If your older Project or Visio apps use an MSI installer and Microsoft 365 uses Click-to-Run, they might successfully coexist. However, if they share the same installation technology but have different version years, you usually cannot run them on the same computer.
