Fix Microsoft Office Apps Not Working on macOS Catalina 10.15.7
Question details
Microsoft Office applications fail to launch or function correctly after upgrading a Mac to macOS Catalina 10.15.7.
- Product
- Microsoft Office 2016 and 2019
- Device & OS
- macOS Catalina 10.15.7
- Scenario
- Trying to open or use Office applications immediately after installing a macOS system update.
- Observed behavior
- Office applications stop working, crash, or refuse to open, typically because older components or the Microsoft AutoUpdate tool are outdated and incompatible with the new macOS version.
Ensure your Mac is connected to a stable internet connection and that you have administrator privileges, as you will need to download and install system-level software updates.
Update Office using Microsoft AutoUpdate
Installing the latest version of Microsoft AutoUpdate resolves compatibility issues between older Office installations and macOS Catalina.
macOS Catalina requires 64-bit applications and updated system components. Older versions of Microsoft Office 2016 or 2019 may fail to run if their AutoUpdate utility is outdated and cannot fetch the required Catalina compatibility patches.
Go to the official Microsoft support site and download the latest Microsoft AutoUpdate installation package for Mac.
Locate the downloaded PKG file in your Downloads folder and double-click it. If the installer does not open automatically, right-click the file and select Open.
Follow the on-screen prompts to install the AutoUpdate tool. Once installed, launch Microsoft AutoUpdate from your Applications folder to check for and install available updates for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Once the application updates are fully downloaded and installed, restart your Mac from the Apple menu to apply the system changes and try opening your Office apps again.
Try WPS Office for Mac - Fast, Free, and Fully Compatible
If Microsoft Office continues to crash or fails to work on your macOS Catalina, switch to WPS Office. It is a lightweight, all-in-one free office suite that runs flawlessly on macOS without complex update dependencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did macOS Catalina break my Microsoft Office?
macOS Catalina (10.15) completely dropped support for 32-bit applications. If you were running older 32-bit versions of Office 2016 or outdated background components, they will no longer run on Catalina until updated to their 64-bit equivalents.
Will I lose my documents if I reinstall Office on my Mac?
No, your Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files are saved locally in your user folders or in the cloud. Reinstalling or updating the Microsoft Office application suite will not delete your personal document files.
What if Microsoft AutoUpdate itself is not working or fails to launch?
If the AutoUpdate tool fails to run, you can manually download the latest standalone installation packages for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint directly from the official Microsoft Office support website and install them over your existing application versions.
