How to Back Up Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Settings on Mac
Question details
The user wants to back up customized Ribbon settings and preferences for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on macOS.
- Product
- Microsoft Office for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Preparing to migrate to a new Mac or securing application settings to restore them quickly with minimal downtime.
- Observed behavior
- The user needs a reliable method to locate and copy the necessary property list (.plist) files where Office for Mac stores its configurations.
Ensure that all Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) are fully closed before attempting to copy or restore configuration files to prevent data corruption.
Back Up Office for Mac .plist Preference Files
Locate and copy the specific property list files used by Microsoft Office to a secure external location or cloud storage.
Microsoft Office for Mac stores user preferences, including ribbon customizations and default settings, in specific property list (.plist) files within the user Library folder. By backing up these files, you can quickly restore your workspace on a new machine.
Open Finder on your Mac, click the 'Go' menu at the top of the screen, hold down the 'Option' key, and select 'Library' when it appears in the dropdown list.
Navigate to the 'Containers' or 'Group Containers' folder (depending on your macOS and Office version). Look for folders starting with 'com.microsoft' and locate the preference files for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint (such as com.microsoft.Word.plist).
Copy the relevant .plist files and paste them into a secure backup location, such as Dropbox, OneDrive, or an external USB drive.
To restore your settings, ensure Office apps are completely closed on the new Mac, then copy your backed-up .plist files into the exact same Library folder path.
Try WPS Office for a Seamless, Lightweight Experience on Mac
If managing complicated preference files and settings in Microsoft Office becomes overwhelming, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides an intuitive, all-in-one workspace for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files with built-in cloud syncing, eliminating the heavy manual configuration overhead.
- 1. Download the installer: Click the 'Download WPS Office Free' button to get the official Mac installer.
- 2. Install WPS Office: Open the downloaded .dmg file and drag the WPS Office icon into your Applications folder.
- 3. Sign in for instant sync: Launch WPS Office and sign in to your account to automatically sync your preferences to the cloud, skipping the need for manual file backups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are Microsoft Office preferences stored on a Mac?
Office preferences on Mac are typically stored in the hidden user Library folder, specifically within ~/Library/Preferences, ~/Library/Containers, or ~/Library/Group Containers, depending on your exact version of Office.
Can I transfer my Mac Office settings to a Windows PC?
No, Mac property list (.plist) files are specific to macOS system architecture and cannot be used to restore Microsoft Office settings or ribbon customizations on a Windows operating system.
What should I do if my customized ribbon disappears after a Mac update?
If your ribbon settings reset unexpectedly, ensure all Office apps are closed, then replace the current preference files in your Library folder with the .plist files from your secure backup location (like Dropbox or Time Machine) and restart the applications.
