Microsoft Office Version Compatible with macOS High Sierra 10.13.6
Question details
The user is looking for a Microsoft Office installer that works with macOS High Sierra 10.13.6, as newer installers block the installation.
- Product
- Microsoft Office for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS High Sierra 10.13.6
- Scenario
- Attempting to install Microsoft 365 or Office for Mac on a device running an older operating system.
- Observed behavior
- The current Microsoft 365 installer fails to proceed, stating that macOS 10.14 or a newer version is required.
Verify your exact operating system version by clicking the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and selecting 'About This Mac' to confirm you are running macOS 10.13.6.
Download and Install Office for Mac Version 16.42
Install the October 2020 release (version 16.42), which is the last officially supported Microsoft Office version for macOS High Sierra.
Microsoft typically supports only the three most recent versions of macOS. Because High Sierra is no longer in that window, current installers will block installation. However, you can still download and use the legacy installer that was built for High Sierra.
Open your web browser and navigate to the official Microsoft support page titled 'Update history for Office for Mac'.
Scroll down the page to the release tables and look for the version dated October 13, 2020, which corresponds to version 16.42.
Click the 'Install suite' link next to the 16.42 release to download the Office package (.pkg) file to your Mac.
Double-click the downloaded .pkg file in your Downloads folder and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation.
Open Word or Excel and log in with your active Microsoft 365 account credentials to activate the software.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I update Office version 16.42 to a newer version on High Sierra?
No. Version 16.42 is the highest version supported by macOS High Sierra. If you attempt to run the Microsoft AutoUpdate tool, it will not offer newer updates unless you upgrade your macOS to 10.14 or later.
Will my current Microsoft 365 subscription work with an older version of Office?
Yes, as long as you have an active Microsoft 365 subscription, you can use those account credentials to sign in and fully activate Office for Mac version 16.42.
Is it safe to use Office for Mac version 16.42?
While the software will function normally for daily tasks, it is no longer receiving security patches from Microsoft. It is recommended to only open files from trusted sources to minimize potential security risks.
Why does my Mac say the installer cannot be opened?
This can happen due to macOS Gatekeeper settings. Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy, and under the General tab, ensure that 'Allow apps downloaded from' is set to 'App Store and identified developers'. You may need to click 'Open Anyway' to launch the installer.
