Why is my computer still using Microsoft Office 2021 after installing Office 2024?

Anonymous
2024-10-03T23:45:42+00:00

I just bought and installed the stand-alone Microsoft Office 2024 (Home & Business edition, 64-bit) after using Microsoft Office 2021 since it came out several years ago. I was expecting my Office files I open in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint to open in Office 2024 tonight, but they're still opening in the Office 2021 apps (and it's not just a matter of 2024 still carrying 2021 logos because none of the features new to 2024 are there; it's just the same layout as always).

I can't even find any .exe files in my Program Files → Microsoft Office → Office16 folder. Everything is still intact in the Microsoft Office 15 folder, but that "Office16" folder has hardly anything in it, and definitely nothing that looks like it could launch an app. I am reasonably sure that my computer isn't the issue: I'm running Windows 11 Pro on an MSI Titan with three SSD cards and 64 Gb of RAM. I've rebooted my computer twice, just in case it was one of those Microsoft things about installations not completing until the reboot, but that didn't help. So what's going on? Did I just pay $250 plus tax for vaporware?

***Moved from Microsoft 365 and Office / Other / For business / Other***

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | Other | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-01-30T14:02:10+00:00

    I did this on 1/29/2025 and it worked perfectly, thanks to Oxymoron and PC Saxon posts in January 2025.

    It worked similar to PC Saxon. I had three files... each with vague numbers and letters (no mention of Office etc). So what the heck deleted the three files. Went back and opened Word, then "File", then Account - and at last 2024!!!!! checked Excel/PowerPoint ditto.

    I had to sign in again, with no problem.

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  2. Stefan Blom 352.7K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2024-10-29T15:45:04+00:00

    Before anyone does that, we need a Microsoft mod to verify this solution.

    For more on the script, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/volume-license-activation/tools-to-manage-volume-activation-of-office. The article states that the script is primarily for volume license versions of Office.

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-10-19T08:22:49+00:00

    Hi Jamezy, unless you know different, it is grabbing what Microsoft sees as the best version, and a Pro Plus 2021 will be a better version so far as Microsoft installers see it. Not sure if this is done on purpose because Pro Plus 2021 is not legit.

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-10-17T18:04:21+00:00

    Hi Professor, I did not realise you were talking about Office Professional Plus 2021, which are sold in contravention of the Microsoft licence. You need to uninstall your Office Pro Plus, not sure why Microsoft thinks Office Pro 2021 is a better choice, but that is how it works Microsoft will attempt to install the better version of Office, and in doing so you sometimes end up with a different plash screen to the installed Office. I had the same problem on my other computer.

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-10-04T07:14:33+00:00

    Installing a later version does not upgrade/remove the earlier version, you have to uninstall that via win Add/Remove dialogue.

    Once done

    Win search for Word > Resulting shortcut > Rt click > Pin to task bar > start Word from that shortcut (hover mouse over the shortcut gives access to the 10 most recent docs)

    Same applies to other components.

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