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

I've had the same problems, and have been looking for a solution. I ran into this problem before it was being discussed. So, I've been looking and trying solutions. The biggest issue is that this appears to be situational. That is, it depends on the history of each computer and what's been installed and when. There is no single solution. After looking at this I decided to buy Office Home & Business. I uninstalled Pro Plus with Revo Uninstaller, and tried to do a radical uninstall. I wanted to tear it by the roots. As near as I could tell nothing was left. When I installed Home & Business 2024. When I started office it came up as Pro Plus 2021, Groan. I tried the delete everything it the license folder. Upon restarted excel, and low and behold it came up as Pro Plus 2024!! My feeling is that Pro Plus 2024 was there all along. It was a licensing issue. It always installed Pro Plus. The product key was involved in what was shown. All of the solutions that worked depending on the history of the particular computer.

Now that I've got office 2024, my problem now is that my spreadsheet no longer works. The new excel, has new Trust setting, which block several parts of my spread sheet. I've had to trust is location, get rid of ActiveX controls, etc. Microsoft has, like always, decided that It decides what are acceptable solutions. I reminded me of how MS Dos came about, the window embedded browser issue, and others. In reality, this problem came out of Microsoft's desire to stop the use of keys for installing product meant for large enterprises. They've done this before and they'll do it again. My biggest complaint is they've screwed the Home & Business by limiting it to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. This leave users who need Access with very expensive alternatives. They didn't use grey market keys.

Just my 2cents.

This is similar to my experience. You'll find my original question and the "solutions" to the problem. It now appears that there is no sure way to fix what Microsoft has done, and all the responses from Microsoft on this thread are just "Here, try this" deflections. Microsoft will not offer refunds, and it won't reel back and fix whatever the underlying problem is so all of the purchasers can uninstall the failed version and installed the fixed version. As I am now convinced from my original post, I paid $250 for vaporware. So did all of you, here.

Another thing to note is that during this time of struggling to download/install and reinstall it... this was during the weekend. I later got an email from Microsoft claiming that "Order Placed" - Your Microsoft order (number) has been processed. Any downloads you brought, except preorders, are available now.

I'm guessing it might have taken a day or two for the store license key to be verified and processed by the Microsoft Account online? It might have just been ignoring it before that. If just purchased, wait till processed. I also have a desktop and laptop; it wasn't processed till signing onto both of them. I'm installing on the laptop, but it might have needed to confirm the desktop account. It said the license key is already taken by the laptop, but that's when the processed email arrived.

However, yeah, it's quite annoying and an odd glitch. The office installer itself should check for previous versions to at least warn you to uninstall first, and that the license is currently being processed, etc.

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 20221 is not legit.

I have store purchased copies of:

Microsoft Office Home and Business 2021

Microsoft Office Home and Business 2024

I don't know why it would see it as a better version. Does it not come with OneNote or something the previous version has, that I need to remove?

Those licenses show up as the two options under the Apps (Switch License) and under the Microsoft Account.

I had originally tried the "default" Office installer, following the instructions on the package/license card. I later tried downloading the installer EXE from the Microsoft Account for "Microsoft Office Home and Business 2024" - both trying the "default" and the "64-bit version". They all gave the same results, defaulting back to "Microsoft Office Home and Business 2021" each time.

It's now saying Office 2024, except for under the Product Information, which still toggles back to Office 2021?

It says it's Version 2409 (Build 18025.20160 Click-to-Run) and fully Up-To-Date.

I'm using a Windows 11 64-Bit OS.

Thanks for the info. I will give it a try next week. Out of town for the weekend.

Hi Professor, first please stay away from Office 16 folder on C Drive. You cannot do anything there and it make little sense. You need to uninstall your Office 2021 from Control Panel or Settings. Check at Services & Subscriptions of the Microsoft Account associated with your Offices> Here is direct link: https://account.microsoft.com/services  you should see both your office install links.

If you open an App, e.g. Word>File>Account>Which version of Office shows there>2021 or 2024?