How do I access word offline

Jessica Ockenden 20 Reputation points
2025-09-01T09:32:55.1266667+00:00

I have paid for Microsoft 365 and am trying to access word offline. I have tried to download the 'desktop apps' but no icons appear on my mac and I cannot download a word document.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | MacOS

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Marc Vernon 9,460 Reputation points
2025-09-01T10:27:44.74+00:00

Hi Jessica, thanks for the update.

If Word quits unexpectedly on Mac, it usually points to either a corrupted installation or outdated app files. First, make sure macOS is fully updated. Then uninstall Office by dragging the apps to the Trash, and reinstall them from https://www.office.com after signing in with your Microsoft 365 account. If the crash persists, open Finder → Go → Go to Folder and enter ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office, then rename or move that folder to reset Word’s settings. After restarting your Mac, try launching Word again.

If it still crashes, you can also try starting Word in Safe Mode by holding Shift while opening it, which bypasses add-ins. More detailed repair steps are available in Microsoft’s guide here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/5efba2b4-b1dc-4a0d-a2db-61e1fbe3c963.

Best,

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  1. Marc Vernon 9,460 Reputation points
    2025-09-01T10:06:10.7966667+00:00

    Hi there, this is Marc. Thanks for reaching out to the community.

    Since you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can use Word offline by installing the desktop apps. On a Mac, go to https://www.office.com, sign in with your Microsoft 365 account, and click Install apps in the top-right corner to download the Office installer. Once installed, you should see Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in your Applications folder. You can then open Word directly from there, even without an internet connection. If the icons aren’t appearing, try reinstalling the apps or checking your Applications folder, as they won’t appear on the desktop automatically unless you create shortcuts.

    Best regards,

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  2. AussieK 25 Reputation points
    2026-07-08T14:39:09.3233333+00:00

    I have the apps installed, but if I'm on a plane or have no internet, I cannot work on my MS word docs - I get the activate prompt and I can't even save a copy of the document on my hard drive to work on it. Help!

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