Installing incorrect version of MS Office 2024.

Swastik Chowdhury 0 Reputation points
2026-06-02T17:24:32.1566667+00:00

Hi! I've purchased MS Office 2024 from MS Store. After I download it and install, it keeps installing MS Office 2021. I simply can't get rid of it. Tried the license deletions and all, Office 2021 just doesn't go away. Please help.

OS: Win 11.

Thanks/

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For home | Windows
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  1. AI answer

    2026-06-02T17:25:01.6266667+00:00

    Office 2024 may appear as Office 2021 if the account or device still has an older Office license cached. This is a known issue and can usually be fixed without reinstalling Windows.

    Follow these steps in order:

    1. Install the latest Office 2024 updates
      • Open any Office app (Word, Excel, etc.).
      • Go to File → Account → Update Options → Update Now.
      • Let the update complete, then restart the Office app and check File → Account → Product Information.
    2. Clear the local Office license cache
      • Close all Office apps.
      • In File Explorer, go to:
        • %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Office\Licenses
      • Delete the folder named 5 in that directory.
      • Start an Office app again.
      • Sign in with the Microsoft account used to purchase Office 2024.
      • When prompted to choose a product, select Office 2024 from the list.
      • Verify under File → Account that Product Information now shows Office 2024.
    3. If the problem persists
      • Confirm that the Office 2024 license is actually associated with the signed-in Microsoft account (via the Services & subscriptions page in a browser).
      • If the backstage still shows Office 2021 after steps above, contact Microsoft Support for further investigation: https://support.microsoft.com/home/contact.

    Note: The uninstall troubleshooter currently cannot uninstall Office 2024, so use the license cache cleanup and update steps above rather than relying on that tool.


    References:

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