How to Update Word in Microsoft 365

This tutorial shows how to update Word in Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) on a PC. Even if your Microsoft 365 account updates automatically, you may want to do a manual update occasionally because it doesn’t always update immediately upon the release of new features.

In addition to Word, this process will also update your other Microsoft 365 apps, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Please note that this process is for individual Microsoft 365 accounts. These steps will also work for Word 2019 and Word 2016.

This process isn’t for group accounts, which are normally updated by the network administrator.

If you need to update Word 2013, Word 2010, Word 2007, or Word for Mac, please visit Microsoft’s support website.

This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than fifty other videos about Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat on my YouTube channel.

New features are added to Word in Microsoft 365 regularly. So, don’t miss the bonus section at the bottom of this tutorial to learn the easiest way to keep up to date on new features.

How to Update Word in Microsoft 365

Ensure you are connected to the internet.
Open Microsoft Word.
Select the Account tab in the Home view.

Account tab in Home view in Word 365 — Figure 1. Account tab in the Home view

Pro Tip: If you already have a file open, you can get to the Account view by selecting the File tab in the ribbon (see figure 11), followed by the Account tab in the Backstage view (see figure 12).

Select the Update Options button in the Account view.

Update Options button in Word 365 — Figure 2. Update Options button

Select Update Now from the menu. (If your button says Enable Updates instead of Update Now, select Enable Updates first.)

Update Now option in Word 365 — Figure 3. Update Now option

Wait for the dialog box to run a check for updates.

"Check for updates" dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 4. “Check for updates” dialog box

If updates are found, another dialog box will appear stating that updates are being downloaded. The download process may take several minutes. (Skip to step 11 if you don’t have any updates.)

"Downloading Office updates" dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 5. “Downloading Office updates” dialog box

Save your open files and close the apps listed in the Save your work before continuing dialog box. (Your apps may differ from the apps listed in figure 6.)

Apps to close in the "Save your work before continuing" dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 6. List of apps to close

Select the Continue button.

Continue button in the "Save your work before continuing" dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 7. Continue button

A dialog box will appear stating that updates are being applied. This dialog box will automatically close when the updates are finished.

"Applying updates" dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 8. “Applying updates” dialog box

Reopen Word.
Select the Close button in the dialog box stating that updates were installed.

"Updates were installed" dialog box in Word 365 — Figure 9. “Updates were installed” Close button

If no updates were found, select the Close button in the You’re up to date dialog box.

"You're up to date" dialog box — Figure 10. “You’re up to date” Close button

Now, let’s take a look at how to stay up to date with Word’s features.

Bonus Section: How to Learn about New Features in Word

You can learn about new features in Word for Microsoft 365 by visiting Microsoft’s web page “What’s New in Microsoft 365” or through Word’s interface: