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How to Update Word in Microsoft 365

By Erin Wright

Bonsai tree on wood table with text overlay "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

  1. Ensure you are connected to the internet.
  2. Open Microsoft Word.
  3. 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).

  1. Select the Update Options button in the Account view.
Update Options button in Word 365
Figure 2. Update Options button
  1. 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
  1. 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
  1. 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
  1. 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
  1. Reopen Word.
  2. 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
  1. 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:

  1. Select the File tab in the ribbon.
File tab in Word 365
Figure 11. File tab
  1. Select the Account tab in the Backstage view.
Account tab in the Backstage view in Word 365
Figure 12. Account tab in the Backstage view
  1. Select the What’s New button in the Account view.
What's New button in Word 365
Figure 13. What’s New button

The What’s New pane will open.

What's New pane in Word 365
Figure 14. What’s New pane
  1. Select the X to close the pane when you are finished reviewing the new features.
What's New closing X in Word 365
Figure 15. Closing X

Related Resources

How to Use the Editor in Word for Microsoft 365 (Spelling & Grammar Check)

How to Use Track Changes in Microsoft Word

How to Create and Customize Charts in Microsoft Word

Filed Under: Microsoft Word Tagged With: Word 2016, Word 2019, Word 365

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