Completely Uninstall Microsoft Office on Your Mac: A Step-by-Step Guide

Microsoft Office, a suite of productivity applications, is often a staple on many Macs. However, there comes a time when you might need to uninstall it. Perhaps you’re upgrading to a newer version, switching to a different office suite, or simply troubleshooting an issue. A clean uninstall is crucial to avoid lingering files that can cause problems down the line. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the entire process of completely uninstalling Microsoft Office from your Mac, ensuring a clean slate.

Why a Complete Uninstall Matters

Simply dragging the Microsoft Office applications to the Trash isn’t enough. This leaves behind numerous files, folders, and preferences that can consume disk space, interfere with future installations, or even cause performance issues. A thorough uninstall removes all associated components, providing a clean and stable system.

Before You Begin: Back Up Your Data

Before starting the uninstallation process, it’s *absolutely crucial* to back up any important files you’ve created using Microsoft Office applications. This includes Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and Outlook data (emails, contacts, calendar entries). You can use Time Machine, an external hard drive, or cloud storage services like iCloud Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox to back up your files. Losing valuable data is a significant risk if you skip this step.

Step-by-Step Guide to Uninstalling Microsoft Office on Mac

This guide covers the standard method for uninstalling Office. However, depending on your version of macOS and the specific version of Office you have installed, there might be slight variations. We’ll address common scenarios and provide solutions along the way.

Step 1: Quit All Microsoft Office Applications

Before you can begin the uninstallation process, you must ensure that all Microsoft Office applications are completely closed. This includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and any other Office apps you might have open.

* **Check the Dock:** Look for the Microsoft Office application icons in your Dock. If you see a small dot underneath an icon, it indicates that the application is running. Right-click (or Control-click) on the icon and select “Quit.” Repeat this for all open Office applications.
* **Force Quit (if necessary):** If an application is unresponsive or refuses to quit normally, you can force quit it. Press **Command + Option + Escape** to open the “Force Quit Applications” window. Select the unresponsive Office application from the list and click “Force Quit.”
* **Activity Monitor:** For a more thorough check, open Activity Monitor (found in /Applications/Utilities/). Search for any processes related to Microsoft Office (e.g., “Microsoft Word,” “Excel,” “Outlook,” “Office365ServiceV2”). If you find any, select them and click the “X” button in the toolbar to quit them. Confirm that you want to quit the process when prompted.

Step 2: Remove the Microsoft Office Applications

This step involves moving the Microsoft Office applications from your Applications folder to the Trash.

1. **Open Finder:** Click on the Finder icon in your Dock.
2. **Go to the Applications Folder:** In the Finder window, click on “Applications” in the sidebar. Alternatively, you can press **Shift + Command + A** to open the Applications folder.
3. **Locate the Microsoft Office Applications:** Find the Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and other Microsoft Office applications in the Applications folder. They are usually located within a folder named “Microsoft Office [Year]” (e.g., “Microsoft Office 2019,” “Microsoft Office 365”). For newer versions, they may be directly in the Applications folder.
4. **Move to Trash:** Drag the Microsoft Office application folders (or individual application icons if they’re not in a folder) to the Trash icon in your Dock. Alternatively, you can right-click (or Control-click) on the folder or application icon and select “Move to Trash.”
5. **Empty the Trash:** Right-click (or Control-click) on the Trash icon in your Dock and select “Empty Trash.” This will permanently delete the applications from your Mac. Be absolutely sure you’ve backed up your data before emptying the Trash, as this action is irreversible.

Step 3: Remove Office-Related Files and Folders

This is the most critical step in completely uninstalling Microsoft Office. It involves removing the support files, preferences, and other data that Office leaves behind. This step requires using the Finder’s “Go to Folder” function to access hidden directories.

1. **Open Finder:** Click on the Finder icon in your Dock.
2. **Go to Folder:** In the Finder menu, click on “Go” and select “Go to Folder…” (or press **Shift + Command + G**).
3. **Enter the Path:** In the “Go to Folder” dialog box, enter the following path, *one at a time*, and click “Go” after each entry. After navigating to each folder, identify and delete the Microsoft-related files and folders. Be very careful not to delete any files that you don’t recognize, as this could cause problems with other applications or your system.

* `~/Library/Containers`

* Look for folders starting with `com.microsoft.` and drag them to the Trash. Examples include `com.microsoft.Word`, `com.microsoft.Excel`, `com.microsoft.Powerpoint`, `com.microsoft.Outlook`, `com.microsoft.onenote.mac`. These folders contain application-specific data and preferences.

* `~/Library/Group Containers`

* Look for folders starting with `UBF8T346G9.` and drag them to the Trash. These folders contain shared data and preferences used by multiple Office applications. Important: Do not delete any folder that does *not* start with `UBF8T346G9.`. Other applications may use this folder structure.

* `~/Library/Preferences`

* Look for files starting with `com.microsoft.` and drag them to the Trash. Examples include `com.microsoft.Word.plist`, `com.microsoft.Excel.plist`, `com.microsoft.Powerpoint.plist`, `com.microsoft.Outlook.plist`. These files contain application preferences and settings.

* `~/Library/Application Support`

* Look for a folder named “Microsoft” and drag it to the Trash. This folder contains application support files, templates, and other resources.

* `~/Library/Caches`

* Look for folders starting with `com.microsoft.` and drag them to the Trash. These folders contain cached data that the applications use for faster performance.

* `/Library/Application Support` (Note: This path starts with `/` instead of `~`)

* Look for a folder named “Microsoft” and drag it to the Trash. You will need administrator privileges to delete files from this location.

* `/Library/LaunchDaemons` (Note: This path starts with `/` instead of `~`)

* Look for files starting with `com.microsoft.` and drag them to the Trash. You will need administrator privileges to delete files from this location.

* `/Library/LaunchAgents` (Note: This path starts with `/` instead of `~`)

* Look for files starting with `com.microsoft.` and drag them to the Trash. You will need administrator privileges to delete files from this location.

* `/Applications/Microsoft AutoUpdate.app` (Note: This is a file, not a folder)

* If present, drag it to the Trash. This is the application that handles automatic updates for Microsoft Office.
4. **Empty the Trash:** Once you’ve moved all the identified files and folders to the Trash, right-click (or Control-click) on the Trash icon in your Dock and select “Empty Trash.” Again, be absolutely sure you’ve backed up your data before emptying the Trash, as this action is irreversible.

Step 4: Remove Microsoft Fonts (Optional)

Microsoft Office installs a number of fonts that you may no longer need after uninstalling the suite. Removing these fonts can free up disk space. However, be aware that some other applications may also use these fonts, so proceed with caution.

1. **Open Font Book:** Open the Font Book application (found in /Applications/Utilities/).
2. **Select “All Fonts”:** In the sidebar, select “All Fonts.”
3. **Search for Microsoft Fonts:** In the search box in the upper-right corner, type “Microsoft.” This will filter the list to show only fonts with “Microsoft” in their name.
4. **Select and Remove Fonts:** Select the Microsoft fonts you want to remove. You can select multiple fonts by holding down the Command key while clicking on each font.
5. **Disable or Remove:** Right-click (or Control-click) on the selected fonts and choose “Disable” or “Remove”. Disabling keeps the fonts installed but makes them unavailable for use. Removing the fonts completely deletes them from your system. You’ll need administrator privileges for removal. If unsure, disable instead of removing.
6. **Confirm Removal (if applicable):** If you chose to remove the fonts, you’ll be prompted to confirm the deletion. Click “Remove” to proceed.

Step 5: Remove Microsoft Office Icons from the Dock (Optional)

If you had Microsoft Office applications pinned to your Dock, you might want to remove them after uninstalling the suite.

1. **Locate the Icons:** Find the Microsoft Office application icons in your Dock (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
2. **Remove from Dock:** Right-click (or Control-click) on the icon.
3. **Select Options -> Remove from Dock:** In the context menu, select “Options” and then “Remove from Dock.” Repeat this for each Microsoft Office application icon.

Step 6: Restart Your Mac

After completing all the above steps, it’s a good idea to restart your Mac. This will ensure that all the changes are applied and that any lingering processes are terminated.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with careful attention to detail, you might encounter some issues during the uninstallation process. Here are some common problems and their solutions:

* **”File in Use” Error:** If you encounter an error message saying that a file is in use and cannot be deleted, it means that the file is currently being used by another application or process. Make sure that all Microsoft Office applications are closed, including background processes. You can use Activity Monitor to check for and quit any Office-related processes. Restarting your Mac can also resolve this issue.
* **Permissions Issues:** You might encounter permission errors when trying to delete files from the `/Library` directory. This is because these directories require administrator privileges. Make sure that you are logged in as an administrator and that you have the necessary permissions to delete files from these locations. You may need to enter your administrator password when prompted.
* **Unable to Find a File or Folder:** If you can’t find a specific file or folder mentioned in the instructions, it might be because it doesn’t exist on your system. This could be due to differences in the version of Microsoft Office you have installed or the way your system is configured. Simply skip the step if you can’t find the specified file or folder.
* **Microsoft AutoUpdate Remains:** Sometimes, the Microsoft AutoUpdate application might persist even after following the uninstall steps. If this happens, you can try manually deleting the `Microsoft AutoUpdate.app` file from the `/Applications` folder (if it exists). You can also try using a dedicated uninstaller tool specifically designed for Microsoft Office.
* **Outlook Profile Remains:** Sometimes the Outlook profile can still be present, causing issues when setting up a new email client. To remove it: Open Finder, Go -> Go to Folder… -> `~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.mail/` and delete the content of this folder.

Using the Microsoft Support Removal Tool (If Necessary)

Microsoft provides a support removal tool that can help you completely uninstall Office. This tool is particularly useful if you’re having trouble uninstalling Office manually or if you want to ensure a thorough removal.

**Important:** Use this tool as a last resort if the manual steps fail. It is designed for more complex uninstall scenarios.

1. **Download the Removal Tool:** Go to the Microsoft support website and search for “Uninstall Office for Mac.” Look for the official Microsoft article with instructions and a link to download the removal tool.
2. **Run the Tool:** Once downloaded, open the `.pkg` file and follow the on-screen instructions to run the tool. The tool will guide you through the process of removing Office files and folders.
3. **Restart Your Mac:** After the tool has finished running, restart your Mac to complete the uninstallation process.

Verifying the Uninstallation

After completing the uninstallation process, it’s a good idea to verify that Microsoft Office has been completely removed from your system.

* **Check the Applications Folder:** Open the Applications folder and make sure that there are no Microsoft Office application folders or icons remaining.
* **Search for Office Files:** Use the Finder’s search function to search for files with “Microsoft” in their name. If you find any files, delete them.
* **Check Login Items:** Go to System Preferences -> Users & Groups -> Login Items. Make sure that there are no Microsoft Office applications listed as login items.

Conclusion

Uninstalling Microsoft Office on a Mac requires a thorough approach to ensure that all associated files and folders are removed. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can completely uninstall Office from your Mac and avoid potential issues down the line. Remember to back up your data before starting the process and to exercise caution when deleting files and folders from the Library directories. If you encounter any problems, refer to the troubleshooting tips or consider using the Microsoft Support Removal Tool as a last resort. A clean uninstall ensures a stable and optimized system for your future computing needs.