How to Install Office 2016 on Mac
Complete guide to download and install Microsoft Office 2016 on your Mac. Includes system requirements, detailed installation steps, and license activation.
Mac System Requirements
macOS 10.10 (Yosemite) or later
Intel processor (not natively supported on Apple Silicon)
6 GB of available space (HFS+ or APFS format)
4 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended
Step 1: Download Office 2016 for Mac
You can get the Office 2016 for Mac installer from these official sources:
Option A: Microsoft Portal
- Visit setup.office.com
- Sign in with your Microsoft account
- Enter your product key
- Select Mac as your platform
- Download the .pkg file
Option B: Microsoft 365 Account
- Sign in to account.microsoft.com
- Go to 'Services & subscriptions'
- Find Office 2016 and click 'Install'
- Choose the Mac version
Step 2: Install Office on Your Mac
Open the Installer
Locate the downloaded .pkg file in your Downloads folder. Double-click to launch the installer. If a security message appears, click 'Open Anyway'.
Accept the License Agreement
Read the Microsoft License Agreement terms and click 'Continue', then 'Agree' to proceed with the installation.
Choose Installation Location
By default, Office will install to the Applications folder. You can change this by clicking 'Change Install Location', though keeping the default location is recommended.
Authenticate and Install
Enter your Mac administrator password when prompted. Click 'Install Software' and wait for the installation to complete (may take 10-15 minutes).
Complete the Installation
When you see the success message, click 'Close'. You can move the installer to Trash if you want to free up disk space.
Step 3: Activate Office 2016 on Mac
- Open any Office application (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) from your Applications folder or Launchpad
- When the activation window appears, select 'Enter a product key'
- Type your 25-character product key (format: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX)
- Click 'Activate Office' and wait for confirmation
Mac Installation Troubleshooting
Error: 'Cannot be opened because it is from an unidentified developer'
Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General. Click 'Open Anyway' next to the message about the blocked installer.
Installation Stalls or Freezes
Close all applications, restart your Mac, and try the installation again. Ensure you have enough disk space and a stable internet connection.
Office Not Appearing in Applications
Use Spotlight (Cmd + Space) to search for Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. If not found, run the installer again as installation may have silently failed.
Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) Compatibility Issues
Office 2016 for Mac doesn't natively support Apple Silicon. It runs through Rosetta 2, which may cause performance issues. Consider upgrading to a newer Office version for native support.