Steps to Completely Uninstall Microsoft Office on Mac – 2025

Steps to Completely Uninstall Microsoft Office on Mac

Uninstalling Microsoft Office for Mac can sometimes feel complicated, especially since the suite installs multiple applications and support files across your system. Whether you’re removing Office to free up space, fix technical issues, or reinstall a newer version, it’s important to follow the correct steps to ensure a complete and clean uninstall.

This guide will walk you through how to uninstall Microsoft Office for Mac completely—from removing applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook to deleting associated files and preferences that may remain hidden in your system folders.

Understanding Why You Might Need to Uninstall Office

There are several common reasons why users choose to uninstall Microsoft Office for Mac:

• Installing a newer version: You may need to remove an older Office version before installing the latest one, such as Microsoft 365.

• Fixing software issues: Corrupt files, missing updates, or installation errors can make Office unstable.

• Freeing up storage: Office applications and related files can take up several gigabytes of space.

• Switching accounts or licenses: If you want to use a different Microsoft account, uninstalling and reinstalling may be necessary.

No matter the reason, the process remains straightforward when done carefully.

Step 1: Quit All Microsoft Office Applications

Before uninstalling, make sure all Office applications are closed. Attempting to delete files while they’re running can cause errors.

1. Click the Apple Menu in the top-left corner of your screen.

2. Select Force Quit.

3. Choose any open Microsoft Office applications (like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, or OneNote).

4. Click Force Quit to close them.

Alternatively, you can press Command + Option + Esc to open the Force Quit window directly.

Step 2: Remove Microsoft Office Applications

To manually remove the main Office apps:

1. Open Finder.

2. Go to Applications.

3. Locate the following apps:

   • Microsoft Word

   • Microsoft Excel

   • Microsoft PowerPoint

   • Microsoft Outlook

   • Microsoft OneNote

   • Microsoft Teams (if installed)

4. Select each app, then drag it to the Trash (or right-click and choose Move to Trash).

After doing this, most of the main applications are gone, but many background files and preferences still remain.

Step 3: Delete Office Support Files and Preferences

Microsoft Office stores additional data in hidden system folders. To completely remove it, you’ll need to delete these files manually.

1. In Finder, click the Go menu in the top menu bar.

2. Select Go to Folder.

3. Type the following paths one by one, pressing Return after each:

   ~/Library/Containers
~/Library/Application Support
~/Library/Group Containers
~/Library/Preferences
~/Library/Caches


Inside each folder, look for files or folders that contain “Microsoft” or “Office” in their names. Common examples include:

• com.microsoft.Word

• com.microsoft.Excel

• com.microsoft.Powerpoint

• com.microsoft.Outlook

• UBF8T346G9.Office (Office licensing and data files)

Select these items and move them to the Trash.

Be cautious when deleting—avoid removing files unrelated to Microsoft Office to prevent system issues.

Step 4: Remove Microsoft AutoUpdate

Microsoft AutoUpdate (MAU) is a separate utility that keeps your Office apps up to date. Even after uninstalling Office, it may remain on your Mac.

To remove it:

1. Open Finder → Applications → Microsoft AutoUpdate (if visible).

2. Drag it to the Trash.

If it’s not visible in the Applications folder, try this path:

Once located, delete the entire MAU2.0 folder.

Step 5: Empty the Trash

After moving all Office components to the Trash, you must empty it to finalize the uninstall.

1. Right-click the Trash icon in the Dock.

2. Choose Empty Trash.

3. Confirm the action.

This permanently deletes all Office-related files from your Mac.

Step 6: Remove Office Icons from the Dock

Even after uninstalling Office, you might still see app icons (like Word or Excel) in your Dock. To remove them:

1. Right-click the icon.

2. Select Options → Remove from Dock.

This ensures your Dock only shows active applications.

Step 7: Delete Office License Files (Optional)

If you plan to reinstall Microsoft Office with a different license or account, it’s recommended to remove existing license files to prevent conflicts.

1. Open Finder.

2. Click Go → Go to Folder.

3. Enter this path:

   ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office


4. Delete any license files inside.

Once deleted, your Mac will no longer recognize your old Office activation details.

Step 8: Verify All Files Have Been Removed

To confirm that Microsoft Office has been completely removed from your system:

1. Open Finder and search for “Microsoft” or “Office.”

2. Review any results.

3. If you find leftover files, delete them manually.

You can also restart your Mac to ensure that no residual processes are still running.

Step 9: Reinstall or Replace Microsoft Office (Optional)

If your goal was to fix errors or upgrade Office, you can now safely reinstall a fresh copy.

Reinstalling Microsoft Office

1. Visit the official Microsoft 365 website.

2. Sign in with your Microsoft account.

3. Download and install the latest version of Office for Mac.

Alternatives to Microsoft Office

If you no longer wish to use Office, there are several great alternatives available for macOS:

• Apple Pages, Numbers, and Keynote – free and optimized for Mac users.

• Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides – web-based, collaborative tools.

• LibreOffice – open-source and fully compatible with Office file formats.

Troubleshooting Tips

• If you encounter “permission denied” messages when deleting files, try using administrator privileges or Safe Mode.

• To ensure a deep clean, use a third-party uninstaller tool like AppCleaner. It automatically finds hidden support files associated with each app.

• Always back up your important documents before uninstalling Office.

Conclusion

Knowing how to uninstall Microsoft Office for Mac correctly ensures that all related files, caches, and settings are completely removed from your system. Whether you’re troubleshooting software issues, reclaiming disk space, or preparing to install a new version, following the steps above guarantees a clean uninstall.

From quitting all Office apps and deleting their support files to removing Microsoft AutoUpdate and old license data, this process ensures your Mac runs smoothly and remains free from leftover files.