Rolling Back Microsoft Office to a Previous Version: A Step-by-Step Guide
This guide demonstrates how to revert Microsoft Office to a previous version. Microsoft advises users to maintain the latest version of Office, as updates enhance the suite’s security and resolve existing bugs. However, sometimes upgrading to the latest version of Microsoft Office can lead to problems with various applications.
Steps to Roll Back Microsoft Office on Windows 11/10
If an issue arises due to a Windows Update, users typically have the option to uninstall that specific update to revert to a previous build. The same principle applies to Microsoft Office, but the procedure for rolling back an Office update differs from that of a Windows update.
To restore Microsoft Office to an earlier version, follow these steps:
- Download and install the Office Deployment Tool.
- Specify the desired Office version in the configuration file.
- Execute the required command.
- Manually instruct Office to download and reinstall the necessary update.
Detailed instructions for each step are provided below. Please note that you can only roll back Microsoft Office Click-to-Run applications.
Before beginning the rollback process, make sure to record your current version of Microsoft Office. To do this, follow these steps:
- Launch any Microsoft Office application.
- Click on the Account option in the left sidebar.
- Locate the Office version number and build number in the About section.
Record the current version of your Office suite.
1] Install the Office Deployment Tool
Navigate to the official Microsoft download page to obtain the Office Deployment Tool. After downloading, run the setup file and choose a location to extract the files. Click OK when prompted, and you should receive a confirmation message stating “Files extracted successfully.”
2] Specify the Targeted Office Version in the Configuration File
The next step involves defining the version of Office you want to roll back to in a configuration file. To do this, visit the Microsoft update history page to view the Office version history. Find the version or build number currently installed on your system, then copy a build number that is lower than the one installed.
Open Notepad and paste the following command:
<Configuration>
<Updates Enabled="TRUE"TargetVersion="16.0.aaaaa.bbbbb"/>
</Configuration>
In this command, substitute “aaaaa.bbbbb”with the version number you copied earlier. For instance, if the targeted rollback version is 18025.20160, the command will appear as follows:
<Configuration>
<Updates Enabled="TRUE"TargetVersion="16.0.18025.20160"/>
</Configuration>
Save the Notepad file in the same location where you extracted the Office Deployment Tool, naming it config.xml.
3] Run the Required Command
Next, execute the necessary command. Before doing so, ensure all Microsoft Office applications are closed. Open an elevated Command Prompt, paste the following command into the window, and press Enter.
setup.exe /configure config.xml
Ensure you change to the directory where you saved the configuration and deployment tool files to avoid errors. If they are stored elsewhere, you will encounter the following message:
‘setup.exe’ is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.
To change directories, use the command cd [full path]. For example:
cd complete path
This command will only function if the configuration file and deployment tool are stored on the same drive. To switch to another drive, type the drive letter and press Enter, followed by the above command. For instance, if files are saved in the path on drive D:
D:
cd D:\The Windows Club\Images\0
Press Enter after each command above. Now, enter the command to initiate the rollback:
setup.exe /configure config.xml
If executed correctly, a Microsoft Office popup will appear briefly before closing. Subsequently, open any Office application and navigate to Account > Update Options > Update Now. You will receive a warning to save your work. Save your progress and click Continue. The required version of Office will start downloading and installing.
Once the update completes, reopen an Office application and verify the version or build number in the About section. As illustrated in the screenshot, my Office version has been successfully reverted to a prior version.
The Office version has been successfully reverted. However, be aware that if Automatic Updates are enabled, Office may fetch and install the latest update independently. If you are encountering issues with the current Office version, consider disabling the Automatic Updates feature to prevent it from upgrading automatically. You can always choose to manually update your Office suite when a new update is released in the future.
That concludes the process. I trust this information proves helpful.
Is There a Version History for Microsoft Office?
Yes, Microsoft Office features a version history. You can view this history on Microsoft’s official website, where detailed information about each update is available by following the respective links.
How to Revert Outlook to a Previous Version?
The latest Outlook application is the most recent version available for Windows 11/10.
Is it Possible to Roll Back Outlook?
To revert Microsoft Outlook to a previous version, open an elevated Command Prompt and input the following commands sequentially, pressing Enter after each:
cd %programfiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun officec2rclient.exe /update user updatetoversion=OutlookVersionNumber
Make sure to replace OutlookVersionNumber with the desired version number to which you want to revert.
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