In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about the way the Microsoft Office suite can be updated through the Operating System Updates product.
1. How do Office updates work?
2. Microsoft Office 2016 and older
3. Microsoft Office 2019
4. Microsoft 365 Apps
HOW DO OFFICE UPDATES WORK
Office updates depend on the version you're using (e.g., Microsoft 365, Office 2019, or Office 2016) and whether you're using the Click-To-Run (C2R) or MSI-based installation method. Office updates ensure that users receive the latest features, security patches, and fixes. For Microsoft 365 and Click-To-Run versions of Office, updates are applied automatically in the background. For MSI-based installations, updates are delivered through Windows Update and require manual intervention. Update channels allow flexibility in how frequently updates are delivered, and organizations can control the update process through administrative tools. The Click-To-Run technology is primarily used for Microsoft 365 Apps (formerly known as Office 365 ProPlus), Office 2019, and Office 2016 versions sold through subscription and Microsoft subscription-based Office products for individuals and enterprises.
Differences between Click-To-Run and traditional MSI installations
Click-To-Run installs Office through streaming, allowing users to begin using apps before the download completes. In contrast, MSI-based installations require a complete download before installation. Click-To-Run automatically updates in the background using Microsoft’s CDN, while MSI installations rely on Windows Update or manual patch installations. Office apps installed via Click-To-Run run in virtualized environments, which reduces conflicts with other software. MSI installations are installed directly on the system, which can sometimes lead to software conflicts. Updates are smaller and more frequent in Click-To-Run because they are applied incrementally, whereas MSI-based installations may require larger, less frequent updates.
Identifying Click-To-Run installations
To check if you’re using a Click-To-Run version of Office:
1. Open any Office application (e.g., Word or Excel).
2. Go to File > Account.
3. Under Product Information, if you see Update Options (which includes options like Update Now and Disable Updates), it’s a Click-To-Run version. There will also be a mention of Click-To-Run in the version details.
MICROSOFT OFFICE 2016 AND OLDER
Depending on the installation method, Microsoft Office 2016 can be updated through the Click-To-Run mechanism or Windows Update, in the case of the perpetual versions of Office that use the Windows Installer (MSI). One thing that is worth mentioning is the fact that the support for Microsoft Office 2016 will end on October 14, 2025, while Microsoft Office 2013 is no longer supported.
With this in mind, the HEIMDAL Agent can only download and install updates for the MSI installations and for the Click-To-Run installations of Microsoft Office 2016 that have been configured to receive the updates through the Windows Update channel.
MICROSOFT OFFICE 2019
Microsoft Office 2019 is exclusively Click-To-Run and updates are released approximately once a month, usually on the second Tuesday of the month. Support for Office 2019 will end on October 14, 2025. An update history for Microsoft Office 2019 can be seen here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/update-history-office-2019, https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/microsoft365-apps-security-updates.
Just like in the case of Microsoft Office 2016, the HEIMDAL Agent can only download and install updates for Microsoft Office 2019 if the update mechanism is configured to receive the updates through the Windows Update channel.
MICROSOFT 365 APPS
When it comes to Microsoft 365 Apps, the update functionality is similar to the one used for Microsoft Office 2019. Microsoft 365 Apps is also exclusively Click-To-Run. If you don’t specify the update channel when you install the product by itself on a device, the product is configured to use the default update channel, which is the Current Channel. Unlike previous versions of Office, individual security updates and other updates for Microsoft 365 Apps aren't available on Windows Update. Instead, every time that updates are released, Microsoft creates an updated version of Microsoft 365 Apps and puts it on the Office Content Delivery Network (CDN), on the internet. This updated version contains all the new updates, in addition to all updates from previous months. The update schedule depends on which update channel that Microsoft 365 Apps is configured to use. For a list of when updates were released for Microsoft 365 Apps, see Update history for Microsoft 365 Apps.
The HEIMDAL Agent can only download and install updates for Microsoft 365 Apps if the update mechanism is configured to receive the updates through the Windows Update channel.