Alex Ruben
How to Easily Roll Back Microsoft Office to a Previous Version
This guide provides a detailed step-by-step tutorial on how to roll back Microsoft Office to its previous version. Microsoft constantly updates Office to improve security and fix bugs, but sometimes these updates can lead to issues. By following this tutorial, you will learn how to restore an older version of the Office suite, ensuring optimal performance for your applications.
Step 1: Check the Current Version of Office
Before rolling back, you need to note down the current installed version of Microsoft Office. Here’s how:
- Open any Microsoft Office application (like Word or Excel).
- Select the Account option from the left pane.
- In the About section, you will find the Office version number and build number. Make sure to write this down.
Step 2: Install the Office Deployment Tool
To roll back Office, you need the Office Deployment Tool. Follow these steps to install it:
- Visit the official Microsoft website to download the Office Deployment Tool.
- Run the setup file once downloaded.
- Select a location on your system to save the extracted files, then click OK.
- You should see a message confirming that “Files extracted successfully”.
Step 3: Define the Targeted Office Version in the Configuration File
Next, you will need to specify the Office version you want to revert to:
- Visit the Microsoft Office update history page.
- Search for any build number lower than the current version noted in Step 1 and copy it.
- Open Notepad on your computer and paste the following template:
[Configuration]
Action=Restore
TargetVersion=aaaaa.bbbbb
- Replace
aaaaa.bbbbbwith the version number you copied. - Save the Notepad file in the same location as the Office Deployment Tool, naming it
config.xml.
Step 4: Run the Required Command
Now, it’s time to execute the command to roll back the Office version:
- Ensure all Microsoft Office applications are closed.
- Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
- Change the directory to where you saved the
setup.exeandconfig.xmlfiles. For example: cd D:\Path\To\Your\Files- If your files are located on a different drive, switch to that drive first by typing the drive letter and pressing Enter.
D:- Finally, run the command:
setup.exe /configure config.xml- Press Enter to execute the command.
Step 5: Update Office After Reverting
To ensure everything is in order:
- Open any Microsoft Office application again.
- Go to Account, then click on Update Options and select Update Now.
- When prompted to save your work, do so and click Continue to download necessary updates.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Here are some extra tips to help you:
- Always ensure backups of important documents before rolling back updates.
- Make sure that you are specifying a version that is compatible with your existing Office setup.
- If you encounter the error “setup.exe is not recognized as an internal or external command,” double-check the directory you are in and ensure the command is entered correctly.
Conclusion
Rolling back Microsoft Office is a straightforward process if you follow the steps outlined in this guide. By restoring an earlier version, you can resolve any issues caused by recent updates. If you have further questions or need assistance, feel free to refer to additional guides or explore our tech solutions.
