How to Identify Your Office Version

Find out what Office version you’re using and which apps you have installed

Identifying your Office version, as well as which apps you have installed on your computer, is easy. Just follow these simple steps:

Table of Contents

Step 1: Open Any Office 365 App

Launch any Office 365 application (such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint) to open the Start screen.

Step 2: Go to the Account Screen

Select Account from the left navigation bar of the Start screen.

Step 3: Identify the Office Version

On the right side of the Account screen, under the “Product Information” section, you’ll find the Office version of the app you’re using. The version number indicates the year or release cycle when the software was introduced or updated. For example, Word 2016, Word 2019, etc.

Note: Microsoft 365, shown above, is a subscription-based model that includes both apps and cloud-based services. It provides continuous updates and enhancements to the Office suite. Microsoft 365 versions are different from the traditional standalone versions (e.g., Word 2016, Word 2019). Users with a Microsoft 365 subscription receive automatic updates without purchasing new licenses for each build.

Step 4: View the Installed Apps

Below the Office version, you’ll see a subsection that says “This product contains” which displays icons that represent each Office application installed on your computer.

Updating Your Office Version

From time to time, Microsoft performs automatic updates of Office 365. Additionally, you have the option to manually update Office 365, if you choose to do so. Follow these steps to find out when your version of Office 365 was last updated, as well as perform a manual update.

Step 1: Open Any Office 365 App

Launch any Office 365 application (such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint) to view the Start screen.

Step 2: Go to the Account Screen

Click Account in the left navigation bar of the Start screen to view the Account screen.

Step 3: Check Update History

Click the Update Options button and select one of the following options from the drop-down menu.

Update Now: Checks whether an update is needed and, if so, updates the software.
Disable Updates: Disables the software from being automatically updated.
View Updates: Opens a web page where you see when the software was last updated.
About Updates: Provides information about the current version and update status of your Office 365 Apps.

And there you have it! You’ve successfully identified your Office version, checked to see which Office apps you have installed on your computer, and verified when your software was last automatically updated, as well as learned how to update it manually.