How to uninstall previous Microsoft Office versions
This guide explains how to completely uninstall Microsoft Office or Microsoft 365 from a Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer. Start with the simple Windows Settings method. If that does not work, continue to the next method.
You do not need technical experience to follow the first two methods. Additional options for technical users are included further down the guide.
Close every Office application, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find the Office or Microsoft 365 product you want to remove, select the three dots beside it and choose Uninstall. Restart the computer when removal is complete.
Installing Office 2024? Remove every previous Microsoft Office suite and Microsoft 365 trial before starting the new installation. Previous versions can cause installation, activation and wrong-product conflicts.
Before You Start
- Save anything you are currently working on.
- Close Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, OneNote, Project, Visio and any other Office applications that are open.
- Make sure you are signed into a Windows account with administrator access.
- If you use Outlook with locally stored email, custom templates, macros or specialist add-ins, back up anything important before removing Office.
Uninstalling Microsoft Office does not normally remove Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations or other personal files. Important files should still be backed up before making software changes.
Which Office Products Should You Remove?
If you are preparing the computer for a clean Ecokeys Office installation, remove all previous Office suites and Microsoft 365 trials that appear in Windows.
Names can vary, but examples include:
- Microsoft 365
- Microsoft 365 Apps
- Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2024, 2021, 2019 or 2016
- Microsoft Office Standard 2024, 2021, 2019 or 2016
- Office Home and Student
- Office Home and Business
- Microsoft 365 or Office trial versions supplied with a new computer
Project, Visio and OneNote: these can sometimes appear as separate applications. Remove them if you no longer need them, if the new Office installer specifically identifies them as a conflict, or if Ecokeys Support asks you to remove them. Do not remove unrelated Microsoft applications such as Teams or OneDrive unless you have a separate reason to do so.
Method 1: Uninstall Office Using Windows Settings
This is the easiest method for most Windows 10 and Windows 11 users. Try this first.
- Select the Windows Start button.
- Select Settings. You can also press Windows Key + I.
- Select Apps.
- Select Installed apps. On some Windows 10 computers this may be called Apps & features.
- Use the search box above the app list and type Office.
- Look for the Office product you want to remove.
- Select the three dots beside the product.
- Select Uninstall.
- Select Uninstall again if Windows asks you to confirm.
- Follow the instructions shown on the screen and allow removal to finish completely.
- Return to the Installed apps list.
- Search for Microsoft 365.
- If another previous Office suite or Microsoft 365 trial remains, uninstall it in the same way.
- Restart the computer after all required Office products have been removed.
Removal completed? Continue to Check That Office Has Been Removed.
Office is not listed, or Uninstall does not work? Continue to Method 2 below.
Method 2: Uninstall Office Using Control Panel
Control Panel remains a supported removal method and is particularly useful for traditional desktop and Click-to-Run Office installations.
- Select the Windows Start button or the search box on the taskbar.
- Type Control Panel.
- Select Control Panel from the results.
- Select Programs.
- Select Programs and Features.
- Find and select the Microsoft Office or Microsoft 365 product you want to remove.
- Select Uninstall or Uninstall/Change at the top of the list. You can also right-click the product and select Uninstall.
- Follow the instructions shown on the screen and allow removal to finish.
- Repeat these steps if another previous Office suite remains.
- Restart the computer.
Removal completed? Continue to Check That Office Has Been Removed.
Office remains installed or an error appears? Check the Microsoft troubleshooter information below before continuing.
Method 3: Use Microsoft’s Get Help Uninstall Troubleshooter
Microsoft provides an uninstall troubleshooter through the Windows Get Help application. Use this when the normal Windows Settings or Control Panel method has failed.
Microsoft states that its current uninstall troubleshooter cannot uninstall Office 2024. If you are removing Office 2024, use Windows Settings or Control Panel. If Office 2024 still will not uninstall, use Ecokeys Rapid Support rather than repeatedly running the troubleshooter.
The troubleshooter currently covers:
- Microsoft 365
- Office 2021
- Office 2019
- Office 2016
- Open Microsoft’s official Uninstall Microsoft 365 or Office from a PC page.
- Find the section titled Uninstall Microsoft 365 or Office with the uninstall troubleshooter.
- Select Microsoft’s Uninstall button.
- If your browser says the site is trying to open Get Help, select Open.
- Follow the instructions in Get Help.
- Restart the computer when prompted.
The older SetupProd_OffScrub.exe instructions are no longer the current Microsoft route. Follow the live Microsoft page linked above so that you receive Microsoft’s current removal process.
Technical Option: Remove a Microsoft Store Office Installation
Most users do not need this section. Use it only when Office is identified as a Microsoft Store installation and the normal Settings removal has failed.
Show the Microsoft Store PowerShell method
Technical users only: this command is for the Microsoft Store version of Office. It is not the normal removal method for Click-to-Run Office 2024, Office 2021 or Microsoft 365 installations.
- Right-click the Windows Start button.
- Select Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- Approve the administrator prompt.
- Copy and paste the following command, then press Enter:
Get-AppxPackage -name "Microsoft.Office.Desktop" | Remove-AppxPackageAllow the command to finish. To check whether the Store installation has been removed, run:
Get-AppxPackage -name "Microsoft.Office.Desktop"If the command returns no product information, the Microsoft Store Office package has been removed. Restart the computer.
Microsoft includes this PowerShell route in its current Office removal guidance. You can review the complete instructions on Microsoft’s official Office uninstall page.
Advanced Manual Removal
Do not begin by deleting Microsoft Office folders or changing the Windows Registry. Microsoft describes manual Office removal as a long and complex process. Incorrect changes can damage Office or Windows and may require Windows to be repaired or reinstalled.
If every normal method has failed, technical users can review Microsoft’s official manual Office removal instructions. Check that the instructions apply to the installed Office version before following them.
For most Ecokeys customers, using Rapid Support is safer than manually deleting Office services, scheduled tasks, folders and Registry entries.
Check That Office Has Been Removed
- Restart the computer. Select Start > Power > Restart. Switching the monitor off does not restart Windows.
- After Windows restarts, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Search for Office.
- Search again for Microsoft 365.
- Confirm that every Office suite or trial you intended to remove is no longer listed.
If the previous Office suites and Microsoft 365 trials are no longer listed, you can continue with the installation instructions supplied in your Ecokeys order email.
A generic Microsoft 365 or Office shortcut can sometimes refer to a Microsoft Store hub rather than the complete desktop Office suite. The Installed apps and Programs and Features lists provide a more reliable check than looking only at Start menu shortcuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will uninstalling Office delete my documents?
Uninstalling Office does not normally delete Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations or other personal files. Important files should still be backed up before making software changes.
Do I need to remove Microsoft 365 before installing Office 2024?
Yes, if you are following the Ecokeys clean-install process. Remove previous Office suites and Microsoft 365 trials before installing Office 2024. This prevents version, activation and application conflicts.
Can Microsoft’s Get Help troubleshooter remove Office 2024?
No. Microsoft currently states that the troubleshooter cannot uninstall Office 2024. Use Windows Settings or Control Panel for Office 2024. If removal still fails, use Ecokeys Rapid Support.
Why can I see more than one Office entry?
The computer may contain a Microsoft 365 trial, an older Office suite, a Microsoft Store Office package or separate products such as Project or Visio. Remove every previous Office suite required for your clean installation, but do not remove unrelated Microsoft applications unless necessary.
What if Office starts reinstalling or the wrong version opens again?
Take a screenshot of Settings > Apps > Installed apps and a screenshot of Word > File > Account if Word can still be opened. Submit both through Rapid Support so that Ecokeys can identify which product is returning.
Office Still Will Not Uninstall?
Use Ecokeys Rapid Support if an Office product remains installed, the Uninstall button does not work, or Windows displays an error.
- Open Ecokeys Rapid Support.
- Select Microsoft Office.
- Select Microsoft 365 / old Office will not uninstall, or choose the closest available description.
- Follow any recognised fix shown.
- If the problem remains, complete the support incident using the email address from your Ecokeys order.
Please provide:
- A screenshot or clear photo showing the Office product in Installed apps or Programs and Features.
- A screenshot or clear photo of the complete uninstall error.
- A brief description of which removal method you tried and what happened.
- Your Ecokeys order details. Use Find my order in the portal where available.
Reply target: within 30 minutes during published business hours.
Cannot use the portal? Email support@ecokeys.co.uk with the email address used for your order and a screenshot or clear photo of the problem.
