Question about Office 2016

I believe any attempt to install Microsoft Office applications on Sierra 10.12.6 will be blocked by Microsoft which (presently) requires macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 as the minimum supported operating system. As soon as macOS 11 (Big Sur) is officially released, look for Microsoft to then require macOS Mojave 10.14.6 for Office installations.

Kurt?

Hi VikingOSX,

I know the current three OS rule applies to Office 365 and 2019, but I'm not certain how that affects Office 2016. I had looked up the Mac specs for 2016 and MS's own site says 10.10 or later (about 3/4 of the way down the page).

But yes, it's certainly confusing and somewhat contradictory. I was also off on when 2016 is obsolete. It's isn't soon, it happened on the 13th of this month.

isidorask could download one of the Office 2016 titles from MS's page and see if it will run. Though I can't be sure if any of them will run with the nag line it displays if it hasn't yet been activated, or if it will simply hang on the activation screen.

isidorask Said:

“Question about Office 2016: Is the Microsoft Office 2016 compatible with macOS Sierra?”

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Contacting Microsoft Support:

If something isn’t working the way that is intended, then contact the developer (Microsoft). Ask if it is a glitch, and if you can be provided with a new key.

Start Here:  Microsoft Contact Us Virtual Agent - Microsoft Support

So I will continue in purchase for Office 2016 (product key), because I need Microsoft Office in my Mac, as soon as possible and I will inform you for the result.

Just so you realize that Microsoft has ended support for Office 2016 for Mac (10/13/2020) and no future product updates will be forthcoming. I think that before you purchase a license key, that you should see if you can actually install Office 2016 on your Mac running Sierra.

Agreed with VikingOSX. Use the link for MS's download page and see if any of the 2016 apps will even launch after installing them.

It also won't be easy finding a legal copy or product key for Office 2016. I've been looking around for 10 minutes or so, and nearly every one is an illegal copy. Typical giveaway is the drastically low price.

What they do is send you someone else's legal product key. MS's servers have a fixed number of activations on their keys (they won't say what it is, but it's around 25). As long as that magic number hasn't been reached, the software will activate, even though the key legally belongs only to the original buyer. If the key has been use too many times, the software will refuse to activate. The site selling the illegal copy just says sorry, and gives you another illegally obtained product key to try.

The only place I could find a legitimate copy of Office 2016 for Mac is on eBay. This is what a real product box looks like:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SEALED-Microsoft-Office-Home-and-Business-2016-1-MAC-New/184490638853?epid=2256081489&hash=item2af47fbe05:g:JUkAAOSwUwRfiXBo

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BRAND-NEW-Microsoft-Office-2016-Home-and-Business-Word-Excel-Outlook-Mac/264908913541?epid=219595568&hash=item3dadcd3b85:g:UrMAAOSwClFfkam0

When 2016 was released, you could either purchase it online, or boxed. No matter which way you did it, all you get is a key. You then download Office 2016 separately and activate it with your key.

Downside of eBay is you'll have to wait for the box to get to you, but I couldn't find anyone selling a legitimate electronically purchased key online.

Excellent! Glad you were able to get up and running with Office as you said you needed it quickly.

Should be, ask Microsoft though.

If it is the 64 bit version of Office 2016.

According to Microsoft's specifications page, Mac OS X version 10.10 or later.

Be aware you would be purchasing a very soon to be obsolete product.

Thanks.