OSX Update

We can, but you need to provide a modicum of detail:

What is your Mac? Use the Apple Menu on the left of the toolbar. Choose About this Mac. The overview tab will tell you what operating system it has and identify the model and year.

It's possible that you may need to upgrade the Air to a point at which you can then install Office. Microsoft Office requires the current or previous two macOS versions, which is Catalina 10.15, macOS 11 Big Sur, or macOS 12 Monterey.

Another choice is to avoid using Office and use an alternative. You can quite happily use Apple's iWork suite (Pages, Numbers and Keynote) as a substitute for Office, specifically Word, Excel and PowerPoint. I can't remember now but I seem to recall they were included as part of the OS installer. Your daughter would know if the Mac has these applications.

I mention this because I suspect that your Mac might be too old to upgrade to one of the three versions of macOS I've mentioned, in which case you cannot install Office.

Sorry Qaiser, I meant to respond to your second query above but it was lost in my In Box.

Older OS upgrades can be had from this Apple support page. Use Safari for the link to an older macOS you wish to install and it will take you to the App store for the installer download.

Your Mac can be upgraded to the current system macOS 12 Monterey, though you have to consider a few things first. From macOS 10.15 Catalina only 64 bit software is supported, so you will lose the use of any 32 bit software. You can determine what apps will be affected by navigating in the menubar: Apple Menu > About this Mac > System Report. Then look down the list on the left to Software - Applications.

This will provide a list of your installed applications which you can then order by Kind. 32 bit should then be grouped together. (It's a bit different in my Monterey system but I think this is correct). You might need to update or find alternatives if you move to or beyond 10.15 Catalina. On the other hand it's a good time to take stock of what you can do without. It took me about 18 months to get my iMac organised for 64 bit and I therefore missed Catalina completely, and upgraded from MacOS 10.14 Mojave to macOS 11 Big Sur - and when it was released onwards to macOS 12 Monterey.

Some people advise upgrading slowly, that is from 10.10 Yosemite to 10.13 High Sierra or to 10.14 Mojave then onward to macOS 12 Monterey. This is prudent and in your situation that is what I would do. The upgrades are fairly swift for these systems. It's when you get to the whoppers like Big Sur and Monterey that they take a wee while on older Macs like yours - and my now oldish 2015 iMac. Suddenly, after a few recent purchases, I have nearly the oldest Mac in the house - and slowest. My turn next!

I have upgraded a MacBook Air identical to yours and it took it like a lamb. No problem at all and its running well.

Make sure also that you have or create a Time Machine backup in case of disaster. It's a lifeline I've had to call upon just once (recently, for an old fading Mac) but it saved the day and helped a father avoid having to deal with a grumpy daughter.

Incidentally, my daughter has had her student licence of MS Office expire and I recommend to her the same as to you - use Pages. She was satisfied with that and it will be fine for some time. A case of taking my own advice you might say.

Check in again to advise how you went with your upgrade(s).