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How to install Microsoft Office on MacBook Air?

I just bought my first ever Apple MacBook and I am realy having hard time with it.
Please someone tell me how to install the Microsoft Office 2011 on MacBook Air.

Thank you so much!

MacBook Air

Posted on Jan 10, 2011 9:39 PM

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Posted on Jan 10, 2011 9:56 PM

Hi Lancelotte25,

welcome to the forums.

You have a few options:

1) buy apple's external dvd drive for the macbook air
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB397G/A is a link to apple's online store; where you can purchase the external super drive.

2) Use the cd/dvd drive of another computer to install the software.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1777 explains how to use another computers cd/dvd rom drive.
If you chose to use a cd/dvd rom drive on a pc; you may need to install macdrive as well.
http://www.mediafour.com/products/macdrive the free trial of macdrive is long enough that you could probable install office.

3) contact Microsoft & see if they can offer you another option. (maybe they can let you download the installer)
http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=mscom

good luck and con grads on the macbook air!

-tt
19 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Jan 10, 2011 9:56 PM in response to Lancelotte25

Hi Lancelotte25,

welcome to the forums.

You have a few options:

1) buy apple's external dvd drive for the macbook air
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB397G/A is a link to apple's online store; where you can purchase the external super drive.

2) Use the cd/dvd drive of another computer to install the software.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1777 explains how to use another computers cd/dvd rom drive.
If you chose to use a cd/dvd rom drive on a pc; you may need to install macdrive as well.
http://www.mediafour.com/products/macdrive the free trial of macdrive is long enough that you could probable install office.

3) contact Microsoft & see if they can offer you another option. (maybe they can let you download the installer)
http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=mscom

good luck and con grads on the macbook air!

-tt

Jan 15, 2011 6:55 AM in response to Lancelotte25

What I've been doing for software installs takes another computer, but works out very well. I take the other computer (in my case Windows) and create an .iso file from the CD/DVD that I need to use. For Windows I use ImgBurn.

Once it's an .img file, you can copy it to the mac (via network or flash drive, etc). and it will mount like normal. Pretty easy way to get stuff installed without spending the money on a USB-smartdrive.

If you've got another mac - you can use Disk Utility or another app to create the .iso file.

Enjoy!

Jan 15, 2011 3:37 PM in response to lmelaniej

On your PC,
1. Google and look for an app called IMGBURN. It's free. Install IMGBURN.
2. Then place your install CD/DVD into your Windows drive and use the IMGBURN menus to convert the disc to an .iso file.
3. Once you've got the file - copy it to an external HD or USB flash drive. (it's best to have your external drive formatted as NTFS, as FAT32 has issues with large files). BUT be warned, that a Mac can't write to NTFS partitions, Mac's can only READ from NTFS partitions.
4. Once copied, you then place the USB drive in your Mac and copy the file from the USB drive to your Mac desktop.
5. Double-click on it on the Mac, it will mount the .iso file, and will show just like another drive (or .DMG file).
6. You then run the install that's available to you.

I've done this with Office 11 for Mac, Lightroom 3.2, Parallels, and multiple other applications.

Dec 16, 2011 10:07 AM in response to Lancelotte25

You can download the media from Microsoft here:


http://www.microsoft.com/mac/trial


You can use a key from the DVD to activate.


Otherwise you can simply copy the contents of the disk from a computer that has a DVD drive then copy to a USB drive.


There is nothing magic about a DVD its just data on a disk put the Data on a USB drive. Then attach the USB drive.


(The Magic comes in, if there are "hidden files" in windows. Just go to option in the Windows Explorer and check the box to "show hidden fiels" That will ensure that all the data copies over.)

Dec 16, 2011 10:50 PM in response to Lancelotte25

Lancelotte25 wrote:


Please someone tell me how to install the Microsoft Office 2011 on MacBook Air.

If you're refering to MS Office 2011 for Windows, you will have to use either BootCamp or some other virtual machine software like Parallels or Fusion.


I also just got a new 128GB MacAir and I went the Parallels route and then installed Windows and MS Office. System runs great for either OS-X or Windows 7.


I used an old stand alonge DVD drive that I bought on eBay 3 or 4 years ago. Regardless of whether you are install MS Windows software or OS X Office software, I think it's worth having an external drive. So much easier than the hassle of creating an ISO file, especially when you're not doing it every day.


If you go to ebay and search "external DVD drive", there are several going for around $25. And once you have one, the next time you need to installl something from a DVD drive, you have it. Also, you can burn stuff from your computer to DVD.

Apr 15, 2012 6:04 PM in response to Lancelotte25

WhySoSerious has the best answer.


I really don't understand why people need to make things more complicated than they really are--some of the replies on here are ridiculous. I think people just want to impress others with how much Apple knowledge they have, but for the average user, the simplest solution is always the best.


Just go to MS Office, download a free trial, enter the product key from the MS Office software that you purchased, and voila! So easy!

Apr 16, 2012 4:04 AM in response to bdbiceinparadise

I really don't understand why people need to make things more complicated than they really are--some of the replies on here are ridiculous.

Keep in mind that most people here are users, not tech experts, and they offer help based on their personal experience. Your question comes up a lot (specifically how to install Office, but more generally how to install programs that come on disc). A person who knows how to create an ISO suggests that because he knows how to do it and it works. A person who knows how to copy an installer from a disc to a flash drive suggests that and it works. Obviously, WhySoSerious has a very simple answer and it works in this case but it really is no better than the suggestion to copy the installer to a flash drive, particularly for those who have slow or metered internet.

Apr 16, 2012 8:25 AM in response to bdbiceinparadise

bdbiceinparadise wrote:


Just go to MS Office, download a free trial, enter the product key from the MS Office software that you purchased, and voila! So easy!

Does this solution work on different versions of software (in this case MS Office)? I don't keep up with all the releases so the dates are probably wrong in the following examples. Lets assume I owned MS Office 07 and I wanted to use your solution. I assume the MS website DOESN'T offer free trials of outdated software. So, I go on their website, download MS Office 2011 and then enter my product key from MS Office 2007. Are you saying that will work?


Personally for me, I don't give two hoots about getting the latest MS Office. So, if I have a working copy of an earlier edition, that's the one I want to install. And yes, for you NO-NO people, I do remove the software from my previous computers when I do this before I sell them.


Even if I could upgrade my previous version, I wouldn't want to as it would be a waste of my time during the learning curve. In fact I'm paying this penalty now in that I'm using MS Office 08 that my wife bought (3 computer version) and insisted I put on my computer to help her on her's. I was using MS Office 03 and hate the 08 pull down menus. Since I use the program infrequently, I find myself staggering around trying to find this and that when with the '03 version, it would be simply click and done.

How to install Microsoft Office on MacBook Air?

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