Installing Office 2016 Standard for Mac

This guide shows you how to install Office 2016 Standard for Mac and activate it with the licence key you received from us by email. The whole process takes around 20 to 30 minutes depending on your internet connection.

System requirements

Before installing, check that your Mac meets the requirements:

• macOS: version 10.10 (Yosemite) to 10.14 (Mojave). On newer macOS versions, Office 2016 for Mac is no longer officially supported by Microsoft.
• Memory: at least 4 GB of RAM.
• Disk space: around 10 GB of free space.
• Internet connection: for downloading the installer and later updates.

Tip: You can find your macOS version in the Apple menu under About This Mac. If your Mac is already running macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or newer, a more recent Office version for Mac is the better choice.

Preparation: Remove old Office versions

For activation to run smoothly, there should be no other Office installation on your Mac, in particular no preinstalled Microsoft 365 trial.

1. Close all open Office programs.
2. In Finder, open the Applications folder.
3. Drag any existing Office or Microsoft 365 apps to the Bin and then empty it.

Important: Do not install Office from the Mac App Store. The App Store versions are tied to a Microsoft 365 subscription via your Apple ID and cannot be activated with a product key. Only use the .pkg installer from our download page.

Download and installation

1. Open our download page and download the installer for Office 2016 Standard for Mac (a .pkg file).
2. Double-click the downloaded .pkg file to open it.
3. Follow the installation wizard and accept the licence terms.
4. Enter your Mac's administrator password when prompted.
5. Wait until the installation is complete. You will then find Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote in the Applications folder.

Note: If macOS reports that the file cannot be opened, right-click the .pkg file and choose Open. Alternatively, allow the installation under System Preferences > Security & Privacy.

Activate Office 2016 Standard

Office 2016 Standard is a volume licence. Activation is therefore not done by signing in with a Microsoft account but with the licence details from your order email.

1. Open your order email from Keywi24. There you will find your licence key and the exact activation steps for your delivery.
2. If your delivery includes a licence installer (the so-called Volume License Serializer, a small additional .pkg file on our download page): double-click to run it and follow the wizard. This stores the licence permanently on your Mac.
3. Then open Word. No sign-in or key entry is required after that.
4. Check the activation in the Word > About Word menu: the stored Office 2016 licence is displayed there.

Good to know: This is a perpetual licence with no subscription. Phone activation is not required for Office 2016 for Mac.

Common problems

• Office asks you to sign in despite activation: Usually licence remnants from an old trial version are still present. Microsoft provides a dedicated licence removal tool for Mac (search microsoft.com for "Office License Removal Tool"). Run it, restart your Mac and repeat the activation.
• The .pkg file will not open: Right-click the file and choose Open. This bypasses the Gatekeeper warning for this one installation.
• Apps do not start or crash: Check your macOS version. Office 2016 for Mac is no longer supported on macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or newer.
• Updates missing: In an Office app, open the Help > Check for Updates menu. Microsoft AutoUpdate then installs the last updates available for Office 2016.

Help with activation

If activation does not work straight away, our activation help has solutions for the most common error messages. Alternatively, you can reach our support team directly via live chat. Every purchase includes 90 days of free support. Please have your order number ready.