To install Office 2016 Home & Business for Mac, redeem your key at setup.office.com with a Microsoft account. Then download the installer from account.microsoft.com/services, or use the official link in your order email, and run the .pkg file. Open Word and sign in to activate. Microsoft ended support on 13 October 2020, so check your macOS version first.
Office Home & Business 2016 for Mac includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote, and it is licensed for home and commercial use on one Mac. It's a one-time purchase rather than a subscription, so it still suits Mac users who want a familiar Office suite at a lower cost. Because it's an older product, we want to be clear about what it can and can't do on today's Macs before you install it. This guide covers compatibility, download, installation, activation and fixes for common problems.
Read this first: support and macOS compatibility
Microsoft ended support for Office 2016 for Mac on 13 October 2020. According to Microsoft's end of support for Office 2016 for Mac notice, the apps keep working and you won't lose any data. However, Microsoft no longer releases security updates, bug fixes or phone/chat support. The final release was version 16.16.27.
That has some practical effects on modern Macs:
- Officially supported macOS: Office 2016 version 16.16 was built for OS X 10.10 Yosemite through macOS 10.15 Catalina. Support ended a month before macOS 11 Big Sur launched, so Microsoft never tested it on Big Sur or anything newer.
- Newer macOS versions: many users run Office 2016 on Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura and later. It usually opens and edits documents, but problems such as crashes, sign-in loops or activation prompts are more likely. Because the software is unsupported, Microsoft won't fix them.
- Apple silicon (M1 and later): Office 2016 is an Intel-only app, so it runs on M-series Macs through Apple's Rosetta 2 translation layer. Apple has announced that broad Rosetta 2 support will be phased out in a future macOS release, which would stop Intel-only apps such as Office 2016 from opening.
- 64-bit only: since macOS Catalina, only 64-bit apps run. All recent Office 2016 builds (version 15.25 and later) are 64-bit, so always install the latest 16.16 build rather than an old disc or download.
Our recommendation is simple. Office 2016 for Mac is a good fit for an Intel Mac on macOS Catalina or earlier. On an M-series Mac or a recent macOS, a supported version is a better choice, for example Office 2024 Home & Business for PC/Mac. If you're unsure, email us before you redeem your key.
What you need before you start
- Your 25-character product key from your Softkeyworld order email, for either Office 2016 Home & Business for Mac or the Microsoft Office 2016 Home & Business listing.
- A Microsoft account to redeem the key to and to sign in with when you activate.
- Your Mac login password (for installing).
- Older Office for Mac versions removed, or at least closed, before installing.
- About 6 GB of free space plus room for updates.
System requirements
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | OS X 10.10 Yosemite or later (officially tested up to macOS 10.15 Catalina; later versions are unsupported) |
| Processor | Intel processor (Apple silicon only through Rosetta 2) |
| Memory | 4 GB RAM |
| Storage | 6 GB free space (HFS+ or APFS formatted drive) |
| Display | 1280 x 800 resolution or higher |
| Other | Internet connection and Microsoft account for redemption and activation |
To check your Mac, open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac. The Overview shows your macOS version and whether you have an Intel or Apple M-series chip.
Step 1: Redeem your key and download Office 2016 for Mac
- Go to setup.office.com in Safari or another browser.
- Sign in with your Microsoft account. If you don't have one, choose Create one. Use an account you'll keep, because the licence is permanently linked to it.
- Enter the 25-character product key from your order email, select your country or region and language, and select Next.
- Open account.microsoft.com/services, find Office Home & Business 2016 for Mac and select Install.
- If your account page doesn't offer an Office 2016 for Mac installer (Microsoft sometimes hides retired products), use the official Microsoft download link included in your order email. If the email doesn't have one, contact support@softkeyworld.com and we'll send it.
Only use installers from Microsoft or from the link we send. Don't use installers from torrent or "free download" sites. They're often modified, and an unsupported app is exactly the kind of software that attackers target.
Step 2: Install Office 2016 on your Mac
- Open Finder > Downloads and double-click the Office installer package (for example
Microsoft_Office_2016_16.16.xxxxx_Installer.pkg). - If macOS warns that the installer was downloaded from the internet, select Open. On Apple silicon Macs, if you're asked to install Rosetta, select Install and wait for it to finish.
- Select Continue, review the software licence agreement, then select Continue and Agree.
- Choose the destination disk and select Install. Enter your Mac login password when prompted.
- When the installer finishes, select Close. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote are now in your Applications folder.
- Open Word. Microsoft AutoUpdate may launch. Let it install any available Office 2016 updates up to the final 16.16 build, because they include the last security and compatibility fixes.
Step 3: Activate Office 2016 for Mac
- Open Word (or any Office app). The "What's New" screen appears. Select Get started.
- On the Sign in to activate Office screen, select Sign in and enter the Microsoft account you redeemed the key to.
- Office checks your account for a licence. If more than one Office licence is attached, choose Office Home and Business 2016 for Mac.
- If a keychain prompt asks to use "com.microsoft.OfficeActivation" or similar, enter your Mac password and select Always Allow. This stops the prompt from appearing again.
- Choose your look (theme), then select Start using Word. The other Office apps share the same activation.
There's no command-line or phone activation for Office for Mac retail licences. Activation always goes through the Microsoft account.
How to verify activation
- Open Word and select Word > About Microsoft Word. The licence line should name Office Home and Business 2016 rather than "Unlicensed Product".
- Make sure no "Activate Office" or "Unlicensed Product" banner appears under the ribbon when you open Excel or PowerPoint.
- Check that you can create and save a new document. An unlicensed copy of Office for Mac opens in read-only mode.
Removing an older Office for Mac before you install
If Office 2011, an Office 365 trial or another Office for Mac version is already on your Mac, remove it first so that licences don't conflict:
- Quit all Office apps.
- Open Finder > Applications and drag Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote to the Bin.
- Restart your Mac, then install Office 2016 as described above.
Keep your Outlook data safe. If you used Outlook on this Mac before, export your mailbox first (File > Export in Outlook) so you can import it later.
Using Office 2016 for Mac safely
An unsupported app needs a bit more care:
- Don't turn off macOS security features. Keep Gatekeeper and automatic macOS security updates on. They now provide most of the protection Office itself no longer gets.
- Be careful with attachments. Open documents from unknown senders in Preview or online, not in Office 2016, and leave macros disabled unless you trust the source completely.
- Save to OneDrive or iCloud Drive, or keep a Time Machine backup, so an app crash after a macOS update never costs you your work.
- Plan your upgrade. Before you install a major macOS update, check whether other users report Office 2016 problems on that release. Upgrade Office first if needed.
Troubleshooting common problems
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "You can't open the application … because it is not supported on this type of Mac" or the app won't launch | A very old 32-bit build, or a macOS release without Rosetta 2 support. | Install the latest 16.16 build. On Apple silicon, install Rosetta 2. If it still won't open, your macOS is beyond what Office 2016 can run on, so move to a supported Office version. |
| "We couldn't find any Office products" / "No products found" at sign-in | You signed in with a different Microsoft account, or the key wasn't redeemed. | Sign in with the account you used at setup.office.com. Check account.microsoft.com/services lists the product. |
| "Unlicensed Product" / apps open read-only | Activation didn't complete, or old licence files are conflicting. | Quit all Office apps, run Microsoft's License Removal Tool for Mac, restart, then open Word and sign in again. |
| Keychain password prompt keeps appearing | Office can't access its stored activation details. | Select Always Allow, or open Keychain Access and remove Office-related "Microsoft Office Identities" entries, then sign in again. |
| Word or Outlook crashes on launch after a macOS upgrade | Office 2016 is untested on newer macOS versions. | Install the final 16.16 update through Microsoft AutoUpdate. If crashes continue, the fix is a supported Office version, because Microsoft no longer patches 2016. |
| "This product key has already been used" | The key is already linked to a Microsoft account. | Check your other Microsoft accounts. If none show the product, email support@softkeyworld.com with your order number. |
Frequently asked questions
Does Office 2016 for Mac still work in 2026?
Yes, on compatible Macs. Activated Office 2016 apps keep working, but they no longer receive security updates. It works best on Intel Macs running macOS Catalina or earlier.
Will Office 2016 run on my M1, M2, M3 or M4 Mac?
It usually runs through Rosetta 2, but Microsoft never supported this setup. For a new Apple silicon Mac, Office 2021 or Office 2024 for Mac is the better choice because they run natively and are still supported.
Can I install Office 2016 Home & Business for Mac on a Windows PC?
No. The Mac licence installs on one Mac only. Windows users need a Windows edition of Office.
Does it include Outlook?
Yes. Home & Business adds Outlook to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, and allows commercial use.
How do I move Office 2016 to a new Mac?
Remove Office from the old Mac, install it on the new Mac from your account or the official link, and sign in with the same Microsoft account. Check the new Mac's compatibility first.
Is there a newer Mac version with similar steps?
Yes. Our Office 2019 Home & Business for Mac guide uses the same redeem, install and sign-in process.
Get Office 2016 Home & Business for Mac
If your Mac fits the compatibility notes above, Office 2016 Home & Business is a low-cost way to get Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook with a genuine licence. Your key arrives by email straight after payment. If you're unsure about compatibility, email support@softkeyworld.com before redeeming, and remember that our 7-day return policy applies to unredeemed keys.