Note
Office 365 ProPlus is being renamed to Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. For more information about this change, read this blog post.
- Office content: This content is powered by existing compliant M365 services like the Recommended Content service, recent file service, and recent SharePoint sites service. If your organization needs to comply with legal or regulatory standards, start here to learn about compliance in Microsoft 365. More to Come for Enterprise New Tab Experience.
- There are two kinds of add-ins: Office Add-ins from the Office Store (which use web technologies like HTML, CSS and JavaScript) and add-ins made by using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). If you're looking for a built-in add-in such as Solver or Analysis ToolPak.
Office Tab Enterprise is an application that provides users with the possibility to open multiple documents in Microsoft Office at the same time, and to manage them in a tabbed interface.
Summary
Existing Office 2016 for Mac customers will be seamlessly upgraded to 64-bit versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote as part of the August product release (version 15.25). This affects customers of all license types: Retail, Office 365 Consumer, Office 365 Commercial, and Volume License installations.
Deployment options for the 64-bit update
AutoUpdate (MAU)
Customers who use Microsoft AutoUpdate (MAU) to keep their Office applications up-to-date will see a 'regular' monthly update notification when their selected channel is upgraded to 64-bit builds. Depending on which version is installed on the local computer, MAU will offer either a delta or full update. The update package size does not change between 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Also, MAU can deliver a delta update when applicable to update a user from 32-bit to 64-bit applications. Therefore, customers won't experience a sharp increase in download activity. For the release to the Production channel, customers will see '(64-bit)' in the update title to make them aware that this is a 64-bit update.
For information about how to use the MAU, see Check for Office for Mac updates automatically.
Manual updates
The August release of Office for Mac is available for manual download. The following file provides a 64-bit package to replace existing 32-bit applications with 64-bit variants during installation:
Download the Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac August update package now.
Virus-scan claim
Microsoft scanned this file for viruses, using the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to it.
Volume License Service Center
Volume License customers typically get their Office 2016 software from the Volume License Service Center (VLSC). These builds are refreshed infrequently and are typically aligned with new language editions. The VLSC will continue to offer 32-bit installers (15.23) until November 2016. However, all updater packages that are released after August will be based on 64-bit builds. Therefore, a VLSC customer who updates either manually or through AutoUpdate will be transitioned to 64-bit builds.
More Information
64-bit only
The Mac operating system has been 64-bit for several years. Unlike for Windows, there's no choice between running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of the Mac operating system. Similarly, we won't offer a choice between 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Office 2016 for Mac. After each 'channel' is transitioned per the rollout schedule, only 64-bit builds will be available.
Effect on third-party applications and add-ins
The transition to 64-bit Office for Mac was announced in April 2016. IT Pros will want to understand which compiled add-ins are deployed to the users whom they manage so that they can assess the effect of the upgrade. The following Microsoft Office website summarizes the issues that affect the more common add-ins that are used together with Office 2016 for Mac:
Tools for inspecting product architecture
To verify the architecture of an Office application (that is, to understand whether you have a 32-bit or 64-bit build), start the application, open the Activity Monitor, and then enable the Kind column.
You can also use the file command in a terminal session to inspect the binary. For this use, type file -N <path of binary>.This method can be used with for any binary file, including third-party add-ins.
The file command returns one of three values.
| Return value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mach-O 64-bit executable x86_64 | 64-bit binary |
| Mach-O executable i386 | 32-bit binary |
| Mach-O 64-bit executable x86_64 | FAT binary (compatible with both 32-bit and 64-bit processes) |
| Mach-O executable i386 | FAT binary (compatible with both 32-bit and 64-bit processes) |
Options for reverting to 32-bit installations
There may be situations in which the customer has to change code that's not 64-bit ready. If customers can't immediately move forward to 64-bit builds, we will make available a one-time 32-bit update for the 15.25 release in addition to the default 64-bit updates. The 32-bit updates will be available only for manual download from the Office CDN.
The latest 32-bit release of Office 2016 for Mac (15.25.160818) can be downloaded from https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=823192.
Customers who manually install the 32-bit release won't be offered the 64-bit version of 15.25 through MAU. However, MAU will offer the 64-bit version of 15.26 in September 2016. Therefore, customers have a limited time to remain on 32-bit builds.
If a customer has already upgraded to the 64-bit update of Office for Mac 15.25 and wants to revert to the 32-bit version, follow these steps:
- Exit all open Office 2016 applications.
- Start Safari, and then browse to https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=823192 to start the download of the 32-bit installer.
- Double-click the downloaded package, and then follow the instructions.
The 64-bit installation has a build date of 160817. The 32-bit version has a build date of 160818.
From Microsoft Corporation
MC230772 · Published Dec 19, 2020
From QuixTec, LLC: about Microsoft Technical Bulletins: The information contained in these technical bulletins are provided ‘unaltered’ from the Microsoft 365 Message center. As an authorized Microsoft Partner, QuixTec’s’ Custom SharePoint Development and Office 365 expertise takes Microsoft notifications into full account throughout initiatives. We tailor your solution according to your corporate style and business requirements and make recommendations based upon our knowledgebase of Microsoft Technologies and technical bulletins. QuixTec’s Microsoft SharePoint development services delivers user-friendly, feature-rich applications. For example: using SharePoint’s flexibility, the solutions we create for you will be intuitive and welcome your users to collaborate and capture crucial information necessary to efficiently complete tasks. (425) 367-9025
Message Summary
Your end users will soon see four new information cards on the Office 365 tab of the Enterprise new tab page, when using a stable version above Edge 87. We introduced the Enterprise new tab page in October 2020 (MC225606).
Key points
- Microsoft 365 Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 76687
- Timing: mid-January 2021, Stable Channel
- Roll-out: tenant level
- Action: review and assess
How this will affect your organization
The four new cards are Day’s Events, Recommended documents, Recommended sites and Weather.
All users signed in with Azure Active Directory accounts to Microsoft Edge will see the new cards in the Office 365 tab of the Enterprise new tab page.
What you need to do to prepare
Office Tab Enterprise Mac Download
You might want to notify your users about this new capability and update your training and documentation as appropriate.
Before/after views
Current view
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Mac Enterprises Corp
Future view
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QuixTec, LLC is a U.S. certified Veteran Owned, modern DevOps organization that specializes in Microsoft SharePoint, Office 365 & HTML5 technologies for small to enterprise-sized organizations. Richard has 30 years of experience working with several notable companies that include World Vision, Expedia, Microsoft, Levi Strauss, NASA, Boeing Aerospace, Los Alamos National Laboratory and the U.S. Air Force, to name a few. QuixTec is located in the Seattle area. Phone today for a free consultation and project estimate: (425) 367-9025