How to Uninstall Office on Mac [Complete Guide]

Microsoft Office is crucial for daily work, but you may need to remove it from your Mac for reasons like upgrading, freeing up space, or fixing errors. Uninstalling on Mac isn't as straightforward as on Windows, so read on for step-by-step instructions on how to remove Office 365, 2019, 2016, and 2011 from your Mac.

Let's get started.

How to Manually Uninstall Microsoft Office on Mac

Microsoft Office comes in various versions, each with its own set of features. Notable editions for Mac include Office 2011, Office 2016, Office 2019, and the latest, Office 365. Follow the steps below to manually uninstall Microsoft Office from your Mac.

How to Uninstall Office 2011 on Mac

Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 is no longer supported since October 10, 2017. While you can still use its functions, staying up to date with the latest features, patches, and security updates is not possible. To uninstall, follow these steps:

1. Quit all the Office applications first.
2. Open Finder > Applications.
3. Locate the Microsoft Office 2011 folder and move it to Trash.
4. Empty your Trash and restart your Mac.

How to Uninstall Office 365, 2019, and 2016 on Mac

Uninstalling newer versions of Office, like Office 365, is more complex than Office 2011. It involves deleting both the application and related files on the hard drive. The steps for Office 365, 2019, and 2016 are similar, primarily involving removing app icons, and related files, and unlocking apps from the Dock.

step 1Remove Microsoft Office Apps from Your Mac

1. Click Finder > Applications.

2. Locate and select all Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive, and Outlook).

3. Move them to the Trash.

   

step 2Delete Office Associated Files on Mac

1. On the Finder window, press Shift + Command + G to open the Go to Folder window. 

2. Enter ~/Library in the box and press Return.

   

3. Find and open the Containers folder.

   

4. Locate these folders below and move them to Trash. (Note: Some of them may not be present.)

   • com.microsoft.errorreporting
   • com.microsoft.Excel
   • com.microsoft.netlib.shipassertprocess
   • com.microsoft.Office365ServiceV2
   • com.microsoft.Outlook
   • com.microsoft.Powerpoint
   • com.microsoft.RMS-XPCService
   • com.microsoft.Word
   • com.microsoft.onenote.mac
   • com.microsoft.OneDrive.FinderSync

5. Click the back arrow in the Finder window to go back to the ~/Library folder.

6. Locate the Group Containers folder and open it.

   

7. Locate these folders below, if present, and move them to Trash.

   • UBF8T346G9.ms
   • UBF8T346G9.Office
   • UBF8T346G9.OfficeOsfWebHost
   • UBF8T346G9.OneDriveStandaloneSuite
   • UBF8T346G9.OneDriveSyncClientSuite
   • UBF8T346G9.OfficeOneDriveSyncIntegration
   Note

   All your Outlook data will be deleted when you move the first 3 folders to the Trash. Please back them up before you remove them.

8. Empty your Trash.

step 3Remove Microsoft Office Apps from the Dock and Restart Your Mac

1. If you have Microsoft Office apps locked in the Dock, right-click on the app icons, go to Options, and select Remove from Dock.
2. To complete the uninstallation of Microsoft Office from your Mac, restart your computer.

How to Uninstall Microsoft Office on Mac with One Click

Manually removing Microsoft Office on Mac can be time-consuming. For a quicker solution, consider using BuhoCleaner, an easy-to-use Mac Office uninstaller. With a single click, you can delete Office apps and their related files using this tool.

1. Make sure you have BuhoCleaner installed on your Mac.
2. Launch it and click App Uninstall to view a list of all installed apps on your Mac.
3. Locate the Microsoft Office applications, tick the boxes next to them, and click the Remove button.

Bonus: How to Uninstall Office License from Mac

If you are experiencing problems with Microsoft Office, you can follow the steps below to troubleshoot by removing the Office license file from your Mac.

1. Download the license removal tool.
2. Open the downloaded .dkg file.
3. Install the license removal tool.
4. After the tool successfully removes your Office licenses, click the Close button.

Alternatively, you can use Terminal for a quick removal. Open Terminal and execute the following command:

sudo rm /Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.office.licensingV2.plist

The Bottom Line

That concludes the process of uninstalling Microsoft Office on Mac. In summary, removing Office 2011 for Mac is easy, while uninstalling Office 365, 2019, and 2016 on Mac is a bit more complex and time-consuming. If you're looking for a quick deletion of Office, BuhoCleaner is your best choice.