Microsoft AutoUpdate
The Microsoft AutoUpdate application is part of Microsoft Office for the Macintosh and debuted with Microsoft Office 2004. It allows you to discover that updates for Microsoft Office are available, download them, and install them in the minimal number of steps. In order to install the updates, you will need:
- a valid individual or campus license for your copy of Microsoft Office
- a Mac OS X administrator-level account
- live Internet access.
Microsoft AutoUpdate should be located in the top-level "Applications" folder on your Mac OS X startup disk. You can find it quickly by selecting Go > Applications in the Mac OS X Finder—or, in Mac OS X Tiger (or later), by typing "Microsoft AutoUpdate" in the Spotlight search field.
It can be set up to check for updates manually or automatically. For standalone Mac OS X computers, AutoUpdate should be set to check for updates at least weekly. For managed Mac OS X computers, a system administrator will typically push out the updates to computers and AutoUpdate can be disabled. In most respects, AutoUpdate functions very similarly to the Mac OS X Software Update utility.
Installing updates with Microsoft AutoUpdate
To manually install Office updates, or to obtain them when Microsoft AutoUpdate prompts you that an update has been found:
- Launch the Microsoft AutoUpdate program in the Mac OS X "Applications" folder.
- Click the "Check for Updates" button.
- If the program warns you that "There are no updates available for your Microsoft software at this time," then the Office suite up to date.
- If the program displays available updates, select and install them.
- Continue to "Check for Updates" until no more updates are available. When no more updates are available, the Office suite is up to date.