How to download and install Microsoft 365 apps on Mac, iPad, or iPhone


Microsoft 365 is a collection of powerful Office apps and services that are available on Windows, but are not limited to just Windows users. Mac, iPhone, and iPad can also play and edit versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, as well as share them via OneDrive and more. Apple users can access the full suite of cloud-based editions, as well as download native apps for many popular Microsoft 365 services.

In this article, we'll look at what native 365 apps are available for your Apple platforms and explain how to download and install them to start using your favorite productivity software.

Compatibility

It's important to know which Microsoft 365 services are available for your platform, which can be accessed through a native app, and which can only be accessed through web-based apps. The following table describes each of the applications and how they can be accessed.

SEE: Get to know these Microsoft 365 solutions.

Installing Microsoft 365 apps on macOS

Microsoft makes it easy to get all Microsoft 365 apps on your macOS devices through the Mac App Store. It offers a Microsoft 365 package (Mac App Store link) that, once added to your account, will begin downloading Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and OneDrive to your Mac automatically.

ACADEMY: Learn how to use Microsoft 365 in this software and training package.

Of course, you can also download each app individually by following these links to the Mac App Store for each product:

To download these apps and install them on your Mac:

  1. Click one of the links to the Microsoft 365 products above to launch the Mac App Store for that product.
  2. Click Get and then Install (Figure A).
Figure A: Installing an app from the Mac App Store is easy. Just tap Get and it will download and install. Image: Cory Bohon/TechRepublic

Once the app has been downloaded and installed, you can launch it as follows:

  1. Open the Search.
  2. Click Applications.
  3. Locate the installed application
  4. Double click on it.
Note: You will be asked to sign in to your Microsoft 365 account when you open the apps to continue using them.

Downloading Microsoft Teams

One notable Mac app missing from the App Store is Microsoft Teams. This app must be downloaded and installed outside of the Mac App Store. To download and install this application:

  1. Navigate to the Microsoft Teams Desktop download page.
  2. Select the Download button for Microsoft Teams for Mac.
  3. Locate the downloaded MicrosoftTeams.pkg file and double-click it to begin the installation (Figure B).
Microsoft Teams installation interface.
Figure B: You will need to review the installation package downloaded from the Microsoft Teams download page. Image: Cory Bohon/TechRepublic
  1. Follow the instructions and enter your Mac password to continue the installation. Once installed, Teams will be found in Finder > Applications.

Installing Microsoft 365 apps on iOS and iPadOS

On iPad and iPhone, Microsoft has Microsoft Office (App Store Link) that combines Copilot, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint into a single app that can be downloaded from the App Store. With the Microsoft Office app, iPad and iPhone users can also create and sign PDF documents.

ACADEMY: Save on your next 1-year subscription to Microsoft 365.

However, we suspect that many users will want to download the apps individually. Here is a complete list of iOS and iPadOS versions of Microsoft 365 apps that can be downloaded and installed from the App Store:

Microsoft Power BI app in the App Store.
Figure C: By tapping the link below and downloading the app, it will be ready to use on your device. Image: Cory Bohon/TechRepublic

To download and install these apps on your iPad or iPhone:

  1. Tap one of the product links above to launch the app in the App Store.
  2. Tap Get and then Install to download the app to your iPhone or iPad.

Once the app has been downloaded or installed, it will appear on your iPhone's home screen and within the App Library. Tapping the app on the Home screen or in the App Library will launch the Microsoft 365 app or service.

Note: You will be asked to sign in to your Microsoft 365 account in the app to fully use it on your iPhone or iPad.

Access Microsoft 365 from a web browser

Some Microsoft 365 apps that are Windows-only and do not provide macOS, iPadOS, or iOS versions have web versions that can be launched from your web browser. From a Mac, iPad, or iPhone, you can launch these web versions of Microsoft 365 apps by loading office.com in Safari or the web browser of your choice.

For the full list of Microsoft 365 apps and services that can be accessed over the web, visit Microsoft 365 apps and services list.

Set your apps to update automatically

Microsoft 365 apps are like trying to catch a Pokémon: you want them all but then you don't want to deal with the process of updating each one of them. Fortunately, Apple makes it extremely easy to automatically keep apps in its App Store updated. Follow these steps to have apps update automatically on your Mac or iOS/iPadOS devices.

On iOS or iPadOS

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Navigate to the App Store.
  3. Enable the option for App Updates in the Automatic Downloads section (Figure D).
App Store configuration interface on iOS.
Figure D: Auto-updating apps on iOS will cause them to download overnight and update when your iPhone or iPad is plugged in. Image: Cory Bohon/TechRepublic

On macOS

  1. Open the App Store app (Apple menu > App Store).
  2. Select App Store in the menu bar > Settings, or press Command +,.
  3. Check the box for Automatic Updates (Figure E).
Setting up the App Store on MacOS.
Figure E: macOS can keep your apps up to date when installed from the Mac App Store, but the settings are a little more hidden. Image: Cory Bohon/TechRepublic

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