When do I get the newest features for Microsoft 365?
Applies To
Microsoft 365 for home Office for business Office 365 Small Business Microsoft 365 admin Microsoft 365 for Mac Office 365 First Release programmeAs new Microsoft 365 features become available, they are sometimes rolled out over a period of time to all subscribers. If you have a Microsoft 365 work or school account, the timing of when you receive new features may also depend on your organization’s settings. Eventually, all Microsoft 365 subscribers will receive the new features. If you don’t see a feature you’re expecting in your Office apps, there’s no need to worry—it’s on its way!
Note: New builds are also rolled out this way. This means when a build becomes available, not all customers will receive the new features right away. However, you can expect it to come to your device soon.
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Who gets new features? All new features are included for free as part of your Microsoft 365 subscription. If you have a work or school account, your administrator may control when you see new features. If you have a one-time purchase of Office 2016 or 2019, you will receive security and performance updates but no new features.
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How do I get new features? You will get them automatically as they are rolled out. You can also check for and install updates manually. (This does not guarantee that you will receive the newest features right away.)
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When will new features arrive in my Office? We don't publish an exact day when the updates occur because that day can vary, and multiple updates could happen in a month. All Microsoft 365 subscribers will eventually get the new features. However, if you’d like to get them sooner, you can join the Microsoft 365 Insider program.
How are Office Updates rolled out?
If you've joined the Microsoft 365 Insider program, you get preview builds for the latest features, security updates, and performance fixes that Microsoft releases before anyone else. These channels determine how often, and how early, you get Office Insider updates. For Windows, Mac, and Android, there are two tracks: Beta Channel and Current Channel (Preview).
For Microsoft 365 Insider for iOS, there is only one track: Beta Channel.
When new features and updates are distributed, the timeline usually goes like this:
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Insiders who have signed up for Beta Channel on Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS, will receive the earliest, preview build first. This track is for Insiders who feel comfortable with using unsupported builds and will help identify issues and provide valuable feedback to Microsoft.
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Next, Insiders who have joined Current Channel (Preview) on Windows, Mac, or Android, get access to preview builds. These preview builds differ, in that they are fully supported by Microsoft. This means there’s minimal risk and your feedback will be used to tweak and improve the final Office update.
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The remaining Microsoft 365 users get updates a little later, typically one to three weeks after Microsoft 365 Insiders, or possibly longer. When they’re released, these updates are sent to a small percentage of users first, and then more users are added over time until all Office subscribers are updated.
When new features are available, they will download automatically if you have a Microsoft 365 subscription for Windows. If automatic update is not turned on, you can Install Office updates manually. If you have a Mac, be sure to configure Mac to update automatically.
Ready to sign up? Learn how to become a Microsoft 365 Insider. You can also follow the @MSFT365Insider Twitter handle to find out about new features and updates that are released to Microsoft 365 Insiders.
Questions? Find out more.
Here are some commonly asked questions regarding new features for Office. If you have additional questions about this process, please let us know using the comment box below.
See these links for more info:
* This information is mainly for admins and IT Pros.
If you have Microsoft 365, upgrading is easy. See these links for more info:
If you have a one-time purchase of an older version of Office, you'll need to purchase a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Office updates for Windows and Mac are released on different schedules, so if you have both, you’ll see Office update at different times. Also, we may not release new features every month--some months the updates might only contain security updates, or non-security updates that provide stability or performance improvements for Office.
If you're a Microsoft 365 for business customer, your system admins might restrict which Office updates you get until they have a chance to test those features with other programs used by your organization. This is why you might not have the latest features of Office at work, even after you update Office.
Business admins can enable Microsoft 365 Insider updates on Windows or Mac devices by following these steps.
What's new in Microsoft 365 are updated periodically to describe many of the new features in Office. Remember that it may take some time before these features are available in your installation of Office both at home and at work. You can also follow the @MSFT365Insider Twitter handle to find out about new features and updates that are released to Office Insiders.
See Also
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