Office 2021 for Mac download: how to install and activate Home & Business 2021 on your Mac
Office 2021 for Mac is downloaded from Microsoft, not from a third-party site. You redeem your product key on your Microsoft account, download the Mac installer from there, and activate by signing in inside Word. This guide walks through each step, plus the editions and the current support status.
Get Home & Business 2021 for Mac · $179.99Office 2021 for Mac is downloaded from Microsoft, not from a third-party site. Redeem your product key at setup.office.com with your Microsoft account, then install Office from the Services & subscriptions page of that account, which gives you a .pkg installer for macOS. Open Word and sign in with the same account to activate. One Office 2021 license covers one Mac, and Microsoft ended support for Office 2021 on October 13, 2026.
Which Office 2021 for Mac do you need?
Mac and Windows editions are different products. A key for one won’t activate the other.
| Edition | Apps | Runs on |
|---|---|---|
| Home & Student 2021 for Mac | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote | Mac (personal use) |
| Home & Business 2021 for Mac | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook | Mac (business use allowed) |
| Professional Plus 2021 | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access, Publisher | Windows 10 / 11 only |
There is no Professional Plus for Mac, and Access and Publisher don’t exist on macOS. If you’re on Windows, see the Office 2021 Professional Plus download guide instead.
Before you install
How to download Office 2021 for Mac
- Redeem your key. Go to setup.office.com, sign in with your Microsoft account (or create one) and enter your 25-character product key.
- Download the Mac installer. Microsoft adds Office Home & Business 2021 to your account. On your account’s Services & subscriptions page, choose it and click Install. On a Mac you get a
.pkgfile; the.exefile is for Windows and won’t run on macOS. - Run the installer. Open the downloaded
.pkgfile from your Downloads folder and follow the steps. Enter your Mac’s password when macOS asks. - Activate. Open Word from Applications. Click Get Started, then Sign in, and sign in with the same Microsoft account you redeemed the key with. Office checks your license and activates.
Is Office 2021 for Mac still supported?
Microsoft’s support for Office 2021 ended on October 13, 2026. The apps keep working, but they no longer receive security updates or bug fixes. Office 2019 for Mac reached the same point on October 10, 2023.
The current one-time-purchase version is Office 2024 for Mac (Home 2024 and Home & Business 2024). If long-term security updates matter to you, choose a supported version. See Office 2021 vs Office 2024 for the differences.
Questions and common problems
Can I use Office 2021 Professional Plus on a Mac?
No. Professional Plus is a Windows-only edition, and its key won’t activate Office for Mac. On a Mac you need a Mac edition such as Home & Business 2021 for Mac.
Can I install it on two Macs?
No. A one-time-purchase Office 2021 license covers one Mac. For a second Mac you need a second license.
Does it work on Apple silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4)?
Yes. Office 2021 for Mac runs natively on Apple silicon and on Intel Macs.
Word shows a subscription screen or “Unlicensed Product”. What now?
Another account or a Microsoft 365 trial is usually signed in. Sign out of the other accounts inside the Office apps, quit all Office apps, then open Word and sign in with the account you redeemed the key with. The Unlicensed Product guide covers more causes.
Office won’t install. Why?
Usually the macOS version is too old. Update macOS, then run the installer again.
Where do I find my product key later?
Once redeemed, the license lives on your Microsoft account, so you won’t need the key to reinstall. Keep your order email anyway, in case you need support.
