While the 2019 version of Microsoft Office now available for PC and Mac users, many people are still stuck in the past. With some older versions still is operation and many no longer applicable, it is important to understand what the different versions are and why it is time to upgrade.
Office for Mac Versions
As Microsoft continues to work on Office and improve it, you can rest assure that every version is made to be better than the last. Fixing problems, making things easier to use, and adding new features all make Microsoft Office the go to for all your home, school and office needs.
Over the years, there have been many different versions of Microsoft Office and seeing just how much they differ not only should prove to you that Microsoft Office has your best interest at heart, but also inspire you to upgrade to the newest version to take full advantage of all that Office 2019 has to offer.
Early Office Releases (1989 Through 1994)
The very first version of Microsoft Office available for Mac users was an Early Office release all the way back in 1989. This was originally a limited time promotion for Mac users from Microsoft and featured Word 4.0, Excel 2.2, PowerPoint 2.01, and Mail 1.37.
In 1991, Microsoft introduced Office 1.5 for Mac users with an updated version of Excel to the 3.0 version and was also designed to work on Apple’s System Seven operating system.
Microsoft Office 3.0 was introduced in 1992 and once again updated the Word, Excel and PowerPoint systems. Word was updated to 5.0, Excel became the 4.0 version and PowerPoint introduced 3.0. Mail Client was also updated and Office included support for AppleScript.
1994 was the final year of Early Office releases and provided Mac users the 4.2 version of Microsoft Office. This included Word 6.0, Excel 5.0, PowerPoint 4.0 and Mail 3.2. This was the last year of early releases because many users complained that the 4.2 version of Microsoft Office was too much like a Windows PC and not enough like a Mac.
Microsoft Office 1998
To meet the needs of Mac users and make it more applicable to that specific system, Microsoft announced Office 98. This not only featured updates to the basic things provided, but several new features to make Office more Mac-like. This included access to the web browser Internet Explorer 4.0 and Outlook Express. They also included drag and drop installation, Quick Thesaurus, QuickTime movies and self-repairing applications.
Microsoft Office 2001
In 2000, Microsoft announced Office 2001, which would end up being the last update to be supported by the classic Mas operating system. It also introduced the Entourage feature that helped users manage emails, calendar and address book and task lists.
Microsoft Office v.X
Designed for the Mac X operating system, Microsoft Office v.X included Word X. Excel X, PowerPoint X, Entourage X, an MSN messenger and Windows Media Player 9. The v.X version ended in 2007 when the Mac operating system moved on from the X operating system. This was also the last system to support the browser Internet Explorer for Mac computers.
Microsoft Office 2004
In May of 2004, Microsoft released its final version of Office to be used exclusively for PowerPC. It included updated versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Entourage and Virtual PC. The Notebook Layout was also introduced in the 2004 version of Microsoft Office for Mac.
This allows users to utilize a lined paper format and divider tabs to type in, drag and drop notes, and even Audio Notes so you can record and dictate information directly into the document. You can also convert pre existing documents into a Notebook Layout without having to retype everything.
Microsoft Office 2008
Microsoft’s 2008 version of Office was designed to look similar to the 2004 version, but incorporate new features and updates.
The layout of Office 2008 was ideal for those who didn’t want to have to familiarize themselves with yet another new version of Office, but still get updated features.
The new things introduced to Microsoft Office in 2008 included being able to save PDFs, support Automator functions, and the My Day feature in Entourage.
Microsoft Office 2011
Once again updating the basics like Word, Excel and PowerPoint, the Microsoft 2011 version of Office finally included Outlook. Outlook was introduced by Microsoft between the 2008 and 2011 versions of Office but it wasn’t officially part of the Office package until 2011.
Microsoft Office 2016
As the only previous version of Microsoft Office that is still supported by the current operating systems (support ends in 2020), Office 2016 took the best of previous versions and made it even more customized and thought through for make users to get a smooth and simple experience.
Full Screen views and touch screen features all work to make Microsoft Office 2016 ideal for not only desktops and laptops, but smart phones, tablets and other smart devices powered by Apple operating systems.
Office 2016 is cloud connected and makes it easy to share work with others and create a more collaborative experience. Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and OneNote are all updated and easy to use and the entire system incorporates input from tens of thousands of Mac users to make as great as possible.
Microsoft Office 2019
The most current and updated system to date, the 2019 version of Microsoft Office combines all the amazing features that the 2016 version had as well as many new ones to make it the best version of Office yet.
Designed to give you everything you need to create stunning presentations, well written documents, accurate spreadsheets and hands down the most collaborative experience to make working together simple and easy, Office 2019 is a prime example of why so many Mac users choose Microsoft.
Microsoft Office 2021
Released in 2021 and is the most current version of Microsoft Office.
Conclusion
Microsoft Office for Mac has gone through many different versions over the years and seems to only be getting better as time goes on.
As the newest version is coming out, Microsoft is continually working to bring new features and update existing ones to make Office look and work as well as possible on a Mac operating system.