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Sep 02, 2015 Download Microsoft Outlook for Mac for Office 365. From Official Microsoft Download Center. This is your 365. Discover what's possible every day with Office 365. Nov 21, 2015 Microsoft Outlook isn't the only email client on the block. Check out our top picks for the best desktop email clients available for Windows and Mac OS X. Picks for the best alternative email.
Office for Mac applications provide a native app experience on the macOS platform. Each app is designed to work in a variety of scenarios, including states when no network access is available. When a machine is connected to a network, the applications automatically connect to a series of web-based services to provide enhanced functionality. The following information describes which endpoints and URLs the applications try to reach, and the services provided. This information is useful when troubleshooting network configuration issues and setting policies for network proxy servers. The details in this article are intended to complement the Office 365 URL and address ranges article, which includes endpoints for computers running Microsoft Windows. Unless noted, the information in this article also applies to Office 2019 for Mac and Office 2016 for Mac, which are available as a one-time purchase from a retail store or through a volume licensing agreement.
Most of this article is tables detailing network URLs, type, and description of service or feature provided by that endpoint. Each of the Office apps may differ in its service and endpoint usage. The following apps are defined in the tables below:
- W: Word
- P: PowerPoint
- X: Excel
- O: Outlook
- N: OneNote
The URL type is defined as follows:
ST: Static - The URL is hard-coded into the client application.
SS: Semi-Static - The URL is encoded as part of a web page or redirector.
CS: Config Service - The URL is returned as part of the Office Configuration Service.
Office for Mac default configuration
Installation and updates
The following network endpoints are used to download the Office for Mac installation program from the Microsoft Content Delivery Network (CDN).
| URL | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/ | ST | Office 365 Installation Portal forward link service to latest installation packages. |
https://officecdn-microsoft-com.akamaized.net/ | SS | Location of installation packages on the Content Delivery Network. |
https://officecdn.microsoft.com/ | SS | Location of installation packages on the Content Delivery Network. |
https://officeci-mauservice.azurewebsites.net/ | ST | Management Control endpoint for Microsoft AutoUpdate |
First app launch
The following network endpoints are contacted on first launch of an Office app. These endpoints provide enhanced Office functionality for users, and the URLs are contacted regardless of license type (including Volume License installations).
| URL | Apps | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
https://config.edge.skype.com/ | WXPON | ST | 'Flighting' Configuration - allows for feature light-up and experimentation. |
https://ocos-office365-s2s.msedge.net/ | WXPON | ST | 'Flighting' Network Configuration Test |
https://client-office365-tas.msedge.net/ | WXPON | ST | 'Flighting' Network Configuration Test |
https://officeclient.microsoft.com/ | WXPON | ST | Office Configuration Service - Master list of service endpoints. |
https://nexusrules.officeapps.live.com/ | WXPON | ST | Office Rules Telemetry download - Informs the client about what data and events to upload to the telemetry service. |
https://mobile.pipe.aria.microsoft.com/ | N | CS | OneNote Telemetry Service |
https://nexus.officeapps.live.com/ | WXPON | ST | Office Telemetry Upload Reporting - 'Heartbeart' and error events that occur on the client are uploaded to the telemetry service. |
https://templateservice.office.com/ | WXP | CS | Office Template Service - Provides users with online document templates. |
https://omextemplates.content.office.net/ | WXP | CS | Office Templates Downloads - Storage of PNG template images. |
https://store.office.com/ | WXP | CS | Store configuration for Office apps. |
https://odc.officeapps.live.com/ | WXPN | CS | Office Document Integration Services Catalog (list of services and endpoints) and Home Realm Discovery. |
https://cdn.odc.officeapps.live.com/ | WXPON | CS | Resources for Home Realm Discovery v2 (15.40 and later) |
https://officecdn.microsoft.com/ | WXPON | ST | Microsoft AutoUpdate Manifests - checks to see if there are updates available |
https://ajax.aspnetcdn.com/ | WXPO | SS | Microsoft Ajax JavaScript Library |
https://wikipedia.firstpartyapps.oaspapps.com/ | W | SS | Wikipedia app for Office configuration and resources. |
https://excelbingmap.firstpartyapps.oaspapps.com/ | X | SS | Bing Map app for Office configuration and resources. |
https://peoplegraph.firstpartyapps.oaspapps.com/ | X | SS | People Graph app for Office configuration and resources. |
https://www.onenote.com/ | N | ST | What's New content for OneNote. |
https://site-cdn.onenote.net/ | N | ST | New content for OneNote. |
https://site-cdn.onenote.net/ | N | SS | What's New images for OneNote. |
https://acompli.helpshift.com/ | O | ST | In-app Support Service. |
https://prod-global-autodetect.acompli.net/ | O | ST | Email Account Detection Service. |
https://autodiscover-s.outlook.com/ | WXPO | ST | Outlook AutoDiscovery |
https://outlook.office365.com/ | WXPO | ST | Outlook endpoint for Office 365 service. |
https://r1.res.office365.com/ | O | ST | Icons for Outlook add-ins. |
Note
The Office Configuration Service acts as an auto-discovery service for all Microsoft Office clients, not just for Mac. The endpoints returned in the response are semi-static in that change is very infrequent, but still possible.
Sign-in
The following network endpoints are contacted when signing in to cloud-based storage. Depending on your account type, different services may be contacted. For example:
MSA: Microsoft Account - typically used for consumer and retail scenarios
OrgID: Organization Account - typically used for commercial scenarios
| URL | Apps | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
https://login.windows.net/ | WXPON | ST | Windows Authorization Service |
https://login.microsoftonline.com/ | WXPON | ST | Office 365 Login Service (OrgID) |
https://login.live.com/ | WXPON | ST | Microsoft Account Login Service (MSA) |
https://auth.gfx.ms/ | WXPON | CS | Microsoft Account Login Service Helper (MSA) |
https://secure.aadcdn.microsoftonline-p.com/ | WXPON | SS | Office 365 Login Branding (OrgID) |
https://ocws.officeapps.live.com/ | WXPN | CS | Document and Places Storage Locator |
https://roaming.officeapps.live.com/ | WXPN | CS | Most Recently Used (MRU) document service |
Note
For subscription-based and retail licenses, signing in both activates the product, and enables access to cloud resources such as OneDrive. For Volume License installations, users are still prompted to sign-in (by default), but that is only required for access to cloud resources, as the product is already activated.
Product activation
The following network endpoints apply to Office 365 Subscription and Retail License activations. Specifically, this does NOT apply to Volume License installations.
| URL | Apps | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
https://ols.officeapps.live.com/ | WXPON | CS | Office Licensing Service |
What's New content
The following network endpoints apply to Office 365 Subscription only.
| URL | Apps | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
https://contentstorage.osi.office.net/ | WXPO | SS | What's New JSON page content. |
Researcher
The following network endpoints apply to Office 365 Subscription only.
| URL | Apps | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
https://entity.osi.office.net/ | W | CS | Researcher Web Service |
https://cdn.entity.osi.office.net/ | W | CS | Researcher Static Content |
https://www.bing.com/ | W | CS | Researcher Content Provider |
Smart Lookup
The following network endpoints apply to both Office 365 Subscription and Retail/Volume License activations.
| URL | Apps | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
https://uci.officeapps.live.com/ | WXPN | CS | Insights Web Service |
https://ajax.googleapis.com/ | WXPN | CS | JQuery Library |
https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ | WXPN | CS | Supporting JavaScript Library |
https://www.bing.com/ | WXPN | CS | Insights Content Provider |
https://tse1.mm.bing.net/ | WXPN | CS | Insights Content Provider |
PowerPoint Designer
The following network endpoints apply to Office 365 Subscription only.
| URL | Apps | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
https://pptsgs.officeapps.live.com/ | P | CS | PowerPoint Designer web service |
PowerPoint QuickStarter
The following network endpoints apply to Office 365 Subscription only.
| URL | Apps | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
https://pptcts.officeapps.live.com/ | P | CS | PowerPoint QuickStarter web service |
Send a Smile/Frown
The following network endpoints apply to both Office 365 Subscription and Retail/Volume License activations.
| URL | Apps | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
https://sas.office.microsoft.com/ | WXPON | CS | Send a Smile Service |
Contact Support
The following network endpoints apply to both Office 365 Subscription and Retail/Volume License activations.
| URL | Apps | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
https://powerlift-frontdesk.acompli.net/ | O | CS | Contact Support Service |
https://acompli.helpshift.com/ | O | CS | In-app Support Service |
Save As PDF
The following network endpoints apply to both Office 365 Subscription and Retail/Volume License activations.
| URL | Apps | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
https://wordcs.officeapps.live.com/ | W | CS | Word document conversion service (PDF) |
Office Apps (aka add-ins)
The following network endpoints apply to both Office 365 Subscription and Retail/Volume License activations when Office App add-ins are trusted.
| URL | Apps | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
https://store.office.com/ | WXPO | CS | Office app store configuration |
https://wikipedia.firstpartyapps.oaspapps.com/ | W | SS | Wikipedia app resources |
https://excelbingmap.firstpartyapps.oaspapps.com/ | X | SS | Bing Map app resources |
https://peoplegraph.firstpartyapps.oaspapps.com | X | SS | People Graph app resources |
https://o15.officeredir.microsoft.com/ | WPX | SS | Office Redirection Service |
https://appsforoffice.microsoft.com/ | WXP | SS | Office JavaScript Libraries |
https://telemetry.firstpartyapps.oaspapps.com/ | WX | SS | Telemetry and Reporting Service for Office apps |
https://ajax.microsoft.com/ | W | SS | Microsoft Ajax JavaScript Library |
https://ajax.aspnetcdn.com/ | X | SS | Microsoft Ajax JavaScript Library |
https://c.microsoft.com/ | WPXO | SS | Office JavaScript Libraries |
https://c1.microsoft.com/ | WPXO | SS | Support resources |
https://cs.microsoft.com/ | WPXO | SS | Support resources |
https://c.bing.com/ | WPXO | SS | Support resources |
https://*.cdn.optimizely.com/ | WPXO | SS | JavaScript library |
https://errors.client.optimizely.com/ | WPX | SS | Error reporting |
https://*-contentstorage.osi.office.net/ | WPXO | SS | Font resources |
https://nexus.ensighten.com/ | WPXO | SS | Telemetry Service |
https://browser.pipe.aria.microsoft.com/ | WPXO | SS | Telemetry Reporting |
https://*.vo.msecnd.net/ | WPXO | SS | Microsoft Store Asset Library |
https://*.wikipedia.org/ | W | SS | Wikipedia page resources |
https://upload.wikimedia.org/ | W | SS | Wikipedia media resources |
https://wikipedia.firstpartyappssandbox.oappseperate.com/ | W | SS | Wikipedia sandbox frame |
https://*.virtualearth.net/ | X | SS | Map templates |
Safe Links
The following network endpoint applies to all Office applications for Office 365 Subscription only.
| URL | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
https://*.oscs.protection.outlook.com/ | CS | Microsoft Safe Link Service |
Crash reporting
The following network endpoint applies to all Office applications for both Office 365 Subscription and Retail/Volume License activations. When a process unexpectedly crashes, a report is generated and sent to the Watson service.
| URL | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
https://watson.microsoft.com/ | ST | Microsoft Error Reporting Service |
https://officeci.azurewebsites.net/ | ST | Office Collaborative Insights Service |
Options for reducing network requests and traffic
The default configuration of Office for Mac provides the best user experience, both in terms of functionality and keeping the machine up to date. In some scenarios, you may wish to prevent applications from contacting network endpoints. This section discusses options for doing so.
Disabling Cloud Sign-In and Office Add-Ins
Volume License customers may have strict policies about saving documents to cloud-based storage. The following per-application preference can be set to disable MSA/OrgID Sign in, and access to Office Add-ins.
defaults write com.microsoft.Word UseOnlineContent -integer 0defaults write com.microsoft.Excel UseOnlineContent -integer 0defaults write com.microsoft.Powerpoint UseOnlineContent -integer 0
If users try to access the Sign-In function, they will see an error that a network connection is not present. Because this preference also blocks online product activation, it should only be used for Volume License installations. Specifically, using this preference will prevent Office applications from accessing the following endpoints:
https://odc.officeapps.live.comhttps://*.firstpartyapps.oaspapps.comAll endpoints listed in the 'Sign In' section above.
All endpoints listed in the 'Smart Lookup' section above.
All endpoints listed in the 'Product Activation' section above.
All endpoints listed in the 'Office Apps (aka add-ins)' section above.
To re-establish full functionality for the user, either set the preference to '2' or remove it.
Note
This preference requires Office for Mac build 15.25 [160726] or later.
Telemetry
Office for Mac sends telemetry information back to Microsoft at regular intervals. Data is uploaded to the 'Nexus' endpoint. The telemetry data helps the engineering team assess the health and any unexpected behaviors of each Office app. There are two categories of telemetry:
Heartbeat contains version and license information. This data is sent immediately upon app launch.
Usage contains information about how apps are being used and non-fatal errors. This data is sent every 60 minutes.
Microsoft takes your privacy very seriously. You can read about Microsoft's data collection policy at https://privacy.microsoft.com. To prevent applications from sending 'Usage' telemetry, the SendAllTelemetryEnabled preference can be adjusted. The preference is per-application, and can be set via macOS Configuration Profiles, or manually from Terminal:
defaults write com.microsoft.Word SendAllTelemetryEnabled -bool FALSE
defaults write com.microsoft.Excel SendAllTelemetryEnabled -bool FALSE
defaults write com.microsoft.Powerpoint SendAllTelemetryEnabled -bool FALSE
defaults write com.microsoft.Outlook SendAllTelemetryEnabled -bool FALSE
defaults write com.microsoft.onenote.mac SendAllTelemetryEnabled -bool FALSE
defaults write com.microsoft.autoupdate2 SendAllTelemetryEnabled -bool FALSE
Microsoft Word For Mac Student
defaults write com.microsoft.Office365ServiceV2 SendAllTelemetryEnabled -bool FALSE
Heartbeat telemetry is always sent and cannot be disabled.
Crash reporting
When a fatal application error occurs, the application will unexpectedly terminate and upload a crash report to the 'Watson' service. The crash report consists of a call-stack, which is the list of steps the application was processing leading up to the crash. These steps help the engineering team identify the exact function that failed and why.
In some cases, the contents of a document will cause the application to crash. If the app identifies the document as the cause, it will ask the user if it's okay to also send the document along with the call-stack. Users can make an informed choice to this question. IT administrators may have strict requirements about the transmission of documents and make the decision on behalf of the user to never send documents. The following preference can be set to prevent documents from being sent, and to suppress the prompt to the user:
defaults write com.microsoft.errorreporting IsAttachFilesEnabled -bool FALSE
Note
If SendAllTelemetryEnabled is set to FALSE, all crash reporting for that process is disabled. To enable crash reporting without sending usage telemetry, the following preference can be set: defaults write com.microsoft.errorreporting IsMerpEnabled -bool TRUE
Updates
Microsoft releases Office for Mac updates at regular intervals (typically once a month). We strongly encourage users and IT administrators to keep machines up to date to ensure the latest security fixes are installed. In cases where IT administrators want to closely control and manage machine updates, the following preference can be set to prevent the AutoUpdate process from automatically detecting and offering product updates:
defaults write com.microsoft.autoupdate2 HowToCheck -string 'Manual'
Blocking Requests with a Firewall/Proxy
If your organization blocks requests to URLs via a firewall or proxy server be sure to configure the URLs listed in this document as either allowed, or block listed with a 40X response (e.g. 403 or 404). A 40X response will allow the Office applications to gracefully accept the inability to access the resource, and will provide a faster user experience, than simply dropping the connection, which in turn will cause the client to retry.
If your proxy server requires authentication, a 407 response will be returned to the client. For the best experience, ensure that you're using Office for Mac builds 15.27 or later, as they include specific fixes for working with NTLM and Kerberos servers.
See also
-->The client applications that are included with Office 365 are released regularly with updates that provide new features and functionality together with security and other updates. Windows 10 has also adopted this servicing model and is also releasing new functionality regularly. As an IT Professional, you need to understand this servicing model and how you can manage the releases while your organization takes advantage of the new functionality.
This article gives you an overview of this servicing model, and helps you understand the release channels and cadence, and how to effectively manage releases of the Office 365 client applications for your organization.
In this article:
Download this information as a poster in Visio or PDF format. (The poster is only available in English.)
A Servicing Model for Updates
Both Windows 10 and Office 365 have adopted the servicing model for client updates. This means that new features, non-security updates, and security updates are released regularly, so your users can have the latest functionality and improvements. The servicing model also includes time for enterprise organizations to test and validate releases before adopting them.
What is the Servicing Model?
In a traditional development model it can take months of planning, development, and testing before a large release is ready. Traditional deployments take enterprises years to plan, evaluate test, pilot, and deploy and then maintain the entire environment.
The following illustration shows a traditional release model:
The following illustration shows a traditional deployment model:
In a servicing model, new features and innovations can be developed and released in a quicker cadence, so that customers are always seeing improvements. Because development has changed, so does the deployment process for an enterprise organization. Quicker releases of features means that you can evaluate, pilot, and deploy different sets of features at the same time.
The following illustration shows releases in a servicing world:
The following illustration shows deployment in a servicing world:
What's in it for Enterprise Organizations?
You want up-to-date features, but you also want the control and support you need to run your business. With the variety of release programs for Windows 10 and Office 365, you can evaluate new features, pilot them with specific groups in your organization, and then deploy them more broadly to your organization. You can also keep specialized devices on a long-term build if you need to limit changes.
Use the update option that's right for your devices and your business needs. We recommend the following:
| Device type | |||
| Update option | iOS or Android devices receive regular updates from their respective app stores. Devices running the Office Mobile apps automatically receive regular updates from the Microsoft Store. For Windows 10 devices, use Semi-Annual Channel to get regular updates with the latest features. | To get regular updates with the latest features, use Semi-Annual Channel for Windows 10 and Monthly Channel for Office 365. Have custom add-ins? Choose Semi-Annual Channel for Office 365, so you have time to test. For Windows 10, use Semi-Annual Channel with a targeted group of devices before deploying broadly. | To limit changes, use Long-Term Servicing Channel for Windows 10. If Office is needed, use Office Professional Plus 2016 (using MSI files). Examples of specialized devices: PCs that control medical equipment, point-of-sale systems, or ATMs. |
Focus on your business, not managing the software.
The following table explains ways you can focus on your business, not managing the software, with the Office 365 client applications.
| Stay up to date | Regular updates mean your users' phones, tablets, and desktops stay up to date with the latest fixes. |
| Mix and match programs | Follow your business needs - not all systems need to follow the same deployment model. You can even use different models for Windows and Office on the same devices. |
| Save on management | Allow automatic updates to Semi-Annual Channel, for Windows 10 and Office 365, instead of managing the software packages yourself. |
| Stay in the loop | See what's coming in the next releases and find out what security updates have been included by reviewing communications from Microsoft. |
| Manage risk | To test critical line-of-business applications, use Semi-Annual Channel or Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted) for Office 365. For Windows 10, use Semi-Annual Channel with a targeted group of devices before deploying broadly. |
| Save on development | First, check the marketplace - others may have a solution that works. If you need custom development, use best practices to ensure add-ins work after updates. |
Release Options
You need to understand the different release options for Windows 10 and the Office 365 client applications so you can choose the right options for your business. You decide what works and choose the combinations of releases to support for your organization. This section provides an overview and helps you choose.
Summary of Release Options
Use the following table to choose the right release option for your business needs:
Up to date innovation | Have time to evaluate | Security, always |
|---|---|---|
| Get the latest features right away. Choose Semi-Annual Channel for Windows 10 and Monthly Channel for Office 365. | Test with your existing systems. Choose Semi-Annual Channel or Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted) for Office 365. For Windows 10, use Semi-Annual Channel with a targeted group of devices before deploying broadly. | You'll always get the latest security updates, no waiting, whichever channel you choose. |
Default channels for client applications
Office 365 ProPlus includes the following Office applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access, Skype for Business, and Publisher. Project Online Desktop Client and Visio Online Plan 2 (previously named Visio Pro for Office 365) also follow this release model.
The following illustration shows these sets of client applications.
By default, the client applications for Office 365 are set to these channel releases:
Office 365 ProPlus is set to use Semi-Annual Channel.
Project Online Desktop Client and Visio Online Plan 2 (previously named Visio Pro for Office 365) are set to use Monthly Channel.
But you can determine which channel is used for your client applications, according to your business needs.
For more information about the channels for Office 365 client applications, see Overview of update channels.
Which Release Channel?
This table shows the release channels for Windows 10 and Office 365 clients.
| Release Channels | Available for Office 365 client? | Available for Windows 10? |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Insider Preview lets you preview features and give feedback. | No | Yes |
| Monthly Channel gives your users the latest released features. It's usually best for users who don't have other apps, add-ins, or macros that need to be extensively tested with Office. It's also useful for some test systems or pilot programs. | Yes | No |
| Semi-Annual Channel for Windows 10 gives your users the latest released features. Ideal for pilot deployments and testing of Windows 10 feature updates and for users, such as developers, who need to work with the latest features immediately. | No | Yes |
| Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted) gives you time to check out the features and test your customizations or processes. | Yes | No |
| Semi-Annual Channel for Office 365 gives you several months lead-time before you get the latest features. It's usually best for users that have line-of-business applications, add-ins, or macros that are business critical. | Yes | No |
| Office Professional Plus 2016 client installs (using MSI files) is good for scenarios where maximum control is required and the device has limited internet access. | No | No |
| Long-Term Servicing Channel is intended for specialized devices, where limiting changes to the operating system is of prime importance. For example, PCs that control medical equipment, point-of-sale systems, or ATMs. | No | Yes |
The release channels at the top of the table provide the freshest features, those at the bottom provide the most administrative control. Freshness indicates rapid access to new features and the ability to provide feedback to Microsoft. You'll sacrifice features for extra control - use the most controlled options for specialized devices, such as devices used on factory floors, for air traffic control, or in emergency rooms. Semi-Annual Channel for Office 365 offers a balance between new features and control.
Release Cadences
It is important to keep both Windows and your Office clients up to date. Office 365 and Windows 10 have aligned release cadences to make this easier. Both will have regular security updates and will have new features releasing twice per year. For specialized devices running Windows 10, there is a long-term servicing channel available which provides regular security updates but only provides new features every few years.
Windows 10 Release Cadence
Windows 10 has three types of releases:
Windows Insider Preview Join the Windows Insider program to evaluate and provide feedback on pre-release features, and perform application compatibility validation testing. New features are released frequently.
Semi-Annual Channel After new features have been tested through the Windows Insider program, they are released along with bug fixes and security patches as the Semi-Annual Channel. A new Semi-Annual Channel is released twice a year, around March and September, and is supported for 18 months. Start by deploying to a targeted group of devices that represent the broader organization.
Approximately 4 months after a Semi-Annual Channel release, Microsoft will announce broad deployment readiness, indicating that Microsoft, independent software vendors (ISVs), partners, and customers believe that the release is ready for broad deployment. But, organizations can begin broad deployment whenever they're ready.
Long-Term Servicing Channel This channel provides a supported OS platform for 10 years. Enterprises can choose to move to a new release or stay where they are at and skip to the next one. The Long-Term Servicing Channel is intended for specialized devices, such as PCs that control medical equipment, point-of-sale systems, or ATMs. If Office is needed, use Office Professional Plus 2016 with these specialized devices.
The following illustration shows the relationships between these releases for Windows 10.
Read Overview of Windows as a service for more information.
Office 365 Client Release Cadence
Office 365 clients have the following types of releases:
Monthly Channel New features, security updates, and fixes are released to Monthly Channel approximately every month.
Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted) You can validate this release for four months before it becomes a Semi-Annual Channel release. New features are included only at the beginning of a release, in March and September. This channel is refreshed with non-security updates and security updates every month.
Semi-Annual Channel The Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted) is rolled up and released as the Semi-Annual Channel every 6 months, in January and July. No new features are added until the next Semi-Annual Channel, although security updates will continue to be released. Each Semi-Annual Channel feature release is supported for an additional 14 months. This is the default channel for Office 365 ProPlus clients.
Read Overview of update channels for more information.
The following illustration shows the relationships between these releases for Office 365 ProPlus.
Office Mobile Apps
Office Mobile Apps for iOS and Android have regular releases available through their respective app stores. Office Mobile Apps for Windows have regular releases available through the Microsoft Store.
Office Professional Plus 2016 client installs
Security updates are made available for the Office clients that you install by using .MSI files as part of the Office Volume Licensing program. New features are not delivered outside of full product releases. Use, if Office is needed, for specialized devices on the Long-Term Servicing Channel of Windows 10.
Deployment tools
The following table lists the deployment tools that can be used for Windows 10 and the Office 365 client applications:
| Tool | Supported for Windows 10? | Supported for Office 365 clients? |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Update for Business | Yes | No |
| Windows Server Update Services | Yes | No |
| Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft InTune | Yes | Yes |
| 3rd party software deployment tools | Yes | Yes |
Types of Changes
There are several types of changes that are made to Office 365 on a regular basis. The communication channels for those changes, and the actions that you might have to take for them will vary, depending on the type of change.
This section explains the types of changes you can expect, when to expect changes, and what you need to do to be prepared for changes in Office 365.
Types of Changes for the Office 365 Service and Client Applications
Not all changes have the same impact on your users or require action. Some are planned and some unplanned by their nature (non-security updates and security updates aren't usually planned in advance). Depending on the type of change, the communication channel also varies. The following table lists the types of changes you can expect for the Office 365 service and client applications.
Functionality | Non-security updates | Security | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of change | Feature updates New features or applications Deprecated features | Client hotfixes for issues | Security patches |
| Advance notice? | 30 days notice for changes that require action | No, these are included in the monthly build for all channels | No, these are included in the monthly build for all channels |
| Communication channel | Message Center Microsoft 365 Roadmap Microsoft 365 blog Office 365 area of the Microsoft Tech Community | Release information for updates to Office 365 ProPlus | Security bulletin or CVE |
| Requires tenant admin action? | Sometimes | Rarely | Rarely |
| What kind of action? | Change settings Communicate changes to users Validate customizations | Change admin settings | |
| Requires testing? | Rarely - check business critical Add-ins | Sometimes - testing the fix against processes or customizations | Rarely |
| Examples of changes | Feature updates: PowerPoint - simpler process for embedding videos New features or applications: Skype for Business | Hotfixes based on customer reported bugs |
Guidelines for managing change when using Office Add-ins:
We recommend that customers use Monthly Channel to get the latest feature updates. If you have Office customizations or Add-ins deployed, you can use Semi-Annual Channel, which allows you to wait for feature updates to Office until you have had the chance to test and fix your customizations. To test and fix your customizations before those features updates are applied to Semi-Annual Channel, use Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted). Use the Office Telemetry Dashboard to check Add-ins for compatibility. For more information, see Compatibility and telemetry in Office.
If your developers built the Office Add-in, we suggest they update the code and redeploy the custom Office Add-in.
If you built your customization using VBA, VSTO, or COM, consider rebuilding your customization as an Office Add-in, or check the Office Store to see if there is a 3rd-party Add-in that provides similar functionality.
Consider decommissioning Office Add-in that are no longer used or have low utilization.
More information about Office Add-ins.
Tips for Testing
For functionality changes, you should test against your add-ins and other customizations to see if you need to update them. Use these tips for testing:
Don't wait - have a pilot team use Monthly Channel to start evaluating new features. Use Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted) if you need a longer lead time for testing.
Use an Azure virtual environment to test against your customizations or processes.
Align your work with the release schedule - schedule testing passes monthly.
Roles and Responsibilities
Responsibility for managing change is shared between Microsoft and you as the admin of your Office 365 tenancy. The balance of responsibility is different for an online service than it is for an on-premises server or client.
Understand the roles both Microsoft and you need to play before, during, and after a change occurs to the service.
Review what's included in each release on the Release information for updates to Office 365 ProPlus page.
Balance of Responsibility
In a service offering, the balance of responsibility for things such as hardware maintenance and security updates shifts to the service provider (Microsoft) instead of the customer (you). However, you still need to ensure that custom software continues to function as expected when updates are rolled out.
For on-premises products, your organization takes on most of the responsibility for managing change.
Your responsibility for change management is based on the type of service. The following table summarizes the balance of responsibility for both Microsoft and the customer for online services and on-premises software.
| Office 365 service | Office 365 clients | On-premises clients and servers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Responsibility | Microsoft | Customer | Microsoft | Customer | Microsoft | Customer |
| Provide new functionality | X | X | X | X | ||
| Test new features for quality assurance | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Communicate about new features | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Integrate custom software | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Apply security updates | X | X | X | |||
| Maintain system software | X | X | X | |||
| Maintain hardware | X | X | X |
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Microsoft's Role and Your Role
Microsoft and you both play a role in managing change for Office 365 before, during, and after a change.
Before a change
Microsoft's role
Set expectations for service changes.
Notify customers 30 days in advance for changes that require administrator action.
Publish majority of new features and updates on the Microsoft 365 Roadmap.
Customer's role
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Understand what to expect for changes and communications.
Read Message Center, Microsoft 365 Roadmap and Microsoft 365 blog regularly.
Set up pilot teams to preview new functionality using Monthly Channel.
Review and update internal change management processes.
Understand the Office 365 system requirements and check compliance.
During a change
Microsoft's role
Roll change out to customers.
Specifically for Office 365 clients: release a new Monthly Channel approximately each month and new security and non-security updates, if needed, for Semi-Annual Channel.
Monitor telemetry and support escalations for any unexpected issues.
Customer's role
Check Message Center and review the additional information link.
Take any action required (if applicable) and test any add-ins.
If using an internal share for updates, download the latest builds and upload to your share.
If a break/fix scenario is experienced, create a Support Request.
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After a change
Microsoft's role
Listen to customer feedback to improve rollout of future changes.
Listen to feedback on the Office 365 area of the Microsoft Tech Community and in the admin feedback tool.
Update Microsoft 365 Roadmap statuses and add new features.
Customer's role
Work with people in your organization to adopt the change (get help on Microsoft FastTrack).
Review change management processes and bottlenecks for opportunities to streamline, and use more Microsoft resources.
Provide general feedback on the Office 365 area of the Microsoft Tech Community and specific feedback in the admin feedback tool.
Train users to provide app specific feedback using the Smile button in Office apps.
Manage Update Deployments
You choose when and how updates are deployed to your organization by configuring:
Which channel to use. This controls how often updates are available.
Which update method to use (automatic or manual). This controls how your client computers get the updates.
How to Apply Updates
You can decide how updates are deployed to your users' computers. You can allow the client computers to automatically receive updates over the Internet or from an on-premises location. Alternatively, you might want to have more control by packaging the updates yourself and manually delivering them to client computers over your network.
Methods for applying Office updates to client computers
The following table explains three methods you can use to apply Office updates to client computers.
| Automatic | Manual |
|---|---|
| From the Internet | From an on-premises location |
| Microsoft makes an updated build available on the Internet. The client computers automatically install the updates when they are available. | An administrator downloads the updated build to an on-premises location. The client computers automatically install the updates when they are available. |
The following illustration shows these methods:
Do you need to control the delivery of updates?
To decide which method to use, consider the following scenarios:
Customizations
Allow automatic updates for...Users or computers that are primarily for productivity and don't use customizations or integrated solutions.
Recommended Channel: xE2x80決onthly Channel
Use manual delivery of updates for...Users or computers that rely on customizations or integrated solutions that work with the Office 365 clients.
Recommended Channel: xE2x80沒emi-Annual Channel. Validate by using Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted).
Managed or un-managed computers?
Allow automatic updates from the Internet for...Consumers and small businesses without an IT department.
Deploy from an on-premises location when...You want to control when updates are pushed out to your organization's computers.
How to configure channels and update methods
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Use the following methods to configure which channels are used by which client computers and how those clients computers are updated:
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Office Deployment Tool
Group Policy - for centralized administration of domain-joined computers.