Unexplained aspects of installing the latest update of Office 2021

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Office Home and Business 2021 on Windows 10 Pro x64 22H2.

On 26 May 2023, as part of my monthly system updates, I updated Office 2021. However, just before doing it, I checked the Microsoft update history document for Office 2021 and was informed that the latest version was Version 2304, Build 16327.20248, dated 9 May 2023. After the update, to my surprise, I discovered that Version 2304, Build 16327.20308 had been installed. Even today, 28 May 2023, this version is not listed as the latest version in the Microsoft update history document. Can anyone explain why please?

The installation of the update did not proceed as it usually does. Normally, I start the update from within a Word blank document. As the update proceeds, I would normally be asked to close the blank document, which I do, and, when the update has completed, I would receive notification of such and the blank document would reappear within the updated Word. None of this happened this time. Any explanation please?

Finally, when I start Word, PowerPoint, Excel or OneNote in any of the three logon accounts on my system (two normal user accounts, one for me and one for my wife, and one administrator account), the upcoming features trumpet appears in the top right hand corner of the window, but I have so far declined the offer of trying the visual refresh preview. However, when I start Outlook on any of the two normal user accounts (we don’t use Outlook in the administrator account), there is no upcoming features trumpet in the top right hand corner of the window. Can anyone explain this please? Why doesn’t Outlook display the trumpet like all the other Office applications?

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TonyC wrote:

After the update, to my surprise, I discovered that Version 2304, Build 16327.20308 had been installed. Even today, 28 May 2023, this version is not listed as the latest version in the Microsoft update history document.

Hi TonyC:

It looks like the release notes on the Microsoft support site are a bit behind. According to the thread Microsoft Released Update v2304 ( build 16327.20308 click to run edition ) current channel for Microsoft Office 365 Products on 25th May 2023 in the MS Answers forum the 16327.20308 build was released a few days ago. I use MS Office Home and Business 2019 Click-to-Run (C2R) and I am still on Version 2304 / Build 16327.20248 (released 09-May-2023), but I don’t normally run a manual check for updates and just wait for my MS Office 2019 C2R updates to be pushed out automatically.

TonyC wrote:

… However, when I start Outlook on any of the two normal user accounts (we don’t use Outlook in the administrator account), there is no upcoming features trumpet in the top right hand corner of the window.

I don’t see the “upcoming features trumpet” you mention when I am logged in with an Administrator account but that might be because I’m still Version 2304 / Build 16327.20248. However, since I first updated to Version 2304 in May 2023 I’ve seen a “Try the new Outlook” switch shown below that seems to disappear and then re-appear randomly.  See oldfry’s 11-May-2023 No Choice on the New Outlook Update? as well as my 07-May-2023 “New” Outlook for Windows UWP App (Preview) Installed Without Permission in the MS Answers forum (where I post as user Great White North) about this new Windows UWP (Universal Windows Platform) / Microsoft Store app called Outlook for Windows that Microsoft is trying to push out to a small number of MS Outlook users for beta testing, including MS Outlook 2016 C2R and higher.

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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.2965 * Firefox v113.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.2304.8-1.1.20300.3 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.5.29.268-1.0.2022 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279 * MS Office Home and Business 2019 C2R Version 2304 / Build 16327.20248

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oldfry

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Hi TonyC:

Just an FYI that the release notes <here> for retail versions of Office 2021 C2R show that a new Version 2305 / Build 16501.20196 was released on 01-Jun-2023.

I still haven’t been able to find release notes for Version 2304 / Build 16327.20308 (and never received this update for my own MS Office Home and Business 2019 C2R) but I did find a post about it in Gunter Born’s 02-Jun-2023 borncity.com blog post at Microsoft Office 2304 (Build 16327.20308): Outlook Displays Self-Signed E-mails as Text. That makes me wonder if this update (which was released on 25-May-2023 according to RAJU.MSC.MATHEMATICS’ post <here> in the MS Answers forum) was pulled because of bugs reported by early adopters who installed this update the last week of May 2023 via a manual update check at File | Office Account | Update Options | Update Now.
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TonyC

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My thanks to lmacri for the two replies. The situation regarding my Office 2021 update is most annoying.

I have a Click-to-Run version of Office 2021, but I don’t allow automatic updates. Instead, I disable updates and wait until a favourable AskWoody MS-DEFCON. At which point, I enable updates and then manually select update now. After the update has completed, I disable any further updates for another month. So, it appears, according lmacri’s suggestion, that I might have “caught” a bad update by doing it manually on 26 May 2023.

It seems that you can’t win. Do I wait until MS-DEFCON is favourable before updating Office 2021, or do I allow automatic updates?

The build that I currently have, Version 2304, Build 16327.20308, is still not listed in the Microsoft update history document for Office 2021. So, is that a signal that I should do something about it? For example, would I be advised now to revert my Office 2021 system back to the 9 May 2023 build, Version 2304, Build 16327.20248? Diane Poremsky of Slipstick Systems has published an article on how to revert an Office Click-to-Run system to a previous build.

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TonyC wrote:

… would I be advised now to revert my Office 2021 system back to the 9 May 2023 build, Version 2304, Build 16327.20248? …

Hi TonyC:

I never received the Version 2304 / Build 16327.20308 (rel. 25-May-2023) update but your original post only mentions a minor annoyance (i.e., that MS Outlook 2021 does not have an “upcoming features trumpet” like your other MS Office 2021 programs). If your MS Office 2021 programs are not affected by any serious bugs and seem to be functioning normally then I personally wouldn’t bother downgrading back to Version 2304 / Build 16327.20248 (rel. 09-May-2023), but you’re in the best position to know how your MS Office 2021 is behaving with the Version 2304 / Build 16327.20308 update and whether a downgrade is warranted.

Also keep in mind that a newer Version 2305 / Build 16501.20196 started rolling out on 01-Jun-2023 for all retail versions of MS Office Click-to-Run (see the release notes for the Current Channel at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/current-channel#version-2305-june-01) so once this latest update is installed your version should be back in sync with other Click-to-Run (C2R) users, and it might even include a bug fix for any issues you are currently experiencing.

TonyC wrote:

… I have a Click-to-Run version of Office 2021, but I don’t allow automatic updates. Instead, I disable updates and wait until a favourable AskWoody MS-DEFCON …

You would have to check with Susan Bradley, but as far as I know the MS-DEFCON system only applies to Microsoft updates delivered by Windows Update on Patch Tuesdays on the 2nd Tuesday of each month and does not apply to MS Office Click-to-Run (C2R) products that normally self-update automatically. When I am logged in to the AskWoody forum I can view Susan’s Master Patch List (I think you need an AskWoody Plus Membership to access this list) that includes her recommendations for MS Office Click-to-Run. For example, her latest Master Patch List of 31-May-2023 at https://www.askwoody.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-05-31-May-patch.htm currently recommends Version 2304 Build 16327.20248 (rel. 09-May-2023) if you are using the “regular” Current Channel release.

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TonyC

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Hi lmacri, thanks once again for the reply.

In the end, I decided that I would feel more comfortable by reverting back to the 9 May 2023 build, namely Version 2304, Build 16327.20248. There was no problem using the Diane Poremsky method, and the installation proceeded without any peculiarities.

FYI, in the 9 May 2023 build of Office 2021, the upcoming features trumpet/megaphone still does not appear in Outlook!

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I have Microsoft Office Home and Business (i.e., I do not have Office 365) on my Windows 10 Pro computer.  I have a few questions about updates.  The questions are probably pretty elementary,  but I’m a new user to Windows 10:

1. When I go to the Windows 10 Settings/Update & Security/View Update History,  are the updates for my Office product supposed to show up there,  along with the Windows updates?   I see Windows Updates listed there,  but no Office Updates.

2.  I normally am never logged into my Microsoft Account.  Do the updates for my Office product occur automatically even though I’m not logged onto my Microsoft Account and do not have Office 365?

3.  When I’m in an Office app such as Microsoft Word,  and I go to File/Account/Update Options/View Updates,  the first thing it shows is a discussion of “Release Notes for Current Channel”.  Then if I scroll down further it says “Version 2308: September 12,  Version 2308 (Build 16731.20234)“.   Does this mean that this is the version (and build) that is installed on my computer?

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The currently installed version of Office is listed below the Update Options box you selected to View Updates as shown below:

As long as you have the Update option enabled (shows the Disable updates option available to select which mean you are now enabled for updates). and an Internet connection Office will update automatically with or without MS login.

HTH, Dana:))

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L95

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L95 wrote:

1. When I go to the Windows 10 Settings/Update & Security/View Update History, are the updates for my Office product supposed to show up there, along with the Windows updates? I see Windows Updates listed there, but no Office Updates.

Hi L95:

Further to Drcard:))’s comments in post # 2589848, if File | Office Account shows that you have a Click-to-Run (C2R) version of MS Office Home and Business then you will not see your Office updates listed in your Windows Update history, since Windows Update only checks for updates for users with a traditional “old-style” version of Microsoft Office 2013 or 2016 that was installed with a .msi installer. See the Office Watch article Is My Microsoft Office .MSI or Click to Run for more information.

I use Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019 Click-to-Run and I am currently on Version 2308 / Build 16731.20234, which is the latest build released 12-Sep-2023 for all Click-to-Run users on the Current Channel release schedule.  All my Office updates are done silently in the background and if I open Task Manager I can see the OfficeClickToRun.exe process that manages these silent updates running in the background on my computer.

Most home users with Click-to-Run Office products are on the Current Channel by default and receive updates a few times a month (versus the Monthly Enterprise Channel and Semi-Annual Enterprise release channels for business users that receive feature updates at a slower pace – see <here> for a comparison chart).  All Click-to-Run Office products (including Microsoft 365 and retail editions of Microsoft Office 2016 / 2019 / 2021 Click-to-Run) that are on the Current Channel are all updated on the same schedule and receive the same version and build number at the same time. For example, the release history for my retail version of Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019 Click-to-Run is listed at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/update-history-office-2019#retail-versions-of-office-2016-c2r-and-office-2019  and the matching version and build numbers can be found in the Current Channel release notes at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/current-channel that I am directed to when I go to File | Office Account | Update Options | View Updates.
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L95

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Thanks very much to  Drcard:)) and  to Imacri for your detailed responses!

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Drcard:)) wrote:

The currently installed version of Office is listed below the Update Options box you selected to View Updates as shown below: Current-Office-Version

Microsoft issued a Version 2309 yesterday (September 28).  When I use the method described by Drcard:)) it shows my current version is still Version 2308.  Why hasn’t my computer updated to Version 2309?

Sorry,  I did further reading and found that Microsoft issues the updates over a period of time,  and so my question is resolved.  It looks like I just need to wait for Version 2309.

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L95 wrote:

… I did further reading and found that Microsoft issues the updates over a period of time, and so my question is resolved. It looks like I just need to wait for Version 2309

Hi L95:

Yes, the Version 2309 / Build 16827.20130 update (rel. 28-Sep-2023) will eventually be rolled out to your Click-to-Run edition of Microsoft Office and will be applied silently in the background.  However, if you don’t want to wait you can start a manual update at File | Office Account | Update Options | Update Now.

I normally wait for my MS Office 2019 Click-to-Run updates to install automatically in the background, but I ran a manual update this way yesterday because Version 2309 / Build 16827.20130 includes a bug fix for the problem described in the Microsoft support article Outlook Unexpectedly Prompts to Reopen Items From Your Last Session that has affected my MS Office edition since late June 2023 and I wanted to confirm that the bug fix actually corrected the problem (which it did).

Release notes for Version 2309 / Build 16827.20130 (Current Channel) are posted at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/current-channel#version-2309-september-28.
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L95

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Hi Imacri:  Thanks very much for being a great help with your responses.

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