# Microsoft Office update problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 17, 2022, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-update-problem/962967 "2022-04-17T21:08:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2022, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-update-problem/962967/1 "2022-04-17T21:08:20Z")
I just got a message that microsoft office will update but it errors out and now I can’t use it. I also uninstalled and restarted, but the Office was still there to be uninstalled again. It let me answer a couple of update yes or nos, but then now I get a message about what program to use to open a doc and then it freezes and goes nowhere. Does anyone know what this is about? I forgot where I DL office from even if I have to reinstall. I have a funny feeling it wants me to go on one drive which I have avoided for years. Isn’t there a way to go around that? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2022, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-update-problem/962967/2 "2022-04-17T21:11:57Z")
Update: Yes it did just force me to go online with my files. I hate that. But it still won’t open my files. It just did once in a chrome window. Now I’m locked out. I wonder if there’s any other office software I could use, just for word and excel functions. Don’t need anything else. I am looking for how to reinstall but I think I lost it. It wont show on a search. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2022, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-update-problem/962967/3 "2022-04-17T21:31:22Z")
OK got it reinstalled on MS site. Thumbnails show again. Good sign. Looks to be offline. Have to check. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2022, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-update-problem/962967/4 "2022-04-17T23:56:01Z")
[OpenOffice](https://www.openoffice.org/download/) is a viable, free, alternative to MS Office if you need it. Some irritating features, like prefering its own file format, but very similar and next to no learning curve for an MS user. Google Docs will do the same if you do not mind sharing information with the evil empire. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-update-problem/962967/5 "2022-04-18T00:07:27Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > [OpenOffice](https://www.openoffice.org/download/) is a viable, free, alternative to MS Office if you need it. [LibreOffice](https://www.libreoffice.org/) is the more actively-developed, more frequently-updated, [much better supported](https://www.libreoffice.org/discover/libreoffice-vs-openoffice/) offshoot of OpenOffice. LibreOffice is the one to download if you choose to use a free office suite. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-office-update-problem/962967/6 "2022-04-18T17:33:59Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > [LibreOffice](https://www.libreoffice.org/) is the more actively-developed, more frequently-updated, [much better supported](https://www.libreoffice.org/discover/libreoffice-vs-openoffice/) offshoot of OpenOffice. LibreOffice is the one to download if you choose to use a free office suite. I’ve been using it since the StarOffice days, before Sun bought them, and long before the others, and I agree.