Best way to install Word on new Mac?

[Hitman1717]

I'm buying a new iMac to replace a very old one that has Microsoft Word on it. The Mac is from 2006, though I am not sure which version of Word is on that computer.

Will Word carry over to the new Mac, or will I have to buy a new version of Word? And what would be the best way to buy and install Word?

 

[hokkdawg]

You should upgrade to Microsoft 365, honestly. Considering the age of your previous iMac, there's a chance that the old software won't run on your brand-new Mac - but it all depends on exactly which version of Word you are currently using.

In any case, if you set up your new Mac up from a TimeMachine backup of your old Mac, the apps can be transferred in that process, presuming there is not a compatibility issue with the new OS. In any case, if it doesn't transfer, you could always reinstall Word on the new machine, presuming you have the original install disc (or download) and you still have the license code to activate it.

But if none of that works, the easiest way is to just pay the money and get Microsoft 365

 

[chrfr]

I'm buying a new iMac to replace a very old one that has Microsoft Word on it. The Mac is from 2006, though I am not sure which version of Word is on that computer.

Will Word carry over to the new Mac, or will I have to buy a new version of Word? And what would be the best way to buy and install Word?

If your new iMac has macOS Catalina on it– and it almost certainly will– there's no version of Word which will run on your 2006 iMac and still run on your new iMac.

 

[Boyd01]

I would also vote for Office 365. Yeah, I also dislike subscriptions but this is one of the best I've seen (surprising for Microsoft!). The home version lets you share the apps with 4 other people, with no requirement that they be in your family, and each user also gets 1tb of OneDrive space. And each user can install the apps on 5 different devices. For that matter.... maybe you already know somebody with this and they will add you to their plan for free? Or maybe you know someone who would like to upgrade and will split the cost with you? Cost is $100/year but there's also a personal version if you only need one copy, IIRC that costs $70.

But, getting back to the original question, your version of Word will be a 32-bit app and won't work on a new Mac with Catalina. I was using Office 2008 on my 2013 MacBook Air under Sierra and it worked, but tended to crash with large documents that had a lot of images in them. I finally got frustrated with that and upgraded to Office 365. But if you are determined to use your old version, it should be possible with a virtual machine on your new Mac. I have Sierra and Mountain Lion virtual machines on my new Mini and they run my old 32-bit apps perfectly - noticeably faster than the old computers I replaced. This can be setup with Parallels or other software. It's not too hard, but I had to figure out much of it myself.

 

[dorsal]

macOS Catalina apps have to be 64 bit. Old Word will not run. Office 2010 was the first release where Office offered both 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

 

[chrfr]

Office 2010 was the first release where Office offered both 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

That's only true for Windows. (There's no Mac Office 2010, and Mac Office 2011 is 32-bit.) For the Mac, 64-bit support first appeared after the initial release of Office 2016.

 

[mk313]

If you're not into subscription software, you can buy Office 2016 of Office 2019 for Mac, and those will work on your computer for a one time fee. Of course, you don't get all of the features of Office 365, but if you don't need them (syncing across your iPad, etc), either of those work fine, although on my older Mac that has 2016, I just got a notice that they are no longer providing updates as of a date in the near future (I forget the exact date). Of course if you're using a very old version of word already, that may not be a big concern for you.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Just bite the bullet and go with Microsoft365 version. Download it from the Mac App Store and you're good to go in 30 seconds.

 

[Macky-Mac]

....what would be the best way to buy and install Word?

Microsoft still sells a one-time-purchase version labeled Home & Student 2019.

I've read it's a revised update of MS Office 20016 and doesn't have all the features of Office 365.......but maybe you wouldn't care?

Price is about $150

 

[Apple_Robert]

Don’t pay the $70 from the Mac App Store. Buy the subscription off eBay for $40 dollars.