Office 365: A guide to the updates

Office 365 subscribers always have the latest version of Microsoft Office — currently Office 2016. They also get more frequent software updates than those who have purchased Office 2016 without a subscription, which means subscribers have access to the latest features, security patches and bug fixes. But it can be hard to keep track of the changes in each update and know when they’re available. We’re doing this for you, so you don’t have to.

Following are key updates to Office 365 for Windows since Office 2016 was released in September 2015 — all the 2017 updates and the most important ones from 2016 and late 2015, with the latest releases shown first. We’ll add info about new updates as they’re rolled out.

Note: This story covers updates released to regular Office 365 for Windows subscribers. If you’re a member of Microsoft’s Office Insider preview program or want to get a sneak peek at upcoming features, see the company’s “What’s new for Office Insiders” page.

Version 1908 (Build 11929.20300)

Release date: September 10, 2019

This build offers several minor bug fixes and a security update. In Outlook, a bug was fixed that caused some users to encounter authentication errors when trying to retrieve their cloud settings. In PowerPoint, an issue was fixed that prevented some animations from starting. For the entire Office suite, an issue was fixed that caused large tree views to fail.

There are also security fixes for Excel and the entire Office suite, including a Microsoft Excel Information Disclosure Vulnerability, a Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability, a Jet Database Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability affecting the entire suite, and a Microsoft Office Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability affecting the entire suite.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 1908 (Build 11929.20300).

Version 1908 (Build 11929.20254)

Release date: August 26, 2019

This build offers a several new minor features throughout Office. You now have more control over text boxes and borders in Excel, Word and PowerPoint, and you can also more easily insert and manage icons in those applications as well as in Outlook. The entire Office suite also gets new icons. In addition, there are a variety of bug fixes.

Get more info about Version 1908 (Build 11929.20254).

Version 1907 (Build 11901.20218)

Release date: August 13, 2019

This build offers two minor bug fixes and a variety of security updates for Outlook, Word and the entire Office suite. Among the security issues fixed are remote code execution vulnerabilities in Outlook and Word and a Jet database engine remote code execution vulnerability in the entire Office suite. (See the security release notes for details.)

The non-security changes include fixing an issue in Outlook in which users having their mailbox upgraded from basic to modern authentication were ending up with the wrong account associated with their Outlook profile.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 1907 (Build 11901.20218).

Version 1907 (Build 11901.20176)

Release date: July 29, 2019

This build offers a variety of new features for Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word. It’s now easier to code using Power Query in Excel, with enhancements including autocomplete and syntax coloring. In Outlook, when you type a person’s name in the Search box, the most relevant email messages will now be included alongside your search suggestions. PowerPoint lets you save a video to Microsoft Stream, which lets you insert a streaming video instead of the entire file into a presentation to reduce file sizes. Word now has two different sized erasers so you can fix small inking imperfections.

In addition, Excel, PowerPoint and Word make it easier to create map charts, and also let you decide whether links to Office documents should open in the appropriate app or instead in a browser.

Get more info about Version 1907 (Build 11901.20176).

Version 1906 (Build 11727.20244)

Release date: July 9, 2019

This build has security updates for Excel, Outlook, Skype for Business and the entire Office suite. For details, see these release notes. In addition, there is a fix to an Outlook bug that caused the current folder search to intermittently fail.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 1906 (Build 11727.20244).

Version 1906 (Build 11727.20230)

Release date: June 27, 2019

This extremely minor build has only a single change: It fixes an issue that caused a subset of POP3 users to see all of their emails formatted as plain text, regardless of their settings. Users who want to see their messages formatted with HTML can now do so.

Get more info about Version 1906 (Build 11727.20230).

Version 1906 (Build 11727.20210)

Release date: June 24, 2019

This build offers a variety of new features for several Office applications, primarily Outlook. Outlook gets a simplified Ribbon that tames its frequently complex interface. (The simplified Ribbon has been available in a preview for quite some time, but now is officially launched.) In addition, you can now synchronize more than 500 folders when syncing shared mailboxes. The previous limit was 500. The quick action menu can also be customized.

You can now insert 3D animated graphics into Excel. In Word, multiple people can co-author documents in the open, XML-based.docm format. And in Skype, you can crop video in a meeting on a 4K monitor when the “Crop and Center my video in meetings” setting is turned on.

There are also a number of undocumented bugs and performance fixes, according to Microsoft.

Get more info about Version 1906 (Build 11727.20210).

Version 1905 (Build 11629.20246)

Release date: June 11, 2019

This build addresses two security holes in Word, remote code execution vulnerabilities CVE-2019-1034 and CVE-2019-1035.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 1905 (Build 11629.20246).

Version 1905 (Build 11629.20214)

Release date: June 4, 2019

This build fixes a single, minor issue, one in which some add-ins caused unexpected errors to appear around shapes in PowerPoint charts.

Get more info about Version 1905 (Build 11629.20214).

Version 1905 (Build 11629.20196)

Release date: May 29, 2019

This build introduces minor new features to multiple Office applications. In Word, PowerPoint and Excel, if you @mention people in document comments, they will automatically receive an email notification that they’ve been mentioned, so they can check out the comments. Across all Office applications except Outlook, a new account manager is available; it displays all Office 365 work and personal accounts in a single location, making it easier to switch among them.

In addition, in PowerPoint, presenters’ words are automatically shown on screen as captions and can be translated into subtitles in the language of your choice. In Outlook, it’s now easier to add Outlook.com and Gmail accounts that use two-factor authentication.

Get more info about Version 1905 (Build 11629.20196).

Version 1904 (Build 11601.20204)

Release date: May 14, 2019

This build includes security fixes for a Microsoft Word Remote Code Execution Vulnerability, a Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability and a Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Go to the release notes for Office 365 ProPlus Security Updates for more details.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 1904 (Build 11601.20204).

Version 1904 (Build 11601.20178)

Release date: May 8, 2019

This build includes “various bugs and performances fixes,” in Microsoft’s words, that Microsoft hasn’t provided any details on.

Get more info about Version 1904 (Build 11601.20178).

Version 1904 (Build 11601.20144)

Release date: April 29, 2019

This build includes a few minor updates. The most notable is the ability to find files by typing into the Search box on the File > Home page in Excel, PowerPoint and Word. The entire Office 365 suite sports a new set of icons, and the suite also gets an updated set of privacy controls, covering things such as the types of diagnostic data sent to Microsoft. Administrators, not Office users, have control over setting them. Here’s an overview of the new settings.

Get more info about Version 1904 (Build 11601.20144).

Version 1903 (Build 11425.20244)

Release date: April 23, 2019

This build includes “various bugs and performances fixes,” in Microsoft’s words, that Microsoft hasn’t provided any details on.

Get more info about  Version 1903 (Build 11425.20244).

Version 1903 (Build 11425.20228)

Release date: April 17, 2019

This build includes “various bugs and performances fixes,” in Microsoft’s words, that Microsoft hasn’t provided any details on.

Get more info about Version 1903 (Build 11425.20228).

Version 1903 (Build 11425.20218)

Release date: April 16, 2019

This build includes “various bugs and performances fixes,” in Microsoft’s words, that Microsoft hasn’t provided any details on.

Get more info about Version 1903 (Build 11425.20218).

Version 1903 (Build 11425.20204)

Release date: April 9, 2019

This build includes security updates for Excel and the entire office suite. Among the holes fixed are the Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability, the Microsoft Graphics Components Remote Code Execution Vulnerability, and the Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. For details, go to the security update’s release notes.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 1903 (Build 11425.20202).

Version 1903 (Build 11425.20202)

Release date: April 1, 2019

This build includes minor updates for Excel, PowerPoint and Word. All three of them now have an accessibility checker which examines documents to see how accessible they are, and offers suggestions if they’re not. Go to Review > Check Accessibility to try it out. In addition, PowerPoint gives you more control over how its Morph feature works.

Get more info about  Version 1903 (Build 11425.20202).

Version 1902 (Build 11328.20158)

Release date: March 12, 2019

This build includes very minor bug and performance fixes — so minor that Microsoft has not detailed what they are.

Get more info about Version 1902 (Build 11328.20158).

Version 1902 (Build 11328.20146)

Release date: March 4, 2019

This build adds a variety of features to several Office applications. It’s now easier in PowerPoint to insert videos from YouTube and Vimeo. You can also hand-draw math expressions in PowerPoint and have them turned into standard characters.

Outlook lets you set meetings to end five to ten minutes early by default, so that people can easily attend back-to-back meetings. Outlook can now also read mail aloud. Excel lets you use @mentions in comments to let co-workers know when you’re looking for their input. And a new Ideas button in Excel lets you look for patterns in your data and uses them to create personalized suggestions for how to use the data.

Access now clearly lets you see the active tab, easily drag tabs to rearrange them, and close database objects with a click.

Get more info about Version 1902 (Build 11328.20146).

Version 1901 (Build 11231.20130)

Release date: January 31, 2019

This minor build includes small changes to Excel, Outlook, Visio and the entire Office suite. A reply box has been added to Excel, making it easier to make comments during collaboration. Outlook now lets you use animated GIFs in your emails. Visio gets a series of Azure stencils so you can design a cloud app or plan a cloud architecture. And the entire Office suite now allows Office add-ins to insert graphics in SVG format.

Get more info about Version 1901 (Build 11231.20130).

Version 1812 (Build 11126.20266)

Release date: January 14, 2019

This minor build addresses performance issues.

Get more info about Version 1812 (Build 11126.20266).

Version 1812 (Build 11126.20196)

Release date: January 8, 2019

This build includes both security fixes and a minor bug fix. The bug was an issue in Project in which you couldn’t uncheck the Critical, Late and Slack bar styles for the Gantt chart after you had checked one of them.

Security patches include closing an information disclosure vulnerability in Outlook, fixing a remote execution vulnerability and an information disclosure vulnerability in Word, and closing a remote code execution vulnerability for the entire Office suite.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about non-security changes in Version 1812 (Build 11126.20196) and security fixes in Version 1812 (Build 11126.20196).

Version 1812 (Build 11126.20188)

Release date: January 3, 2019

This build offers minor improvements to several Office applications. In Word, you can now use a feature called line focus that lets you move through a document with one, three, or five lines in view at a time. A new feature also lets you create a web page from a Word document by going to File > Transform > Transform to Web Page.

PowerPoint now lets you convert your ink to standard shapes and text, then get smart slide-design ideas from PowerPoint Designer. Outlook has new options for encrypting messages. And Word, Excel and PowerPoint all now let you keep track of accessibility issues in your documents without having to keep the accessibility checker open all the time.

Get more info about Version 1812 (Build 11126.20188).

Version 1811 (Build 11029.20108)

Release date: December 11, 2018

This build focuses only on security updates, including fixing two Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities, two Microsoft Excel Information Disclosure Vulnerabilities, a Microsoft Outlook Remote Code Execution Vulnerability and a Microsoft PowerPoint Remote Code Execution Vulnerability.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 1811 (Build 11029.20108).

Version 1811 (Build 11029.20079)

Release date: November 27, 2018

This build adds several minor features to Outlook, including letting you sort mail by flag status when using Focused Inbox and integrating the Focused Inbox better with search. PowerPoint now lets you add slide numbers to printed handouts. And for the entire Office suite, the Share, Copy Path to Clipboard, and Open File Location buttons are now more visible and more easily accessible.

Get more info about Version 1811 (Build 11029.20079).

Version 1810 (Build 11001.20074)

Release date: October 29, 2018

This build introduces new features throughout Office. In Excel, you’ll now be able to use a reply box to add and reply to comments in cells. You can also more easily edit text and formulas by using Ctrl-A to select text in a cell or the formula bar. In Outlook, it’s now easier to reserve a room via the calendar and to set your calendar to automatically dismiss reminders for events after they’ve ended.

PowerPoint gets new proofing tools. In addition, PowerPoint now takes rough, hand-drawn text and shapes it into finished diagrams. In Word, you can insert animated 3D graphics into documents.

In Access, Publisher, Project and Visio, Ribbon icons have gotten a new look. And in Excel, PowerPoint and Word you can change the opacity of a picture to, for example, allow text or information behind a picture to be visible.

Get more info about Version 1810 (Build 11001.20074).

Version 1809 (Build 10827.20181)

Release date: October 16, 2018

This non-security build fixes a variety of performance issues throughout the Office suite.

Get more info about Version 1809 (Build 10827.20181).

Version 1809 (Build 10827.20150)

Release date: October 9, 2018

This build focuses only on security updates, including fixing a Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability, a Microsoft PowerPoint Remote Code Execution Vulnerability, a Microsoft Word Remote Code Execution Vulnerability, a Microsoft Graphics Components Remote Code Execution Vulnerability for the entire suite, and Microsoft Office Defense in Depth Updates for Outlook and Word.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 1809 (Build 10827.20150).

Version 1809 (Build 10827.20138)

Release date: September 27, 2018

This update offers new features for Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook, summarized below.

Excel

• A new Ideas pane, which Microsoft says is powered by AI, analyzes your data and displays visuals about it, and offers suggestions on what to do with it.
• Get & Transform has been tweaked by improving its connectors and the Column from Example feature.
• Ribbon icons have a new look.
• VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, and MATCH calculations have been sped up.

Word

• You can now use @mentions in comments to let collaborators know you want their input.
• Equation Editor Converter lets you convert equations created using Microsoft Equation editor to Office Math ML format so they can be edited.
• Ribbon icons have a new look.

PowerPoint

• You can now insert animated 3D graphics in slides.
• PowerPoint now has proofreading tools that offer grammar and writing suggestions.
• Ribbon icons have a new look.

Outlook

• Safe Links protect you from malicious URLs you receive, but they hide the original URL. You can now hover your mouse over a URL to see the original URL, even in links protected by Safe Links.
• After you do a search, Outlook provides a suggested search query with spelling corrections.
• A Coming Soon tool lets you try new features before they’re released.
• Ribbon icons have a new look.

Get more info about Version 1809 (Build 10827.20138).

Version 1808 (Build 10730.20102)

Release date: September 11, 2018

This security update fixes four security issues: a Remote Code Execution Vulnerability and an Information Disclosure Vulnerability in Excel, a PDF Remote Code Execution Vulnerability in Word, and Win32k Graphics Remote Code Execution Vulnerability in the entire Office suite.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 1808 (Build 10730.20102).

Version 1808 (Build 10730.20088)

Release date: September 5, 2018

This non-security update adds a variety of minor new features and fixes for several Office applications. In Outlook you can prevent people forwarding your meeting invitation. Visio gets 26 new stencils and lets you add diagram content, including shapes and metadata, to a Word document, then customize it to create process guidelines and operation manuals. The update also fixes an issue in Excel in which the dotted line marking the range of cells selected for copying does not disappear and remains in the clipboard even after a subsequent user operation like paste.

Get more info about Version 1808 (Build 10730.20088).

Version 1807 (Build 10325.20118)

Release date: August 14, 2018

This security update fixes vulnerabilities in Access, Excel, Outlook, and the entire Office suite. In Access there’s a fix for a remote code execution vulnerability (CVE-2018-8312), in Outlook there’s an update for Microsoft Office Defense in Depth (ADV180021), and in the Office suite, there’s a fix for an information disclosure vulnerability (CVE-2018-8378). Excel gets three security fixes: two remote code execution vulnerabilities (CVE-2018-8375 and CVE-2018-8379), and an information disclosure vulnerability (CVE-2018-8382).

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 1807 (Build 10325.20118).

Version 1806 (Build 10228.20104)

Release date: July 10, 2018

This security update fixes three vulnerabilities: a Microsoft Access Remote Code Execution Use After Free Vulnerability in Access, a Microsoft Office Tampering Vulnerability in Outlook, and a Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerability for the entire Office suite.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 1806 (Build 10228.20104).

Version 1806 (Build 10228.20080)

Release date: June 25, 2018

This non-security update gives Office a variety of new features. In Excel, you can use Ctrl-A to select text in a cell or the formula bar. There’s also improved support for emojis and other complex characters. In PowerPoint, you can title your slides using a pen, and Project keeps a running list of where you’ve saved other projects. The way in which you create recurring appointments in Outlook has been tweaked — “End by” rather than “No end date” is now the default setting. Visio gets more stencils and more icons. And support for Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs) has been added to Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.

Get more info about Version 1806 (Build 10228.20080).

Version 1805 (Build 9330.2118)

Release date: June 12, 2018

This release has on several security updates and two non-security fixes. Two security holes are fixed in Excel: a Microsoft Excel Information Disclosure Vulnerability and a Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. One security hole is fixed in Outlook: a Microsoft Outlook Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability.

In addition, a non-security issue has been fixed in Outlook in which an application calling the MAPI API could result in a crash. In Project, a non-security issue has been fixed in which users are blocked from saving a subproject when working with them through the context of a master project.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more info about Version 1805 (Build 9330.2118).

Version 1805 (Build 9330.2087)

Release date: May 24, 2018

This extremely minor non-security update fixes a single issue, in which Outlook crashes when using the iCloud add-in.

Get more information about Version 1805 (Build 9330.2087).

Version 1805 (Build 9330.2078)

Release date: May 23, 2018

This update introduces a number of new minor features throughout Office. You can now chat with co-authors when collaborating in Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Voice input for a variety of purposes has been added to Outlook, PowerPoint and Word. Word now lets you use pen input to split or join words, add a new line, or insert words. Access gets 11 new charts for visualizing data. In Visio, the Organization Chart, Brainstorming, and SDL templates have new starter diagrams. In Outlook, you can more easily share your calendars. In addition, calendars shared from Outlook Desktop are now also available in Outlook Mobile.

Get more information about Version 1805 (Build 9330.2078).

Version 1804 (Build 9226.2156)

Release date: May 14, 2018

This extremely minor, non-security update fixes a single issue in which, when you open an application, you might see a message about launching in Safe mode and then the application fails to open.

Get more information about Version 1804 (Build 9226.2156).

Version 1804 (Build 9226.2126)

Release date: May 8, 2018

This security update addresses issues in Excel, Outlook and the entire Office suite. It fixes several Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities and a Microsoft Excel Information Disclosure Vulnerability. In Outlook, a Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability is patched. And in the overall Office suite, two Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities are fixed.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more information about Version 1804 (Build 9226.2126).

Version 1804 (Build 9226.2114)

Release date: April 25, 2018

This update includes a variety of minor feature enhancements. Outlook can now read your email to you. You can also set reminders in Outlook to pop up over windows in which you’re working. There’s also a new option for encrypting messages.

PowerPoint can now convert scribbled notes and drawings into readable text and crisp shapes. In Project, you can now switch from one sprint view to another, and quickly move tasks between sprints. And in Word, the Editor pane now displays an overview of proofing issues found in a document, so you can focus on fixing the ones that are most relevant to you.

Get more information about Version 1804 (Build 9226.2114).

Version 1803 (Build 9126.2152)

Release date: April 11, 2018

This update addresses a variety of security problems and fixes a number of small issues. It fixes a Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability as well as two Office-wide Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities and an Office-wide Microsoft Office Information Disclosure Vulnerability. PowerPoint gets several non-security fixes, including one in which multiple users co-authoring the same presentation caused an incorrect duplication of slide masters. Word received a fix for an issue in which insufficient memory messages appeared.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more information about Version 1803 (Build 9126.2152).

Version 1803 (Build 9126.2116)

Release date: March 27, 2018

This non-security update fixes a number of small issues and adds several minor features. Microsoft Translator is now available from directly inside Excel and PowerPoint. Word, PowerPoint and Visio get improved support for high-definition displays. Several issues have been fixed in Excel, including one in which Quick Print of an Excel workbook attached to an Outlook email sometimes didn’t print, and another where using cube functions caused Excel to crash. And Outlook will now issue a blind carbon copy (Bcc) warning if you choose Reply All to a message that you were Bcc’ed on.

Get more information about Version 1803 (Build 9126.2116).

Version 1802 (Build 9029.2253)

Release date: March 13, 2018

This security update fixes vulnerabilities in Access, Excel and Word. A Microsoft Access Remote Code Execution Vulnerability was closed in Access, a Microsoft Office Excel Security Feature Bypass was closed in Excel, and a Microsoft Office Information Disclosure Vulnerability was closed in Word.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more information about Version 1802 (Build 9029.2253).

Version 1802 (Build 9029.2167)

Release date: February 26, 2018

This minor non-security update fixes a few minor bugs and adds several minor features. Among the new features are one in Outlook in which you can now see other people’s responses to meeting requests, even if you not the meeting organizer. In addition, Visio has a new database model diagram template that will let you accurately model your database as a Visio diagram. Among the issues fixed is one in which  Skype for Business hangs when using the “call using conference center” option to invite users from the roster.

Get more information about Version 1802 (Build 9029.2167). 

Version 1801 (Build 9001.2171)

Release date: February 13, 2018

This security update fixes vulnerabilities in Excel, Outlook, and the entire Office suite. In Excel, it targets a remote code execution vulnerability, and in Outlook it fixes an elevation of privilege vulnerability and a memory corruption vulnerability. For the entire Office suite, it fixes a memory corruption vulnerability and an information disclosure vulnerability.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more information about Version 1801 (Build 9001.2171).

Version 1801 (Build 9001.2144)

Release date: February 7, 2018

This extremely minor, non-security update fixes only one very small bug in Excel: an issue in which if your editing language is Japanese, Chinese, or Korean, Excel may freeze when you try to choose a new font on the Home tab or when you edit.

Get more information about Version 1801 (Build 9001.2144).

Version 1801 (Build 9001.2138)

Release date: February 1, 2018

This minor, non-security update fixes small bugs in Project and Skype for Business. Among the bugs fixed in Project is one in which the “Progress point shape” is drawn at an unexpected location, and another in which Actual Work is still shown in the reporting tables after being removed in a Save for Sharing session.

Among the bugs fixed in Skype for Business is one in which “More Options” and “Invite More People” buttons are hidden when a meeting is in full-screen mode, and another in which the P2P audio call window or conference call window becomes transparent when you attempt to join.

Get more information about Version 1801 (Build 9001.2138).

Version 1712 (Build 8827.2179)

Release date: January 30, 2018

This minor, non-security update fixes two small bugs. In Excel, an issue was fixed in which scroll bars were missing when a workbook was opened with Excel minimized. In Outlook, an issue was fixed in which search failed with “No matches found” when search was set to All Mailboxes.

Get more information about Version 1712 (Build 8827.2179).

Version 1712 (Build 8827.2148)

Release date: January 17, 2018

This non-security update adds a variety of minor features throughout the Office suite. Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Visio, and Word can now transform SVG pictures and icons into Office shapes so their color, size, and texture can be changed. An issue was fixed in Excel in which workbook references failed when opening multiple workbooks by double-clicking on the file names in File Explorer. In PowerPoint, you can add animations to 3D models. Skype for Business gets a number of minor additions, including a new call transfer button in the toast user interface for incoming PSTN calls.

Get more information about Version 1712 (Build 8827.2148).

Version 1711 (Build 8730.2175)

Release date: January 9, 2018

This security update fixes 14 security holes in Outlook, Excel, Word and the entire Office suite. It fixes a number of separate remote code execution vulnerabilities in each of those applications and the entire suite, in which an attacker can run arbitrary code or take control of the entire system if the current user is logged on with administrative user rights. It also fixes several memory corruption vulnerabilities in Word, which would allow an attacker to take control of the entire system if the current user is logged on with administrative user rights.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more information about Version 1711 (Build 8730.2175).

Version 1711 (Build 8730.2165)

Release date: January 2, 2018

This very minor update fixes two bugs. It resolves a PowerPoint issue in which removing document properties and personal information prevents saving to SharePoint. And it fixes a Project issue in which VBA code gets lost from projects.

Get more information about Version 1711 (Build 8730.2165).

Version 1711 (Build 8730.2127)

Release date: December 12, 2017

This security update fixes one vulnerability in Outlook and one in PowerPoint. It fixes the Microsoft Office Information Disclosure Vulnerability in Outlook, in which an attacker could potentially extract plain-text content from DRM-protected draft emails because Outlook failed to enforce copy/paste permissions on them. It also fixes a Microsoft PowerPoint Information Disclosure Vulnerability that would allow an attacker to craft a special document file, convince a user to open it, and then compromise the user’s computer and its data.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more information about Version 1711 (Build 8730.2127).

Version 1711 (Build 8730.2122)

Release date: December 6, 2017

This non-security update adds two very minor features and has a variety of bug fixes. In PowerPoint, when you export a presentation to video, you can now save it in Ultra HD (4K) resolution. In Word, you can have the status bar display a document’s word count as you type. Enable the option from the Customize Status Bar menu.

Project has six bug fixes, including one where the application hangs when using the Task Path feature, and another in which you can’t drag tasks in the Timeline and Team Planner view. Skype for Business has nine bug fixes, including for one in which LinkedIn data does not appear in the Skype for Business Contact Card, and another in which in Conversation History, the caller is shown instead of the called person. This would happen when the called person’s work number is modified using Active Directory.

Get more information about Version 1711 (Build 8730.2122).

Version 1710 (Build 8625.2139)

Release date: November 22, 2017

This extremely minor update has only two bug fixes. It fixes an issue in which users incorrectly see a “catastrophic failure” error message when opening an Office 2007 or older workbook (.xls or .xla) with macros. And it also fixes a bug in which Office crashes when users try to activate Office using the Activate Office dialog box.

Get more information about Version 1710 (Build 8625.2139).

Version 1710 (Build 8625.2132)

Release date: November 20, 2017

This update focuses on minor bug fixes, including one in which Excel crashes when a user tries to insert an object in an existing workbook and clicks Browse, and another in Excel in which the dialog box to enter the password to unlock a protected range isn’t visible. The entire Office suite also received minor bug fixes for several issues, including one with zooming and scaling in Office Add-ins under dynamic DPI environment.

Get more information about Version 1710 (Build 8625.2132).

Version 1710 (Build 8625.2127)

Release date: November 14, 2017

This update focuses primarily on security. Included are three fixes to Excel security holes, including two memory corruption vulnerabilities and one security feature bypass vulnerability. In addition, Word and the entire Office suite received security fixes. Also included is a fix to a bug in Excel in which users couldn’t close a workbook in protected view when the file name contained square brackets.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more information about Version 1710 (Build 8625.2127).

Version 1710 (Build 8625.2121)

Release date: November 2, 2017

This non-security feature update adds a few minor capabilities and fixes several issues. Word, PowerPoint and Excel all get a new pencil-like digital pen texture. You can also now use Microsoft Translator from directly in Word and translate words, phrases or the entire document. Project gets a variety of bug fixes, including one in which graphical indicators weren’t displaying correctly.

Get more information about Version 1710 (Build 8625.2121).

Version 1709 (Build 8528.2139)

Release date: October 16, 2017

This non-security feature update adds a few minor capabilities and fixes a number of bugs. Word gets a SharePoint property panel that lets you display and edit SharePoint document library column values from within a document via a new button on the View tab. In PowerPoint, you can now run a slideshow using a digital pen on a touchscreen device — a feature that requires the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. Among the bugs fixed is one in which Project can crash when going to reports that contain several images.

Get more information about Version 1709 (Build 8528.2139).

Version 1708 (Build 8431.2107)

Release date: October 10, 2017

This security update plugs holes in Outlook, Word and the entire Office suite.  Outlook gets two fixes, one for a security feature bypass vulnerability and another for an information disclosure vulnerability. Word gets one security fix, for a memory corruption vulnerability, and the entire suite gets one for a remote code execution vulnerability.

What IT needs to know: Because of the security fixes in this update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more information about Version 1708 (Build 8431.2107).

Version 1708 (Build 8431.2094)

Release date: October 4, 2017

This non-security, non-feature update fixes a wide variety of bugs – 10 in Excel alone. Among the Excel fixes is one where Excel crashes when opening an .XLL file, and another in which the AutoSave toggle isn’t visible. In Outlook, one of the issues fixed is when Outlook crashes when the user is trying to set up a new account and they close the window without completing the account setup. Word, PowerPoint and Access also get a variety of miscellaneous fixes.

And several issues were fixed with the entire Office suite, including one in which Office file properties aren’t displayed in File Explorer, and another in which Office add-in buttons disappear from the ribbon when there is a second document open.

Get more information about Version 1708 (Build 8431.2094).

Version 1708 (Build 8431.2079)

Release date: Sept. 18, 2017

This update adds new features and fixes a variety of bugs. You can now add 3D objects to Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint that you can rotate 360 degrees and tilt up and down. Excel, Word and PowerPoint also get new ink effects with metallic pens including rainbow, galaxy, lava, ocean, gold and silver. Access has two new connectors to Microsoft Dynamics and Salesforce. A number of miscellaneous, minor bugs have been fixed in Project and Skype, including one in Project in which the status field doesn’t always calculate correctly for summary tasks, and one in Skype in which unread messages in persistent chat rooms are marked as read when you click IM conversation tabs.

Get more information about Version 1708 (Build 8431.2079).

Version 1707 (Build 8326.2107)

Release date: Sept. 12, 2017

This update focuses primarily on security issues, and includes security patches for Excel, PowerPoint, Skype and the entire Office suite. Among the fixes are two that have to do with memory corruption vulnerabilities in Excel, and two with remote code execution vulnerabilities in PowerPoint. Excel and PowerPoint also get minor, non-security patches.

What IT needs to know: Because of the security fixes in this update, it should be applied soon. Over the next few days, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Get more information about Version 1707 (Build 8326.2107).

Credit: Preston Gralla, Computerworld