Microsoft Software Updates

Microsoft provides a Web site where you can have your computer scanned for updates that are available for the versions of Microsoft's products (Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) installed on your computer. If updates are found, you can install them directly from the Web site.

Download Microsoft Software Updates

Office 2007 Compatibility with Older Versions of Office

Files created with the Microsoft Office 2007 suite of applications (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) have a different file format than earlier versions of Office. This means that earlier versions of Office applications cannot read files created with Office 2007 applications. If you receive a file created in Office 2007, a converter is available that, once installed, will allow you to open these files.

If you plan on giving copies of files you create in Office 2007 to people who have earlier versions of Office (e.g., Office 2003 on Windows or Office 2004 on the Macintosh), we recommend you change the default file format in Office 2007 applications to be the same format as earlier versions of Office. This will allow you to create a file in an Office 2007 application, save it as you normally would, then have that file be able to be opened by anyone running previous versions of Office.

To change the default file type:

1. Start the Office 2007 application whose default file format you want to modify.
2. Click the Office button (found in the upper-left corner of the application).
3. Click the Word Options (or Excel Options or PowerPoint Options, depending upon which application you are in) button.
4. Click Save from the menu.
5. In the Save files in this format field, select Word 97-2003 Document (or Excel 97-2003 Document or PowerPoint 97-2003 Document, depending upon which application you are in).
6. Click OK.

From now on, when you create a new file and select to save it, the file format will be compatible with the earlier versions of Office.

As an alternative, if you have Office 2007 and you are exchanging files with someone who has an earlier version of Office for Windows, they can download and install the Office Compatibility Pack, which will allow them to open Office 2007 files.

If you have any questions, contact the IT Call Center at 646-2999, or send e-mail to help@dartmouth.edu.