Many people who use a Windows computer also use the Office suite from Microsoft. However, although it is easy to spot what Windows version you are using just by looking at what your desktop looks like, knowing what version of Office you use can be a bit trickier. If you need this information, in this tutorial we show you four different ways in which to discover the exact version of Office that you are using:

1. Start Microsoft Word or any other Office app and look at the splash screen

When you start any Microsoft Office app, before it loads, it quickly displays a Starting screen. This screen is shown for a second or two, and it tells you the name of the app that you are using and the version. Here is the starting screen for Word, in Microsoft Office 2019.

If you use the Microsoft Office 365 subscription, it says Office 365, like in the screenshot below. This subscription ensures that you get access to the latest version of Office developed by Microsoft.

Below you can see a sample of the starting screen of Word, in Microsoft Office 2010.

Also, another from the old Microsoft Office 2003.

Unfortunately, this method does not tell whether you use a 64-bit or 32-bit version of Microsoft Office, nor does it share the exact product version and build number.

2. Find what version of Office you have installed by checking the Control Panel or the Settings app

You can also use the Control Panel or the Settings app (in Windows 10). Here's how:

Open the Control Panel and navigate to Programs and then to Programs and features. Wait for the list of apps installed on your device to load, and then scroll until you find a program whose name starts with Microsoft Office. The part that comes after is the edition and version of the Microsoft Office that you use. If you click or tap on it, you can also see the exact product version number displayed on the bottom of the Control Panel window, as highlighted below.

If you use Windows 10, open Settings and navigate to Apps and then to Apps & features. In the list of installed apps, find an entry for Microsoft Office. The part of its name that comes after Microsoft Office is the edition and version. If you click or tap on it, beneath its name, you can see the exact product version number of the Microsoft Office suite that you have.

Unfortunately, this method does not tell whether you use a 64-bit or 32-bit version of Microsoft Office.

3. Find what version of Office you have installed by looking at the menus

Since the introduction of Microsoft Office 2019, this method is no longer a great option, even though it can help some users to figure things out:

The first thing to do is open one of the apps that are part of Microsoft Office. It does not matter which app you open: you can start Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, or any other. Then, look at the left side of the top menu, the one that is also called the ribbon interface. Depending on what the File button looks like, you can identify the version of Office you have. If the File button is rectangular, its edges are sharp, and it starts with an uppercase letter, then you are using Microsoft Office 2016, 2019 or Office 365. In these Office versions, there are no major visual differences to tell them apart.

If the File button is rectangular, its edges are sharp, and it uses all uppercase letters, then you are using Microsoft Office 2013.

If the File button is rectangular, its corners are round, and it starts with an uppercase letter, then you are using Microsoft Office 2010.

If there is no File button on the top-left corner of the window, and instead you see an Office icon, then you are using Microsoft Office 2007.

If you do not see a ribbon interface at the top of the window, then you are using Microsoft Office 2003 or earlier.

Unfortunately, this method does not reveal whether you use a 64-bit or 32-bit version of Microsoft Office.

4. Find what version of Office you have installed by checking the Help or About information

Open one of the Office apps installed on your Windows device. We use Microsoft Word as an example. Once you launch it, open the File menu by clicking or tapping on the File or Office button that is found at the top-left corner of the window.

In the File or Office menu that opens, look for an entry called Account. Click or tap on it.

If you have Microsoft Office 2019, 2016, or Office 365, you can see what edition you use on the right side of the Account page, just like in the image below.

Furthermore, if you also need to know whether you have the 32-bit or the 64-bit version of Office, click or tap on About Word or About followed by the name of the app that you have opened.

A new window is opened, in which you can see the product version number and architecture of your Microsoft Office.

If you have Microsoft Office 2010, instead of an Account entry in the File menu, you should see a Help option. Click or tap on it, and the exact version and architecture (64-bit or 32-bit) of the suite is displayed on the right side of the menu.

If you want even more detailed information about the version of Microsoft Office that you use, click or tap Additional Version and Copyright Information and you get to see the About Microsoft Word window.

If you have Microsoft Office 2007, in the Office menu, click or tap the Word Options button.

Select Resources on the left and you can see the exact version of Microsoft Office that you use on the right side, in the about Microsoft Office 2007 section.

If you click the About button, the information you get is even more detailed.

If you use an even older version of Microsoft Office, such as 2003, on the top menu, you have a Help button. Click on it, and then About Microsoft Office Word.

The About Microsoft Office Word window reveals the exact version of the Office suite that you are using.

5. Find what version of Office you have installed by checking the Windows Registry with the help of Command Prompt or Powershell

One last method involves the use of the Command Prompt or PowerShell, depending on what you prefer. We chose to start PowerShell. In the command-line window, type reg query "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Application\CurVer" and press Enter on your keyboard. Look at the output displayed. It should be something similar to this:

The number that comes after "Word.Application" tells you the version of the Microsoft Office suite that you have:

• 16.0 means that you have Microsoft Office 2016 or Microsoft Office 2019, or Microsoft Office 365
• 15.0 means that you have Microsoft Office 2013
• 14.0 means that you have Microsoft Office 2010
• 12.0 means that you have Microsoft Office 2007
• 11.0 means that you have Microsoft Office 2003

There was no version 13.0 for fear of the number 13. :) Who knew that Microsoft is a superstitious company? Another issue is that Office 2019 and Office 2016 are no longer differentiated by a different version number in the Windows Registry.

What version of Microsoft Office do you use?

These are the ways we know for finding out what version of Microsoft Office you have installed on a Windows computer or device. We hope that you like at least one of them and that our tutorial has helped you find the information you needed. If you know other methods or if you have something to add to our guide, do not hesitate to use the comments form below. Also, tell us what version of Office you are using. We are curious to know.