SOLVED: WHY IS 64 BIT MS OFFICE NOW RECOMMENDED?

I’ve just installed Windows 10 on my computer và I’m now about khổng lồ install Office. It offers to lớn install the 32-bit version but I know there is also a 64-bit version available.

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I seem to reĐiện thoại tư vấn that Microsoft used khổng lồ recommkết thúc khổng lồ install the 32-bit version, even on a 64-bit version of Windows but that was some years ago.

Does Microsoft still recommend installing the 32-bit version?What are the downsides or benefits when I install the 64-bit version?Where can I tải về the 64-bit version of Office?

As of the release of Office 2019, Microsoft is now recommending to lớn install the 64-bit version of Office unless you have sầu a specific need which still requires the 32-bit version.

Personally, & mainly from an Outlook perspective, I’ve sầu seen very few instances over the past years where using the 64-bit version of Office would have sầu caused issues, so I’m happy that Microsoft now finally decided that the turning point has been reached.

For Office 2019 và Microsoft 365 Apps (previously known as Office 365), the mặc định for new installations has now been mix khổng lồ 64-bit. Although the considerations for using 32-bit vs 64-bit are the same for Office 2010, 2013 & năm nhâm thìn, the default for new installations of these versions will remain 32-bit for now.

Luckily, it is easy enough to select which bit version you want khổng lồ install in case you bởi not want the mặc định one. You can find instructions for this at the bottom of this guide.

Benefits of using the 64-bit version of Office

In general, the main benefit of using the 64-bit version of Office, is that it can use access memory when needed. With the 32-bit version of Office, the application can only use up to lớn 2GB of memory, even when more is available in your computer.

Using the 64-bit version of Office will for instance allow you to work with large data sets like Excel workbooks or Project files that are over 2GB in form size.

Similarly, when you are working with large Word documents or PowerPoint presentations that are very rich with multimedia (pictures, videos, complex animations, etc…) or large tables or other embedded objects, the 64-bit version can be of help.

The 64-bit version of Office also offers a security benefit as it always has Hardware Data Execution Prevention (DEP) enabled (although this can be enabled for the 32-bit version as well).

When it comes to Outlook, using the 64-bit version of Outlook does not have sầu any direct benefits. The functionality within Outlook is the same & there is also no (noticeable) performance increase by using the 64-bit edition. There also isn’t a 2GB file form size limit for the 32-bit version of Outlook like there is for Excel và Project. The file form size limitation in Outlook is determined by whether you are using an ANSI or Unicode formatted pst-tệp tin.

When should I consider khổng lồ still use the 32-bit version?

The main reason for the original recommendation was compatibility with existing add-ins for Office.

For an add-in lớn work with the 64-bit version of Office, it needs to lớn be recompiled by the developer specifically for the 64-bit version of Office. In some cases the developer also needs lớn make some specific changes for 64-bit support or needs lớn wait for specific libraries, that the add-in relies on, to be recompiled for 64-bit. Simply put; It’s a waiting game but nowadays most of the popular add-ins are available for both the 32-bit và 64-bit version of Office.

Popular Outlook add-ins which are not compatible with the 64-bit version of Outlook are the Calendar Printing Assistant & Personal Folders Backup. This last add-in is actually a very old add-in that is also not compatible with the 32-bit version of Outlook 2013 và later và is also not longer being offered by Microsoft (but there is an alternative).

A similar issue exists with other applications that integrate themselves with Office or rely on Office components. They have sầu to be made aware that they can also expect a 64-bit version of Office và of course be compatible with it. When an application integrates with Outlook at MAPI cấp độ, this application or component also needs to be 64-bit or the integration is lost.

Specifically for Outlook, there are certain sync applications for (older) điện thoại phones and Pocket PCs that do not recognize the 64-bit version of Outlook like Windows thiết bị di động Device Manager (WMDC). Unless you are still holding on lớn such an old thiết bị di động device (>9 years old) & are still relying on these synching capabilities, this is not going to be an issue anymore. Even iCloud và iTunes offer 64-bit tư vấn for over 5 years now.

If an external application doesn’t tư vấn the 64-bit version of Outlook, you usually get an error like:

Either there is no default mail client or the current mail client cannot fulfill the messaging request.

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An additional reason to stiông chồng with the 32-bit version of Office is that when you are using Compiled Access databases (*.mde & *.accde files), these databases need lớn be adjusted lớn support the 64-bit version of Access.

So… Should I use the 64-bit version or not?

Although the list of reasons for the 32-bit recommendation might be long, they however practically all relate to lớn legacy applications.

Considering that the 64-bit version of Office has been first introduced in 2010, if your add-in or ứng dụng still hasn’t received an update for 64-bit compatibility, it probably never will. It is best to check with the vendor or developer whether the add-in or tiện ích is actually still supported and if not, it is probably best khổng lồ look for a 64-bit alternative sầu either way.

When none of the reasons khổng lồ stiông chồng with 32-bit apply to you, then using the 64-bit version of Office isn’t going to lớn cause a problem for you. As mentioned before; Pretty much all supported add-ins & applications are fully compatible with the 64-bit version of Office và Outlook.

A small downside that is good to keep in mind though is that the 64-bit version of Office can take up between 5% and 20% more disk space when compared lớn the 32-bit version. Some of this is caused by the fact that certain components also still install the 32-bit version next to lớn their 64-bit version counterpart for compatibility reasons. In reality, this comes down lớn a 300 – 500MB larger footprint, so unless you are using a really small disk (32GB or less), this might hardly be a consideration.

Installing or downloading the 64-bit version of Office

When you start Setup from an installation medium for Office năm nhâm thìn or earlier that has both the 32-bit và the 64-bit version on it, you’ll be installing the 32-bit version of Outlook/Office by mặc định.

The reverse applies lớn Office 2019; When the installation medium contains both the 32-bit và 64-bit version, the 64-bit version will be installed.

To install the other bit version of Office, cthua kém the current Setup window và browse to lớn the installation source (for instance your DVD-drive). Here you’ll find one of the following;

Folders called x64 & x86xuất hiện the x64 thư mục if you want to install the 64-bit version or open the x86 thư mục to install the 32-bit version. Double cliông chồng the thiết đặt.exe tệp tin located in this folder khổng lồ install Office.The thiết đặt process is the same for both the 32-bit as the 64-bit version of Office/Outlook.Folder called officeOpen the office thư mục và double clichồng setup32.exe pháo lớn install the 32-bit version or double click setup64.exe to install the 64-bit version of Office.

If you currently don’t have sầu a 32-bit or 64-bit installation media, depending on your edition of Office, you can download the correct installation thiết lập from the following links:

Download: Microsoft 365 for HomeCliông xã on “Install Office”, the “Other options”, và finally use the “Version” dropdown các mục to select 32-bit or 64-bit. The mặc định is 64-bit.Download: Microsoft 365 for Business và EnterpriseThe “Version” dropdown danh sách should already be mix to 64-bit but you can set it to 32-bit if needed.Download: Office 2019 (Retail)Click on the “Install” liên kết below the Office 2019 listing & in the dialog that opens, click the “Other options” links to lớn see the 32-bit version.Download: Office 2016 (Retail)Clichồng on the “Install” links below the Office năm 2016 listing & in the dialog that opens, click the “Other options” links to see the 64-bit version.Download: Office 2013Supply your Product Key, go through the wizard and select to tải về the 64-bit version.

You can use the same license key as the 32-bit version. No license key is needed at all for the Office 365 versions as you’ll activate that by logging on lớn Office with your Microsoft Account or Work Account.

Make sure you uninstall all 32-bit Office versions (including older ones) & other 32-bit applications of Office before you start. So if you are for instance also using Visio or Project, you also need lớn install the 64-bit version of these applications.

Cheông chồng whether I have the 32-bit or 64-bit version installed

You can see whether you are using the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Office by opening the About dialog box of Outlook (or any other Office application of course);

At the top of the About dialog, you’ll see the current build number of the application và MSO appended with either 32-bit or 64-bit.