This guide is intended to help you install the Compatibility Pack in Office XP or in Office 2003.

If you are running Office 2000, there are no updates that you must install before you install the Compatibility Pack.  You may skip Step 1 and continue to Step 2.

Step 1: Visit Microsoft Update

1. Click the "Start" button.
2. Click "All Programs".
3. Click "Windows Update".
4. Microsoft Update will scan the computer to determine whether Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft programs are up to date.
5. If Windows or the Microsoft programs on the computer are not up to date, you will be prompted to install the latest updates. Click "Install".
6. You may be prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation. Type the password, and/or click "Continue".
   

1. Go to the Microsoft Update website.
2. Click "Express".
3. Microsoft Update will scan the computer to determine whether Windows and other Microsoft programs are up to date.
4. If Windows or the Microsoft programs on the computer are not up to date, you will be prompted to install the latest updates. Click "Install Updates".
   

Step 2: Download the Compatibility Pack

1. Go to the Compatability Pack download page.
2. After the "Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats" page opens, click "Download".

Step 3: Install the Compatibility Pack

1. Click "Run".
2. You may be prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation. Type the password, and/or click "Continue".
3. Click "Run" when you are prompted to run the software.
4. Click to select the "Click here to accept the Microsoft Software License Terms" check box, and then click "Continue".
5. Click "OK".
6. You may be prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation. Type the password, and/or click "Continue".
7. When the Compatibility Pack is installed, click "OK".

1. Click "Run" two times.
2. Click to select the Click here to accept the "Microsoft Software License Terms" check box, and then click "Continue".
3. Click "OK".
4. When the Compatibility Pack is installed, click "OK".

Step 4: Visit Microsoft Update again

1. To verify that you have all of the latest updates to the Compatibility Pack, visit the Microsoft Update website again.
2. Microsoft Update will scan the computer to determine whether Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft programs are up to date. If Windows or the Microsoft programs on the computer are up to date, you will not be prompted to install the latest updates.

How to verify that the Compatibility Pack is installed

1. Click "Start".
2. In the "Start Search" box, type "appwiz.cpl" (without quotes), and then press "ENTER".
3. In the "Currently installed programs and updates" list, verify that "Compatibility Pack for the 2007 Office system" is listed.

1. Click "Start".
2. Click "Run".
3. Type "appwiz.cpl" (without quotes) in the "Open" box, and then click "OK".
4. In the "Currently installed programs and updates" list, verify that "Compatibility Pack for the 2007 Office system" is listed.

Similar problems and solutions

You may encounter issues if the computer is not fully updated so that it is compatible with the Office Open XML Formats and with the changes that are made to the Office programs after you install the Compatibility Pack. For more information about these issues, visit this article.

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Microsoft Office Excel 2007
Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007
Microsoft Office Word 2007
Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003
Microsoft PowerPoint 2002 Standard Edition
Microsoft Excel 2002 Standard Edition
Microsoft Word 2002
Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 Standard Edition
Microsoft Excel 2000 Standard Edition
Microsoft Word 2000
Microsoft Excel 2010
Microsoft PowerPoint 2010
Microsoft Word 2010