How to install the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack so that you can use earlier versions of Excel, PowerPoint, and Word to open and to save files from 2007 Office programs

Microsoft has added the new Office Open XML Formats to the following 2007 Microsoft Office programs:

  • Microsoft Office Excel 2007
  • Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007
  • Microsoft Office Word 2007 A compatibility pack is available to make sure that you can open and save Office Open XML Formats in earlier versions of Microsoft Office.

You can install the compatibility pack on a computer that is running Microsoft Office 2003 programs, Microsoft Office XP programs, or Microsoft Office 2000 programs. When you install the compatibility pack, you can open, edit, save, and create files in the robust Office Open XML Formats.

To install the Compatibility Pack in Office XP or in Office 2003, update Office, and then install the Compatibility Pack.

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

Step 1: Visit Microsoft Update

Windows Vista

  1. Visit the following Microsoft Update Web site
  2. Microsoft Update will scan the computer to determine whether Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft programs are up to date.
  3. 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.

You may be prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation. Type the password, or click Continue.

Windows XP

  1. Visit the following Microsoft Update Web site
  2. Click Express. Microsoft Update will scan the computer to determine whether Windows and other Microsoft programs are up to date.
  3. If Windows or the Microsoft programs on the computer are not up to date, you will be prompted to install the latest updates.
  4. Click Install Updates.
    h2. Step 2: Download the Compatibility Pack
  1. Visit the following Microsoft Web site
  2. After the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats Web page opens, click Download.

Step 2: Download the Compatibility Pack

  1. Visit the following Microsoft Web site
  2. After the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats Web page opens, click Download.

Step 3: Install the Compatibility Pack To do this, follow these steps, as appropriate for the version of Windows that you are running.

Windows Vista

  1. Click Run.
  2. Click Run when you are prompted to run the software.
  3. Click to select the Click here to accept the Microsoft Software License Terms check box, and then click Continue.
  4. Click OK.
  5. When the Compatibility Pack is installed, click OK.

Windows XP

  1. Click Run twice.
  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.
    h2. Step 4: Visit Microsoft Update again

Step 4: Visit Microsoft Update again

  1. To verify that you have all of the latest updates to the Compatibility Pack, vist the Microsoft Update Web site
  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.