Run Microsoft Office for Windows on Mac

Buy now Try free

Free 14-day trial

Why run Windows Office on Mac?

Microsoft Office for Mac handles everyday work well. Where it falls short is in workflows that still depend on applications, add-ins, or features built for Windows.

Microsoft Access is not available as a native Mac application. Power BI Desktop requires Windows, and Microsoft does not offer a native Visio desktop app for macOS. Excel and Outlook are available on both platforms, but certain workflows still rely on Windows features, COM add-ins, Windows-dependent VBA automation, or other integrations built for Windows.

Parallels Desktop lets you run Windows 11 alongside macOS, including on supported Apple silicon Macs. Windows applications can run next to your Mac apps, with shared files and clipboard integration between the two environments. There is no need to reboot every time you move between macOS and Windows.

Microsoft apps you can run on Mac

Microsoft Access

Microsoft Access is available for Windows, but not for macOS. Run Access with Parallels Desktop to work with existing databases, forms, reports, VBA automation, and Access applications from your Mac.

Microsoft Excel

Excel for Mac handles most everyday spreadsheet work, but some advanced workflows still depend on Windows. Run Excel for Windows when you need Power Pivot, Windows-dependent VBA automation, or add-ins and integrations built specifically for Windows.

Explore Windows Excel on Mac

Microsoft Outlook

Outlook is available on Mac, but some organizations still rely on COM add-ins, legacy integrations, or other Windows-specific functionality. Parallels Desktop lets you use Outlook for Windows for those workflows without moving to a separate PC.

Explore Outlook on Mac with Parallels

Power BI Desktop

Power BI Desktop requires Windows. Run it with Parallels Desktop to build and edit Power BI reports from your Mac without keeping a separate Windows PC for the desktop application.

Explore Power BI Desktop on Mac

Microsoft Visio

Microsoft offers Visio for the web on Mac, but there is no native Visio desktop app for macOS. If you need the Windows desktop application, Parallels Desktop lets you run it on your Mac.

How Parallels Desktop runs Windows Office apps on your Mac

Parallels Desktop runs Windows 11 in a virtual machine on your Mac. Once Windows is set up, supported Windows applications can be installed much as they would be on a Windows PC. Open them alongside your Mac apps or use Windows in full-screen mode.

Shared folders give macOS and Windows access to the files you choose. Clipboard integration lets you copy and paste between Windows Office and Mac applications. With Coherence mode, supported Windows applications can also appear directly on your Mac desktop without displaying the full Windows desktop.

Windows and Microsoft application licensing requirements still apply.

Which Microsoft Office workflow do you need?

Workflow	Office for Mac	Windows Office with Parallels	Learn more
Word documents and PowerPoint presentations	Yes	Yes
Excel: standard formulas, PivotTables, and charts	Yes	Yes
Excel: Power Pivot and Windows-dependent advanced data workflows	Varies by feature	Yes	Windows Excel on Mac
Excel: Windows-specific add-ins	Not supported	Yes	Windows Excel on Mac
Outlook: standard email, calendar, and contacts	Yes	Yes
Outlook: Windows COM add-ins and Windows-specific integrations	Not supported	Yes	Outlook on Mac
Microsoft Access	No native Mac version	Yes
Power BI Desktop	Requires Windows	Yes	Power BI on Mac
Microsoft Visio desktop	No native Mac desktop app	Yes
VBA and legacy Office automation	Supported, with platform differences	Yes

Trusted by over 7 million Mac users worldwide

"Parallels Desktop is the go-to app for the new MacBooks. It helps me use Microsoft Office 365."

Student

"Great to use other OS seamlessly on Parallels Desktop. I can run Microsoft Office and PC gaming natively. I tried VirtualBox, but Parallels Desktop is much more seamless and value for money."

Parallels Desktop Customer

Parallels Desktop for Mac

Authorized by Microsoft

Optimized for Mac M-series

/year

Billed annually

Use 200,000+ Windows apps
Access the full range of Microsoft Office 365 features
No need for a second Windows machine
Switch between macOS and Windows effortlessly

Get started Learn more

How to run Windows Microsoft Office on your Mac

Download and install Parallels Desktop

Download Parallels Desktop and run the installer. Setup takes just a few minutes on both Apple silicon and Intel Macs, and you don’t need to configure anything before moving on.

Install Windows 11 automatically

Parallels Desktop handles the Windows installation for you. On Apple silicon Macs, Windows 11 downloads and installs automatically. No ISO to find, no manual driver setup. You can start using Windows right away, even before activating a license.

Install Office 365 inside Windows

Once Windows is running, open a browser (Edge is already installed), go to office.com, and sign in with your Microsoft account. Click Install Office, and the full Windows suite will download—Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, OneNote, and Teams. When you open an app and sign in, Office activates automatically using your existing subscription.

Turn on Coherence mode to work across Mac and Windows

Switch to Coherence mode in Parallels Desktop to make Windows apps behave like Mac apps. Your Office apps appear in the Dock, App Switcher, and Mission Control just like native Mac apps. You can open Excel or Outlook alongside your Mac tools without seeing the Windows desktop at all.

Add the tools and files you already use

Install any add-ins you rely on inside Windows Office—Power Pivot in Excel, PowerPoint add-ins like ThinkCell and ClassPoint, Outlook COM add-ins, or any enterprise Office Addin distributed by your organization. If you use Microsoft Access, you can open existing databases or build new ones directly inside the Windows environment. Your Office 365 subscription covers all of this at no additional cost.

*Windows license and Microsoft Office 365 licenses required.

Why choose Parallels Desktop?

Authorized by Microsoft

Parallels Desktop is the only virtualization tool Microsoft has authorized to run Windows 11.

Learn more

Parallels Toolbox included in the Pro Edition

Gain access to 50+ free productivity tools designed to simplify tasks.

Learn more

Live support

24/7 phone, chat and email support for subscribers. Get in touch anytime, anywhere.

Learn more

30-day money back guarantee

Request a refund any time during your initial month if you aren’t completely satisfied.

Learn more

Using Microsoft Office on Mac FAQs

Can I run the Windows version of Microsoft Office on a Mac?

Yes. Parallels Desktop lets you run Windows 11 on a supported Mac and install Microsoft Office for Windows inside it. Windows and Microsoft Office licensing requirements apply.

What is the difference between Microsoft Office for Mac and Office for Windows?

Both versions cover common Office tasks, but some applications, add-ins, integrations, and advanced workflows remain Windows-specific. Access is not available as a native Mac application, Power BI Desktop requires Windows, and Microsoft does not offer a native Visio desktop app for macOS. Excel and Outlook also have platform differences that can matter for specialized workflows.

Can I run Microsoft Access on Mac?

Yes. Microsoft Access is not available as a native macOS application, but you can run the Windows version on your Mac using Parallels Desktop.

Can I run Windows Excel on Mac?

Yes. Running Excel for Windows can be useful when your work depends on Power Pivot, Windows-dependent VBA automation, or add-ins and integrations built specifically for Windows. Parallels Desktop lets you use that version of Excel from your Mac.

Can I use Outlook with COM add-ins on Mac?

Yes, by running Outlook for Windows on your Mac with Parallels Desktop. This lets you use COM add-ins, legacy integrations, and other Windows-specific Outlook functionality that isn't available in Outlook for Mac.

Can I run Power BI Desktop on a Mac?

Yes. Power BI Desktop requires Windows, so it does not run as a native macOS application. With Parallels Desktop, you can run Windows on your Mac and install Power BI Desktop there.

Can I run Microsoft Visio on Mac?

Yes. Visio for the web can be used from a Mac, but Microsoft does not offer a native Visio desktop app for macOS. If you need Visio for Windows, you can run the desktop application through Parallels Desktop.

Does Parallels Desktop work on Apple silicon Macs?

Yes. Parallels Desktop supports Windows 11 on supported Apple silicon Macs. It is a Microsoft-authorized solution for running supported versions of Windows 11 in this environment.

Do I need Windows?

Yes. Parallels Desktop provides the virtualization environment. Windows is a separate Microsoft product, and applicable licensing requirements apply. Microsoft Office and other Microsoft applications may also require separate licenses or subscriptions.

See what you are capable of — with Parallels

200,000+ apps and integrations

Run all your favorite Windows apps on Mac.

See all the apps

Outlook

Enjoy the full functionality of Microsoft Outlook on your Mac.

Learn more about Outlook

Excel

Get all the Excel features you require on your Mac.

Learn more about Excel

Learn more about Microsoft Office 365 and Parallels Desktop

What’s the difference between Microsoft Excel on Mac vs. Windows?

Windows Excel offers more features, better support, and a more comprehensive feature set compared to the Mac version.

Learn more

What’s the difference between Microsoft Office 365 on Mac vs. Windows?

The primary difference between Microsoft Office 365 on Mac and Microsoft Office 365 on Windows is that the Windows version offers more features, functionalities, and integrations. In addition, there are variations in the user interface based on the underlying OSs.

Learn more

Can I ensure that Windows file types (e.g., .xlsx or .docx) are automatically opened by the appropriate Microsoft Office 365 program?

Yes, here’s how to automatically open a file from Finder in a Windows program:

Learn more

Run Microsoft Office for Windows on your Mac

Use the Windows apps and Office features your work requires while keeping the Mac you want to work on.

Try free Buy now