I came across a really bizarre issue on my Mac regarding the toolbar icons in Word (and Excel). For example, the save button now contained an icon of scissors and the up arrow on the scroll bar was now the spell check icon. Needless to say, this mix-up is less than convenient.
I did a bit of research online and found several threads talking about the issue:
Microsoft AutoUpdate makes sure your copy of Office will always be up-to-date with the latest security fixes and improvements. If you are a Microsoft 365 subscriber, you'll also receive the newest features and tools. Check for updates and install. Open an Office app such as Word, then on the top menu, click Help Check for Updates. Microsoft 365, Office 2019, Office 2016, Office 2013, Office 2010, Office 2007, Office for Mac 2011, and Office for Mac 2008 applications can open your documents without any additional action. Customers using earlier versions of Office may need to download and install a compatibility pack.
You can read about each proposed solution in detail by visiting the respective link above, however what did the trick for me was the following one:
Hi All, My office version is not updated to show the latest icons. All my peers have their office updated and displaying new icons/style. When I click on 'update', the system is saying that I already have an updated version on my computer. My build version is 1808 (8). Can anyone help m.
- Ensure all Microsoft products are quit, including Outlook, Word, Excel, Communicator, etc.
- Launch Terminal:
Applications > Utilities > Terminal.app - Type in
cd /Libraryand press ENTER. - Type in
sudo mv Automator Automator_Old, hit ENTER. - Enter your Mac password and hit ENTER again.
- Launch Microsoft Word.
- Go to:
Help > Check for Updatesand then press the “Check for Updates” button. - You should now see an update; for me it was update 14.2.5.
- Quit Microsoft Word and install the update.
- Go back to Terminal and type:
sudo mv Automator_Old Automatorfollowed by your password again. - Launch Microsoft Word and your icons should be restored.
I think Microsoft Office tried to update some time ago, but failed. I didn’t worry much about it then, but that could have been the catalyst for the icons getting mixed up. By temporarily moving the Automator folder, it will download and install the update again. After that’s completed, we just move the Automator folder back.
I hope this helps someone else. It definitely beats reinstalling and reconfiguring all Microsoft products again — especially Outlook.
Microsoft Office For Mac Icons Download
Back in November last year, Microsoft announced a new set of icons to represent a new era of Office. The new Office 365 icons were carefully crafted designs that honor heritage and welcome the future. Microsoft is now rolling out these new icons to Office Insiders on Mac. Microsoft described the following as the changes done to the icons:
- To reflect this in the icons, Microsoft has removed a visual boundary: the traditional tool formatting. Whereas prior Office icons had a document outline for Microsoft Word and a spreadsheet outline for Excel, Microsoft now shows lines of text for Word and individual cells for Excel.
- By focusing on the content rather than any specific format, these icons embody the collaborative nature of the apps they represent.
- Similarly, they have changed the letter-to-symbol ratio. Traditionally, the letter occupied two-thirds of the icon, and the symbol took up one-third. They have changed this ratio to now emphasize the symbol because while the letter represents the tool itself, the symbol speaks more to people’s creations.
Microsoft Office For Mac Icons
If you are running Office Insiders Fast for Mac build 16.24.19030306, you will be able to see these new icons.