Uninstalling Office 2008 for Mac

From https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2500821/archived---how-to-completely-remove-office-2008-for-mac

Step 1: Quit all applications

To quit active applications, follow these steps:

  1. On the Apple menu, click Force Quit (or press Command - Option - Esc).
  2. Select an application in the "Force Quit Applications" window.
    Note You cannot quit Finder.
     
  3. Click Force Quit.

     
  4. Repeat this process until you quit all active applications.

Note When an application is force quit, any unsaved changes to open documents are not saved.
 

Step 2: Use the Remove Office tool

To use the Remove Office tool, follow these steps:

  1. Quit all applications.
  2. On the Go menu, click Computer.
  3. Double-click your hard disk icon. The default name will be Macintosh HD.
  4. Open Applications.
  5. Open Microsoft Office 2008, and then open Additional Tools.
  6. Double-click Remove Office to start the application.
  7. Click Continue to have the tool search for installed versions of Office on your computer.
  8. Click Continue again once the search is done.
  9. Select Microsoft Office 2008, and then click Continue.
  10. Follow the instructions to remove Office 2008 for Mac.

Note If an error occurs while running the Remove Office tool, or if it hangs or crashes, go to "Step 3: Remove Office Preferences."

Note Not all Office 2008 for Mac items are removed when you use this tool. You must complete the remainder of the steps in this article in order to remove Office 2008 for Mac completely from your computer.
 

Step 3: Remove Office Preferences

Warning Removing preferences will delete any customizations that were made. These customizations include changes to toolbars, custom dictionaries, and keyboard shortcuts that were created.

To remove "com.microsoft" files and the Office 2008 folder, follow these steps:

  1. On the Go menu, click Home.
  2. Open Library.
    Note The Library folder is hidden in Mac OS X Lion. To display this folder, hold down the OPTION key while you click the Go menu.
     
  3. Open Preferences.
  4. Arrange files and folders in alphabetical order.
  5. Drag all files that begin with "com.microsoft" to the Trash.
  6. In Preferences, open Microsoft, and then drag the Office 2008 folder to the Trash.

To remove com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist, follow these steps:

  1. On the Go menu, click Computer.
  2. Double-click your hard disk icon. The default name will be Macintosh HD.
  3. Open Library, and then open LaunchDaemons.
  4. Drag com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist to the Trash.

To remove com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper, follow these steps:

  1. On the Go menu, click Computer.
  2. Double-click your hard disk icon. The default name will be Macintosh HD.
  3. Open Library, and then open PrivilegedHelperTools.
  4. Drag com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper to the Trash.

Step 4: Remove the license file

  1. On the Go menu, click Computer.
  2. Double-click your hard disk icon. The default name will be Macintosh HD.
  3. Open Library, and then open Preferences.
  4. Drag com.microsoft.office.licensing.plist to the Trash.

Step 5: Remove /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/

To remove the Microsoft folder under Application Support, follow these steps:

  1. On the Go menu, click Computer.
  2. Double-click your hard disk icon. The default name will be Macintosh HD.
  3. Open Library, and then open Application Support.
  4. Drag the Microsoft folder to the Trash.

Warning If the Microsoft Silverlight plug-in is installed on the computer, you may have to reinstall it after removing this folder. Click here to reinstall Microsoft Silverlight.
 

Step 6: Remove Receipts

  1. On the Go menu, click Computer.
  2. Double-click you hard disk icon. The default name will be Macintosh HD.
  3. Open Library, and then open Receipts.
  4. Drag all files that begin with "Office2008_en" to the Trash.
    Note These files are not always found on the computer.

If you have Mac OS X Snow Leopard (10.6) or Lion (10.7), continue with these steps:

  1. On the Go menu, click Go to Folder.
  2. Type this text in the Go to folder box, and then click Go:
    /private/var/db/receipts
     
  3. Arrange files and folders in alphabetical order.
  4. Drag all files that begin with "com.microsoft" to the Trash
  5. Drag these two files to the Trash:
    • com.microsoft.office.slt_std.pkg.12.2.0.combo.bom
    • com.microsoft.office.slt_std.pkg.12.2.0.combo.plist

Step 7: Move the Microsoft User Data folder to Desktop

Important If a Microsoft User Data folder is located on the desktop, rename it before you follow these steps.

To move the Microsoft User Data folder, follow these steps:

  1. On the Go menu, click Documents.
  2. Drag the Microsoft User Data folder to the desktop.
  3. On the Apple menu, click Restart.

Step 8: Remove Office application icons in the Dock

To remove the Office application icons in the Dock, follow these steps:

  1. Hold down the CONTROL key and then click an Office application icon in the Dock, such as Microsoft Word.
  2. Click Options, and then click Remove from Dock.


     
  3. Repeat the previous two steps to remove all Office application icons in the Dock.
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