How to Backup Microsoft Office 365

Microsoft is changing the beloved Office app into the MS 365 app entirely in 2023. With the new app, you’ll get more new and improved features that the soon-to-disappear Office app lacks. 

But before moving on to this transition, the ideal tip is to completely back up your current Microsoft Office files and folders. This is because there may or may not be errors while switching to the new app. Additionally, not backing up your files could lead to potential security risks. With that being said, there are multiple ways you can back up your Office files and folders. 

How to Back Up Microsoft Office Files?

Normally, MS Office autosaves all your files and folders to your OneDrive. But you still get several options to back up your data. Here are some of its examples: 

Backup Files to OneDrive

One of the easiest methods to back up your files to OneDrive directly from the taskbar on your Windows PC. Here’s how you can do it: 

1. Look for the OneDrive icon on your taskbar. It has a cloud icon and is next to the battery or the Wi-Fi icon. Click on it once you’ve found it. 
2. Click on the gear icon to open Help & Settings. 
3. Again, click on Settings. 
   
4. Now, you’ll notice a pop-up window. Click on the Backup tab. 
5. Select the Manage Backup option.
   
6. Doing so will open up three options for you to save your backup. For e.g., you can select Desktop, Documents, and Pictures. Click on one or all as per your preference. 
7. Click on Start Backup. 
   
8. You should now see the message “Outlook is starting to back up your files.” 
9. You can go to your selected folders on your PC and find all your backed-up data. These files will have a cloud logo attached to them.
    

Your backed-up files from OneDrive are only available to use when you’re online. If you want to download the files on your PC or make them available offline, you can follow these steps: 

1. Open File Explorer. 
2. Click on the OneDrive section from the left panel to access your files.
3. Right-click on any file or folder. 
4. Select Always keep on this device.
    
5. Once the files are ready, they’ll have a solid green tick mark logo attached. 

Change Default Save Location

You can also back up your Office files as you’re creating them. Simply choose the location to save the files on your computer, and you won’t need to worry about manually backing them up. 

1. Open any file on Office. 
2. Click on your file name at the top of the menu bar. 
3. Under the file name, click on Location.
   
4. Pick a destination to save your files. You can choose from OneDrive for Business, OneDrive for Personal, This PC or Browse.
5. Select either This PC or Browse.
   
6. Click on Save. 

Download to PC

If you use the free version of Office and would like to better manage your storage, you can simply download them normally. Then, save it to your PC. In comparison to the first solution, downloading the files individually doesn’t take up space on your OneDrive. You can follow these steps to do so:

1. Open OneDrive on your web browser and go to My files from the left panel. 
   
2. Select the files of your choice and click on the three-dotted menu. 
3. Then, click on the Download option.
   
4. Now, open downloads folder, and you’ll find your files there. You can back up the files on your PC or an external hard drive.

Backup Using Time Machine(On Mac)

If you’re on a Mac, there are slightly different steps to back up your Office files. This is because there aren’t direct backup options from the Office app itself on macOS. So, we’ll need to use the built-in app, Time Machine. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Click on the Apple logo and go to System Preferences. 
   
2. Go to Time Machine. 
   
3. In the pop-up window, turn on Time Machine and click on Select Backup Disk.
    
4. Pick a location to save your backup data. Then, click on Use Disk. 
5. Also, make sure to check the box that says Back Up Automatically. 

How to Backup MS Office Activation Product Key?

If you want to reinstall MS Office or format your PC, all your data regarding the MS Office app will get lost. When you install the app, you can only resume using your existing Office app with a product key. This is why it’s important to back up the product key as well. You can follow these steps to do so whether it’s for Office 2010, 2013, or 2016:

1. Press Win + R keys to open the Run pop-up box.
2. In the text field, enter services.msc. Then, press Enter. Doing so will open the complete list of all services.
3. Look for Software Protection. Right-click on it and stop the service.
   
4. Copy the folder with the name OfficeSoftwareProtectionPlatform and save it to another drive. You can find this folder in this location C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared.
   

Whether you’re reinstalling MS Office or are transferring Office to a new PC, you can simply use the same product key we just activated. With this, you can continue using Office right from where you left off. Here’s how you can restore the MS Office activation product key:

1. Make sure to install the same version of MS Office.
2. Go to the Services list and ensure the Software Protection is already stopped.
3. Paste the folder you just copied to C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared in place of the default folder.
4. You can now re-open MS Office.