How to reduce size of Microsoft Office apps?

Hello community!

I see that Microsoft Office apps have huge download size, but more importantly they keep growing in size. This is not just on Windows, but also on macOS and Android. They are just too large in size. Also, Microsoft is hiding their Office apps' sizes in Storage Sense. Check this out:



Control panel\ Programs and Features is saying that the total size of currently installed apps is 1.28 GB. That's wrong because the Microsoft Office apps are not showing their sizes. When I open Storage Sense, I see the actual size of all programs installed, which is currently 9.85 GB:



Even here, Microsoft is hiding the sizes of its Office apps:



It is Microsoft Office apps that are taking up the maximum space from the difference between 9.85 GB and 1.28 GB, i.e. 8.57 GB.

1. Is there a setting that can be changed to reduce the size of these apps?
2. Why are the app icons for Microsoft Office apps so small in Control Panel\ Programs & Features as well as in Storage Sense?

Thanks.

@TheMystic, this is unrelated to your thread, but how did you get Windows to update on a Mac in bootcamp? My Macbook Pro for work is 10 years old, so maybe it's too old to update. You can PM me if you like to keep it out of your thread.

As for number 1, I've never seen a setting where you could reduce the size of an Office app. I just noticed the apps are smaller for Office apps. My Microsoft Office 365 icon is the correct size. However, there is an Office app that's small. Strange.

jvickers said:

@TheMystic, this is unrelated to your thread, but how did you get Windows to update on a Mac in bootcamp? My Macbook Pro for work is 10 years old, so maybe it's too old to update. You can PM me if you like to keep it out of your thread.

As for number 1, I've never seen a setting where you could reduce the size of an Office app. I just noticed the apps are smaller for Office apps. My Microsoft Office 365 icon is the correct size. However, there is an Office app that's small. Strange.

Click to expand...

Mine is a 2019 MacBook Pro and I have not had problems updating Windows so far. I also have a 2013 HP Envy and never had problems updating Windows on that either.

What error do you get when trying to update? I don't think the age of your laptop is a factor.

I could assign only about 45 GB space for Windows out of the 256 GB that I have. Earlier the idea was just to have Windows as an alternative. I had well over 15 GB free space all the time. But after installing MS Office, that free space has gone down significantly. So was wondering if something could be done to reduce the space that Office apps take up.

TheMystic said:

Mine is a 2019 MacBook Pro and I have not had problems updating Windows so far. I also have a 2013 HP Envy and never had problems updating Windows on that either.

What error do you get when trying to update? I don't think the age of your laptop is a factor.

I could assign only about 45 GB space for Windows out of the 256 GB that I have. Earlier the idea was just to have Windows as an alternative. I had well over 15 GB free space all the time. But after installing MS Office, that free space has gone down significantly. So was wondering if something could be done to reduce the space that Office apps take up.

Click to expand...

My MacBook Pro is a 2010 model. I just checked to see if it was eligible and it wasn't. I read you can't install Windows 11 on a MacBook Pro, but that's clearly not the case. When I have time, I'll break it out and fiddle with it. Thanks for the response!

jvickers said:

My MacBook Pro is a 2010 model. I just checked to see if it was eligible and it wasn't. I read you can't install Windows 11 on a MacBook Pro, but that's clearly not the case. When I have time, I'll break it out and fiddle with it. Thanks for the response!

Click to expand...

My Mac is on Windows 10 only. It hasn't received the Windows 11 update yet.

But the problem I mentioned is applicable on Windows 11 too.

TheMystic said:

My Mac is on Windows 10 only. It hasn't received the Windows 11 update yet.

But the problem I mentioned is applicable on Windows 11 too.

Click to expand...

Ah. That makes sense. I didn't think you can upgrade a Mac to Windows 11 easily if at all. I'll have to look into it more later.

Hi,
Get a bigger ssd or ditch office.

ThrashZone said:

Hi,
Get a bigger ssd or ditch office.

Click to expand...

This is the MacBook, so no component upgrade possible.

I have an Office 365 subscription, so no point in ditching office either. Besides, I'm really comfortable with Microsoft Office suite of apps.