Short answer: Microsoft doesn't publish a single offline .exe for Office 2024 or Office 2021 Professional Plus. Instead, you use Microsoft's free Office Deployment Tool (ODT) to download the complete 64-bit installation files once. You can then copy that folder to a USB drive and install Office on any PC, including one with no internet connection.

This guide focuses on building that reusable offline package. If you only need to install Office on one connected PC, the standard walkthrough in our Office 2024 Pro Plus LTSC installation guide is quicker.

When an offline installer is the right choice

Situation Online installer Offline package (this guide)
One PC, good connection Best choice Works, but unnecessary
Several PCs (for example a 3-device licence) Downloads several GB on every PC Download once, install many times
PC with no internet or a restricted network Won't work Best choice
Slow or metered connection Slow, may fail midway Download where the connection is good
Reinstalling later Downloads again Reuse the same folder

Should I install 32-bit or 64-bit Office?

Install 64-bit Office on any 64-bit version of Windows 10 or Windows 11 unless you rely on an old add-in or macro that only works in 32-bit. Microsoft uses 64-bit as the default because it can use more memory, which helps with very large Excel workbooks and data models.

Windows 11 is 64-bit only, so the "Office 64 bit for Windows 11" question has a simple answer. The one catch: you can't mix architectures. If any 32-bit Office product is installed, such as an old copy of Visio, setup will refuse to install 64-bit Office until you remove it.

How to build an Office 2024 offline installer (step by step)

The process has two phases: download the files on a connected PC, then install from those files on the target PC. Allow about 30 minutes plus download time, as the package is several gigabytes.

Step 1: Download and extract the Office Deployment Tool

  1. Download the ODT from the official Microsoft Download Center. Always get the latest version, as older versions can't download newer Office builds.
  2. Create a folder called C:\ODT.
  3. Run the downloaded file and extract its contents to C:\ODT. You will see setup.exe and some sample XML files.

Step 2: Create the configuration file for your edition

The configuration file tells the ODT which product, edition and language to fetch. Open Notepad, paste the block that matches your licence, and save it as C:\ODT\office.xml. Make sure Notepad doesn't add .txt to the name.

The product ID and channel must match your key type. This is the most common reason an offline install later refuses to activate.

Your licence Product ID Channel
Office LTSC Professional Plus 2024 (volume) ProPlus2024Volume PerpetualVL2024
Office 2024 Professional Plus (retail) ProPlus2024Retail Current
Office LTSC Standard 2024 Standard2024Volume PerpetualVL2024
Office LTSC Professional Plus 2021 (volume) ProPlus2021Volume PerpetualVL2021
Office 2021 Professional Plus (retail) ProPlus2021Retail Current

Not sure which you have? The name on your order confirmation usually says "LTSC" for volume editions. If it doesn't, ask our support team before you download several gigabytes of the wrong edition.

Sample: Office LTSC Professional Plus 2024, 64-bit, English

<Configuration>
  <Add OfficeClientEdition="64" Channel="PerpetualVL2024" SourcePath="C:\ODT" AllowCdnFallback="FALSE">
    <Product ID="ProPlus2024Volume">
      <Language ID="en-us" />
    </Product>
  </Add>
  <RemoveMSI />
  <Updates Enabled="TRUE" />
  <Display Level="Full" AcceptEULA="TRUE" />
</Configuration>

To build an Office 2021 package instead, change the channel to PerpetualVL2021 and the product ID to ProPlus2021Volume. For a retail key, use the retail product ID and Current channel from the table.

Two optional tweaks are worth knowing:

  • Skip apps you don't need by adding lines such as <ExcludeApp ID="Access" /> or <ExcludeApp ID="Lync" /> inside the Product block. This keeps the Start menu clean.
  • Change the language by replacing en-us, for example fr-fr, es-es or it-it.

All settings are documented on Microsoft's ODT configuration options page.

Step 3: Download the full offline files

  1. Right-click Start and open Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Go to the folder: cd C:\ODT
  3. Start the download: setup.exe /download office.xml

The window will appear to do nothing for a while. That's normal. When the prompt returns, check that C:\ODT\Office\Data exists and contains a version-numbered folder. That folder is your offline installer.

Step 4: Copy the package to the target PC

Copy the whole C:\ODT folder, including setup.exe, office.xml and the Office subfolder, to a USB drive, then to C:\ODT on the target PC. Keeping the same path means the SourcePath in your XML still points to the right place.

If you copy it somewhere else, edit SourcePath to match. Setting AllowCdnFallback="FALSE" stops setup from quietly trying to download files from the internet, so an incorrect path shows up as a clear error instead of a mysterious stall.

Step 5: Install Office from the offline package

  1. Uninstall any older Office version first, especially 32-bit ones.
  2. Open an admin Command Prompt and run cd C:\ODT
  3. Run setup.exe /configure office.xml

The Office installer window appears and runs entirely from local files. On a typical SSD it takes 5 to 15 minutes.

How do I activate Office 2024 without internet?

Activate by phone: open Word, enter your product key, and when online activation isn't possible, choose the telephone option. You'll read an installation ID to Microsoft's automated line and type in the confirmation ID it gives back. No internet connection is needed on the PC.

Our step-by-step Office phone activation guide walks through each screen. For volume (LTSC) keys you can also enter the key from the command line; Microsoft documents the ospp.vbs commands in its volume activation tools reference.

How to check that 64-bit Office installed correctly

  1. Open Word and go to File → Account.
  2. Check Product Information shows the edition you bought, for example Office LTSC Professional Plus 2024.
  3. Click About Word. The top line ends with 64-bit.

Common offline installation errors and fixes

"We can't install the 64-bit version of Office because we found the following 32-bit programs"

A 32-bit Office product is still installed. Remove it from Settings → Apps, including standalone Visio, Project or language packs, then run setup again.

Setup starts downloading or stalls at 0%

Setup can't find the local files. Check that SourcePath points to the folder containing the Office subfolder, not the Office folder itself, and that the channel in the install XML matches the one you downloaded.

Office installs but says "Unlicensed Product" or won't accept the key

The product ID doesn't match the key type, for example a retail key on a volume install. Rebuild the package with the correct product ID and channel from the table above.

Old Office still appears after installation

Keep the <RemoveMSI /> line in your XML. It removes older Windows Installer versions of Office, such as Office 2016, during setup.

Office 2021 or Office 2024: which package should I build?

Build Office 2024 unless you already own an Office 2021 key. Microsoft ends Office 2021 support on 13 October 2026 with no extended updates, according to its Office 2021 lifecycle page, while Office 2024 is supported until 9 October 2029.

If you're deciding between a one-time licence and a subscription, our explainer on what an Office 365 lifetime licence really means compares the options.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an official Office 2024 ISO file?

Not for Office 2024 Professional Plus volume editions. Microsoft distributes them through the Office Deployment Tool. The offline package you build with it serves the same purpose as an ISO.

How big is the Office 2024 offline installer?

Several gigabytes for a single language, 64-bit. Each extra language adds more. Make sure your USB drive has at least 8 GB free.

Can I use one offline package on multiple PCs?

Yes. The installation files aren't tied to a licence. You still need a valid activation for each PC, for example one of the three activations included with the Office 2024 Pro Plus LTSC 3-device licence.

Will offline-installed Office get security updates?

Yes, once the PC connects to the internet, because updates come from Microsoft's servers by default. On permanently offline PCs, rebuild the package periodically and reinstall over the top to apply the latest fixes.

Does this work for Office 2019?

The method is the same (ProPlus2019Volume with channel PerpetualVL2019), but Office 2019 support ended on 14 October 2025, so we don't recommend new installations.

Links in this guide

Resource Type Why it helps
Office 2024 Pro Plus LTSC installation guide Guide Standard online installation
Office phone activation guide Guide Activate without internet
Office 365 lifetime licence explained Guide Perpetual vs subscription
Office 2024 Pro Plus LTSC (3 devices) Product One licence for up to three PCs
Office 2024 Pro Plus for Windows Product Single-PC perpetual licence
Office Deployment Tool (Microsoft) External Official ODT download
ODT configuration options (Microsoft) External Every XML setting explained
Office 2021 lifecycle (Microsoft) External Official support end date
Installation guide, Microsoft office, Office 2021, Office 2024