Microsoft AutoUpdate keeps popping up (or won't finish)? Here's how to stop it
By the Noah team·Updated August 25, 2026·4 min read
Short answerMicrosoft AutoUpdate (MAU) is the little updater that comes with Office — Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams. If it keeps interrupting you, it's usually one of these:
It's set to check automatically — so it pops up on its own. You can switch it to manual.
It's stuck “checking for updates” — a jammed update that a quick reset clears.
Office is gone but its updater stayed — leftovers keep running with nothing to update.
The quick fix: open Microsoft AutoUpdate, go to its preferences, and set updates to Manually. The steps below cover the stuck and leftover cases too.
You're mid-sentence in Word and the Microsoft AutoUpdate window jumps in front of you — again. Or it sits there forever “checking for updates” and never finishes. It isn't a virus and it isn't broken; it's Office's built-in updater doing its job too eagerly, and you can put it on a leash.
Below is how to quiet it, fix it when it's stuck, and remove it cleanly if Office is gone. Do it by hand, or let Noah find the updater, set it to manual, and clear any leftovers on your approval (more at the end).
Put it on manual (stops the pop-ups)
Microsoft AutoUpdate — MAU for short — is the updater installed alongside Office. By default it checks on its own and shows a window when it wants to install something. Switching it to manual keeps Office updatable but stops the interruptions.
Open it from any Office app with Help > Check for Updates, or directly:
zsh — Terminal
% open "/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0/Microsoft AutoUpdate.app"
Opens the Microsoft AutoUpdate window even when no Office app is running.
Fixin its window, open the preferences and set “How would you like updates?” to Manually (and untick automatic download if it's on). It will now update only when you choose Help > Check for Updates — no more surprise pop-ups.
NoahNoah finds Microsoft AutoUpdate, sets it to manual, and — if you've removed Office — clears the leftover updater and its background agents, showing you exactly what it'll remove before it does.
It's stuck “checking for updates”
The window sits on “Checking for updates…” and never finishes, or an update fails partway every time.
A jammed update or a stale background helper leaves MAU spinning. Restarting its processes clears it.
Fixopen Activity Monitor (Cmd-Space, type it), search update, and quit anything named Microsoft Update Assistant or com.microsoft.autoupdate. Then reopen Microsoft AutoUpdate and check once. If it still hangs, restart the Mac and try a single manual check — a fresh start clears most stuck updates.
Office is gone but the updater stayed
You removed Word/Excel/Teams, but Microsoft AutoUpdate still opens now and then.
MAU installs separately from the Office apps, so removing the apps can leave the updater — and its background agents (small helpers that run on a schedule) — behind, checking for updates to software that's no longer there.
Fixdelete the updater and its agents. In Finder press ⌘⇧G and remove the folder /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0, then check /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons for items starting with com.microsoft.autoupdate or com.microsoft.update and remove those too. Restart, and it's gone. If you still use any Office app, leave MAU in place and set it to manual instead.
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How do I stop Microsoft AutoUpdate from opening on my Mac?
Open it (from any Office app, Help > Check for Updates) and set “How would you like updates?” to Manually. It stops popping up on its own and only checks when you ask. If you've uninstalled Office entirely, remove the MAU2.0 folder and its background agents so it stops running altogether.
Is Microsoft AutoUpdate safe, or is it malware?
It's legitimate — the official updater for Microsoft Office on Mac, signed by Microsoft. It's just eager by default. If you use Office, keep it (set to manual); if you don't, it's safe to remove along with its background agents.
Why is Microsoft AutoUpdate stuck checking for updates?
Usually a jammed update or a stale helper. Quit anything named “Microsoft Update Assistant” or com.microsoft.autoupdate in Activity Monitor, reopen MAU, and check once. If it still hangs, restart the Mac and try a single manual check.
Can I delete Microsoft AutoUpdate?
If you no longer use any Office app, yes — remove the /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0 folder and any com.microsoft.autoupdate items in /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons. If you still use Word, Excel, Outlook, or Teams, don't delete it — set it to Manually instead, so those apps can still be updated when you choose.
Does Microsoft AutoUpdate slow down my Mac?
It can briefly, when it wakes to check or download in the background. Setting it to manual stops the scheduled checks. If your Mac is generally slow, that's usually a separate cause — see our guide on why a Mac runs slow.
Commands in this guide are standard, read-only macOS diagnostics unless noted; anything that changes your system is called out. When in doubt, back up first with Time Machine.