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Does Microsoft Excel 2016 work on macOS 28?

Short answer: this version will stop working. Microsoft Excel 2016 is Intel-only, so it won’t open on Apple silicon Macs from macOS 28. A newer version runs natively (16.44+). If you’d rather keep the version you own, Keep86 is built for that, but we haven’t tested this app yet.

Key facts

Architecture
Intel-only · checked October 4, 2026
Native Apple silicon version
Available 16.44+ · www.microsoft.com
Keep86 status
Not tested yet
Versions
  • ≤ 16.16 — Intel-only
Test plan
In Keep86’s 20-app test plan — results will follow after testing on Apple silicon Macs
Last verified

Excel 2016 (16.16) is Intel-only; needs your own licence

Your options

  • Get the newer native version from the developer (it may be a paid upgrade or a subscription). www.microsoft.com
  • Keep the version you own with Keep86: it runs in the hidden Keep86 virtual Mac (macOS 27 with Rosetta) and opens from your Dock as before. How it works
  • Keep this Mac on macOS 27 for now. Note that a new Mac will come with macOS 28 or later.
  • Switch to an alternative: Microsoft Excel
  • Check your copy: select it in Finder, choose File › Get Info and look at “Kind”. “Application (Intel)” means Intel-only.

Questions about Microsoft Excel 2016

Does Microsoft Excel 2016 work on Apple silicon?

Only through Rosetta 2. The version listed here is Intel-only; a newer version (16.44+) runs natively on Apple silicon.

Does Microsoft Excel 2016 need Rosetta 2?

This version does: on an Apple silicon Mac it runs through Rosetta 2, which Apple supports in full until macOS 27. The newer native version doesn’t need it.

How can I keep using Microsoft Excel 2016 after macOS 28?

Update to the native version, keep this Mac on macOS 27, or keep the version you own in a macOS 27 virtual machine — Keep86 does that and shows its windows on your desktop.

Sources

  1. Keep86 app data Keep86 app compatibility list: this version is Intel-only · checked October 5, 2026
  2. Keep86 test plan In Keep86’s 20-app test plan — results will follow after testing on Apple silicon Macs · checked October 5, 2026

Something wrong or out of date? Let us know

Guides

  • macOS 27 Golden Gate: the last macOS for Intel apps

    macOS 27 Golden Gate came out on 14 September 2026. It runs only on Apple silicon and is the last macOS that runs Intel-only apps through Rosetta.

    3 min read

  • macOS 28 and Rosetta: what stops working

    Apple ends Rosetta for apps after macOS 27. What stops working on Apple silicon Macs with macOS 28, what keeps working and what to do now — with sources.

    3 min read

  • How to find Intel-only apps on your Mac

    Four ways to see which of your Mac apps are Intel-only and will stop working in macOS 28 — Finder, System Information, Activity Monitor and Terminal.

    2 min read

  • How to run Intel apps on Apple silicon after macOS 28

    Your options once Rosetta is gone: a native version, an alternative, staying on macOS 27, or a VM — UTM, VirtualBuddy, Parallels and Keep86 compared.

    3 min read

All 12 guides

App names are trademarks of their owners and are used only to describe compatibility. Keep86 is not affiliated with the developers of these apps. Architecture data partly from Homebrew (formulae.brew.sh), used under the BSD 2-Clause licence.