Should I delete the Microsoft AutoUpdate helper?

Keep it if any other Microsoft apps are still installed on your Mac.

Will removing the app delete my spreadsheets?

No, workbooks saved in Documents or OneDrive remain untouched after uninstallation.

How to Completely Uninstall Microsoft Excel on Mac (2026 Guide)

Microsoft Excel has its own uninstaller

Quit the app completely (⌘+Q in the menu bar).
Office for Mac has no uninstaller; Microsoft's own steps are to move the app to the Trash and then delete its containers by hand.
Remove the folders Microsoft Excel left behind, listed in the table below.
Empty the Trash to free up the space.

Everything Microsoft Excel keeps on your Mac

16 locations. Tick each one as you remove it; back up anything marked as your data first.

~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Excel Sandbox container · sandboxed app data: caches, preferences, AutoRecovery and recent files Yes, once the app is gone~/Library/Application Scripts/com.microsoft.Excel Extension scripts · sandbox script folder created by macOS Yes, once the app is gone~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office Shared container · shared Office data: sign-in, templates, Normal template and startup add-ins Back up first: your data/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0 App data · Microsoft AutoUpdate, shared by all Microsoft apps Only if no other app uses it/Library/LaunchAgents/com.microsoft.update.agent.plist Background item · starts Microsoft AutoUpdate checks Only if no other app uses it/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.microsoft.autoupdate.helper Other · AutoUpdate helper that installs updates Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.ms Shared container · Microsoft sign-in and identity data shared by Office apps Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.OfficeOsfWebHost Shared container · cache for Office web add-ins Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Excel/Data/Library/Application Support/Microsoft Other · AutoRecovery copies of unsaved workbooks Back up first: your data~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.com.microsoft.oneauth Shared container · Microsoft sign-in tokens shared by Microsoft apps Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.errorreporting Sandbox container · Office crash reporting, shared by all Office apps Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.netlib.shipassertprocess Sandbox container · Office diagnostics helper, shared by all Office apps Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Office365ServiceV2 Sandbox container · Microsoft 365 service helper, shared by all Office apps Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.RMS-XPCService Sandbox container · document protection (rights management) helper for Office Only if no other app uses it/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.microsoft.autoupdate.helper.plist Background item · starts the Microsoft AutoUpdate helper Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.autoupdate2.plist Settings · Microsoft AutoUpdate settings Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.shared.plist Settings · settings shared by Microsoft apps Only if no other app uses it

Locations are the standard macOS folders Microsoft Excel uses; some appear only after you use the matching feature.

What Microsoft Excel leaves behind

Specific to Microsoft Excel

Moving the app to the Trash does not remove sandboxed app data, preferences, or AutoRecovery files stored in its container. It also leaves shared Office data, including sign-in identities and templates, in Group Containers. Background components like Microsoft AutoUpdate and its privileged helper remain because they are shared with other apps from the same company.

Background items: Microsoft AutoUpdate installs a launch agent and a privileged helper that are shared with every other Microsoft app.
License: Activation is tied to the Microsoft account and cached in the shared Office Group Containers, so it stays in place for any other Office app still installed.
Account and sync: Office is licensed through the Microsoft account that activated it; removing the app does not cancel a Microsoft 365 subscription.

Preparing to remove Microsoft Excel

Before deletion, ensure any unsaved workbooks are recovered and saved. You should manually back up custom templates and the Personal Macro Workbook located in the shared Office Group Container. Note that removing the software does not cancel a Microsoft 365 subscription since licensing is tied to your account.

Open the app and save any available AutoRecovery workbooksCopy your Personal Macro Workbook and custom templatesQuit the app before moving it to the Trash

0 of 3 done

By hand or with OptiClear

	By hand	With OptiClear
Places to check	16 folders, one by one	One scan
File sizes	You look them up yourself	Shown for every item
Removing the wrong thing	Easy to delete the wrong folder	Goes to the Trash first, so it can be restored
Cost	Free	Scan is free; cleaning needs Pro (yearly plan has a 7-day free trial)

How to Completely Uninstall Microsoft Excel on Mac

Remove Microsoft Excel and everything it leaves behind

Microsoft Excel has its own uninstaller

Everything Microsoft Excel keeps on your Mac

What Microsoft Excel leaves behind

Preparing to remove Microsoft Excel

By hand or with OptiClear

See it working

Try it without risk

Frequently asked questions

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