Question Office 2024: 32 bits or 64 bits?

C

Carbo

Diamond Member

Aug 6, 2000

5,261

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81

• Mar 24, 2025

• #1

I am currently running Office Professional Plus 2016, 32 bits, on an older Dell laptop. Recently purchased a new Lenovo and will be purchasing Office Standard 2024. I have options for either the 32 or 64 bit version. Which one to use, and why? Will I face compatibility issues if I upgrade to 64?
Thank you.

 

C

C1

Platinum Member

Feb 21, 2008

2,372

109

106

• Mar 24, 2025

• #2

If you dont need backward compatibilty (eg, with some older addins or supporting apps), then definitely use 64bit MS Office given a 64bit compatible machine.

The narrative is that 64bit programs, in generlal, will exhibit better performance & memory uses, particulary when involving large data sets and/or using apps involving complex calculations.

For me personally, the 32bit versions are fine as I like the simpler retro look often seen with 32 bit (legacy) versions. Ive never really noticed a performance improvement (over 32bit), plus bothersome, is that I've not been able to glean numerical precision increase with, for example, EXCEL. (You can see such issue when trying to use EXCEL matrix inversion.)

Jus Say'n

 

C

Carbo

Diamond Member

Aug 6, 2000

5,261

10

81

• Mar 24, 2025

• #3

C1 said:

If you dont need backward compatibilty (eg, with some older addins or supporting apps), then definitely use 64bit MS Office given a 64bit compatible machine.

The narrative is that 64bit programs, in generlal, will exhibit better performance & memory uses, particulary when involving large data sets and/or using apps involving complex calculations.

For me personally, the 32bit versions are fine as I like the simpler retro look often seen with 32 bit (legacy) versions. Ive never really noticed a performance improvement (over 32bit), plus bothersome, is that I've not been able to glean numerical precision increase with, for example, EXCEL. (You can see such issue when trying to use EXCEL matrix inversion.)

Jus Say'n

Click to expand...

Appreciate the reply. Thank you.

 

I

igor_kavinski

Lifer

Jul 27, 2020

23,515

16,526

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• Mar 25, 2025

• #4

Best to go with 64-bit since it's the same price. 32-bit Excel cannot consume more than 4GB RAM. It would suck if you run into that limit at any point in the future.

 

Steltek

Diamond Member

Mar 29, 2001

3,300

1,043

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• Mar 25, 2025

• #5

Unless something has changed, the same product key should work with either the 32 or 64 bit versions. You just have to have the appropriate install media.

As long as it is a standard version, I think you can redeem the product key for the standalone version and download the install media from https://setup.office.com/. The site mentions Office365, but I vaguely recall that it also applies to the standalone versions as well.

However, to do it, I think you have to have a Microsoft Account and your key has to be registered there.

 

mikeymikec

Lifer

May 19, 2011

19,750

13,720

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• Mar 25, 2025

• #6

C1 said:

For me personally, the 32bit versions are fine as I like the simpler retro look often seen with 32 bit (legacy) versions.

Click to expand...

I wasn't aware of any aesthetic difference between the 32/64-bit version...

 

Steltek

Diamond Member

Mar 29, 2001

3,300

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• Mar 25, 2025

• #7

mikeymikec said:

I wasn't aware of any aesthetic difference between the 32/64-bit version...

Click to expand...

There isn't. Just the amount of memory they can access, and limits to the sizes of large documents the 32 bit version can open. I think there have in the past also been issues with 64 bit Office not working well with certain add-ins, but I suspect that is mostly past now.