“What version of Excel do I have?” – If you had this question in your mind ever, you’re not alone. Many of us, Excel users, only use the tool to analyze and visualize data. You don’t think of its version or build number that much until you need it desperately.

Understanding the specific version of Microsoft Excel installed on your PC, Mac, Android, and iPhone can be crucial for various reasons, ranging from compatibility with files and add-ins to receiving targeted support and accessing relevant documentation.

With different versions of Excel offering varying features and functionalities, knowing your version ensures seamless integration with other software. Also, you can efficiently manage workflows and optimally utilize available tools.

In this guide, I’ll demonstrate the most common and essential methods to quickly determine the version of the Excel application on your device.

Find the Version of Excel on Windows

Here are the most intuitive and easy-to-remember ways to discover Excel version information on Windows computers:

Using About Excel

Open Excel on your Windows computer.

Click on the File tab on the Excel ribbon menu.

From the menu on the left-hand side, select Account or Help. The availability of these buttons depends on your Excel software version like Excel 2010, Excel 2016, etc.

On the right-hand side of the screen, you should see a section labeled About Excel or About Microsoft Excel. Click the one you see on your Excel app.

A new window shall open, displaying information about your Excel installation, including the version number.

Note down the version number displayed in this window. It typically follows a format like Version XXXX (Build XXXXX.XXXX). For example, (Version 2402 Build 16.0.17328.20124) 64-bit.

Using Task Manager

The previous method to view Excel version numbers might not apply to dated Excel software like Excel 2007, Excel 200., etc.

If you’re on an old or outdated Excel app, you can use the Windows Task Manager to find version information.

Ensure Excel is running on your PC. Now, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch the Task Manager tool. You should see the Microsoft Excel app below the Process column.

Right-click on the Microsoft Excel app process on the Task Manager dialog and click on the Properties option in the context menu.

On the Properties dialog, navigate to the Details tab. Here, you should be able to see the Excel version information in the File version row.

Using Excel VBA

Another, universal way to find Excel version numbers is by running an Excel VBA script. Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is supported in most Excel editions. Therefore, you can use the technique on any Excel desktop application.

You can create a VBA macro using the following script:

Sub ShowExcelVersion()
    Dim ExcelVersion As String
    ExcelVersion = Application.Version
    MsgBox "The version of Excel is: " & ExcelVersion, vbInformation, "Excel Version"
End Sub

Once you execute this macro, Excel shall show a message box indicating the Excel version number.

If you’re new to Excel VBA or have yet to learn the method to create a macro from a VBA script, you can check out this Excel tutorial:

📒 Read More: How To Use The VBA Code You Find Online

Using PowerShell

If you’ve got the Windows PowerShell tool, you can run a script to find out which Excel software version you’re using right now.

Right-click on the Start menu or Windows flag button to bring up the Power User context menu. There, click on the Windows PowerShell menu item.

On the PowerShell console, copy and paste the following script and press Enter:

# Get the installed Excel application
$excel = New-Object -ComObject Excel.Application

# Get the version of Excel
$excelVersion = $excel.Version

# Close Excel application
$excel.Quit()

# Release COM objects
[System.Runtime.Interopservices.Marshal]::ReleaseComObject($excel) | Out-Null

# Display the Excel version
Write-Host "Excel Version: $excelVersion"

PowerShell shall show you the Excel version of your PC.

Using Command Prompt

If your PC doesn’t have the Windows PowerShell tool, you can use the Command Prompt to find the Excel app’s version number.

Click on the Start menu and type CMD. Select Command Prompt on the Start menu to launch the CMD console.

Copy and paste the following command into the CMD console:

reg query "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Application\CurVer"

Hit Enter to print the Excel version number on CMD.

Find the Version of Excel on Mac

Wondering what version of the Excel app you have on your Mac? Find below how:

Using Excel Button

On your Mac, launch the Excel desktop app from Dock or Launcher.

Once Microsoft Excel opens, the Excel button shall show up in the Mac menu bar. Click on that.

A context menu shall open. There, click on the About Microsoft Excel option.

The About Excel dialog shall open. You should be able to locate the software version in this dialog box.

Using Terminal App

Another cool technique to find out what version of the Excel app you’re using on Mac is via the Terminal app.

Launch Terminal from Dock, Launcher, or Spotlight Search.

In the Terminal console, enter the following command:

mdls -name kMDItemVersion /Applications/Microsoft\ Excel.app

Hit Return on the keyboard to execute the command.

The Terminal shall show the currently installed Excel app on the macOS machine.

Find the Version of Excel on Android

Launch the Excel app on your Android smartphone or tablet. If an existing worksheet opens, tap the Back arrow icon on the top left to view Excel backstage. If you previously closed the Excel app from the device background, you shall automatically arrive on the Excel backstage.

In the top left corner, you shall find your account initials. Tap on that to open the Accounts page.

At the bottom, above Office Apps, you shall find the Settings menu. Tap on that.

On the Settings screen, scroll to the bottom and find the version number below the Reset Microsoft 365 button.

Find the Version of Excel on iOS

If you’re using Microsoft Excel on an iPhone or iPad, launch the Excel app from Home Screen or App Library.

You shall see the Excel backstage if you didn’t use the app to work on a spreadsheet.

If you’re working on an Excel worksheet, the same spreadsheet file shall open. From this page, go to the Excel backstage by tapping the Back arrow icon in the top left corner of the app.

On Excel backstage, tap your avatar or initials in the top left corner. It’s located to the left of the Home text.

The account details screen shall slide open from the left. Here, tap the Settings icon.

On the Settings screen, scroll down to the Advanced section to find your iOS Excel version information just below the Privacy Settings menu.

Suppose, you haven’t yet installed the Excel iOS app or the above steps aren’t working for you. There’s a backup method to locate the version details.

Open the App Store on your iOS device and type Excel in the Search field. App Store shall automatically fetch and put the Microsoft Excel app on the top of the search results.

Tap on the app name to open its main page. Here, below the What’s New text, you shall find the Excel iOS version number.

Find the Version of Excel on the Web

There are two types of Excel web apps. One you get with a paid Microsoft 365 subscription plan, known as Excel for the Web. It contains advanced features like Office Scripts and Automate Work using Flow Templates.

The other one is Excel Online which comes with a free subscription to Office 365, Microsoft Live, and Microsoft 365.

In both the above cases, you must open a blank or existing Excel worksheet from the Microsoft 365 home page.

When the Excel spreadsheet opens, click the File tab on the Excel ribbon menu. Then, select the About option in the left-side navigation panel.

You should now see the About page on the right side. Below About, you shall find Session ID and Build. The Build value is the exact Excel online version you’re currently running.

An advantage of using Excel for the Web or Excel online is each time you access the tool, you experience the latest build features like user interface, functions, tools, and so on.

Conclusion

So far, you’ve discovered all the tried and tested methods to find what version of Excel you have. The Excel tutorial has discussed various methods for different Excel-supported devices like Windows PCs, Macs, iOS devices, and Android devices.

I’ve also demonstrated programmatic ways to look up Excel software versions for dated Excel apps.

By utilizing the methods outlined in this article, you can easily ascertain the specific version of Excel you are using. This skill will empower you to make informed decisions regarding updates, upgrades, and troubleshooting of Excel software.

Did you find the article helpful? Do you know a better method to find the version of Excel? Share your valuable feedback and comments below.