This is the "instruction manual." It tells the setup file exactly which apps to install (Word, Excel, etc.), which language to use, and how to handle licensing. 📝 Creating the XML Configuration
Open a command prompt . Right-click the Start button and select "Windows Terminal (Admin)" or "Command Prompt (Admin)".
| Component | Role | Key Characteristics | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | The Engine | Command-line executable (ODT) that processes instructions from the configuration file and downloads/installs files from Microsoft servers. | | configuration.xml | The Blueprint | A plain-text XML file containing all installation settings: products, languages, update channels, installation source, etc. |
Execute the configuration command by typing the following string exactly and pressing Enter: setup.exe /configure configuration-office2021enterprise.xml Use code with caution. Command Behavior setup.exe configure. configuration-office2021enterprise.xml
Navigate to your deployment folder using the change directory command: cd C:\Office2021Deploy Use code with caution.
<Configuration> <Add OfficeClientEdition="64" Channel="PerpetualVL2021"> <Product ID="ProPlus2021Volume" PIDKEY="XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX"> <Language ID="en-us" /> <!-- Exclude App Example --> <!-- <ExcludeApp ID="Access" /> --> </Product> </Add> <RemoveMSI All="True" /> <Display Level="None" AcceptEULA="TRUE" /> <Property Name="AUTOACTIVATE" Value="1" /> </Configuration>
Extract the contents to a dedicated folder on your local machine or network share (e.g., C:\Office2021Deployment ). This is the "instruction manual
Installs 64-bit Office (recommended). Use "32" for 32-bit.
Running /configure directly over the internet works perfectly for individual machines or small offices. However, pulling multiple gigabytes of data down simultaneously across hundreds of enterprise workstations will choke local network bandwidth.
<Configuration> <Add OfficeClientEdition="64" Channel="PerpetualVL2021"> <Product ID="ProPlus2021Volume" PIDKEY="YOUR_PRODUCT_KEY_HERE"> <Language ID="en-us" /> </Product> </Add> <Display Level="None" AcceptEULA="TRUE" /> <!-- Additional settings can be added here --> </Configuration> | Component | Role | Key Characteristics |
You can create this file manually using a text editor (like Notepad or VS Code) or by using the Microsoft 365 Apps Admin Center to generate the configuration, which you can then customize for Office 2021 Enterprise.
Deploying Microsoft Office 2021 Enterprise across an organization requires a predictable, automated, and silent installation process. Relying on manual, click-through installations is inefficient and prone to errors.
Deploying Microsoft Office in an enterprise environment requires more than a simple "double-click." For Office LTSC 2021
Because the display level is set to None , the command prompt will advance to a fresh line, appearing as though nothing is happening. However, the installation engine is active in the background. You can track its progress by opening and monitoring the network/CPU usage of the Office Click-to-Run Bootstrapper process. Best Practices for Enterprise Deployment Pre-downloading Installation Files
