The upcoming OS X 10.11.1 El Capitan release, which is expected to be released in the very near future, will include a compatibility update for Microsoft Office 2016 to fix ongoing crashing issues, MacRumors has learned. Since OS X El Capitan was released in late September, some Office 2016 users have found the software to be nearly unusable due to frequent crashes or an inability to open the Office apps at all.
Microsoft informed customers it was aware of the problem nearly two weeks ago and said it was "actively working with Apple" on a fix, hinting the problem was on Apple's end and wasn't something Microsoft could fix alone.
Microsoft did update Office 2016 earlier this week, adding new features and security enhancements, but admitted it did not fix any El Capitan bugs in an accompanying support document. At that time, Microsoft said it was working with Apple to "ensure resolution with the next update of OS X 10.11 El Capitan."
Apple's most recent OS X 10.11.1 beta for developers and public beta testers was released Wednesday afternoon, with Apple asking developers to focus on Mail and Office 2016. The upcoming OS X 10.11.1 release will also fix several issues with Mail regarding missing server information and a bug that prevents the display of messages and mailboxes within the app. The update also includes dozens of new emoji from Unicode 7 and 8, including taco, burrito, cheese wedge, unicorn head, middle finger, popcorn, and more.
Office 2011 users were also experiencing issues with crashing and with a non-functional Outlook app, but Microsoft was able to fix those bugs with an Office 2011 update that was released on October 7.
