Configure feature installation states for Office 2013

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Applies to: Office 2013

Summary Use the Office Customization Tool (OCT) to specify how Office 2013 features are installed for Windows Installer-based Office 2013 installations.

Audience: IT Professionals

After you create a network installation point, but before you install Office 2013, you can use the Office Customization Tool to create a Setup customization file (.msp file) to configure the installation for users. You can use the OCT to change the default way that Office features are installed. You can set some features to be installed on the user's computer, some features to be installed only on first use, and some features that are not to be installed. You can even hide or lock features so that a user who runs Windows Installer-based (MSI) Setup interactively can't change what you have configured. For information about how to create the network installation point, see Create a network installation point in Customize Setup before installing Office 2013.

In Office 2013 and Office 2010, two architecture-specific versions of the OCT are available: one for 32-bit Office 2013 and one for 64-bit Office 2013. The 64-bit version of the OCT supports 64-bit client editions of Office 2013, and provides the same user interface, capabilities, and configurable settings as the 32-bit version. You use the same command to run the 32-bit or 64-bit version of the OCT. For more information about 64-bit Office 2013, see 64-bit editions of Office 2013.

Configure installation states

Use the following procedure to configure feature installation states.

Note

You can complete tasks in all Office 2013 suites by using a mouse, keyboard shortcuts, or touch. For information about how to use keyboard shortcuts and touch with Office products and services, see Keyboard shortcuts and Office Touch Guide.

The following instructions assume that you have already created a network installation point to store all source files from the Office 2013 installation media to a shared location on the network. For more information, see Create a network installation point in Use the OCT to customize Office 2013.

Note

As noted earlier, there are two versions of the OCT, one for 32-bit and one for 64-bit Office 2013. If you want to run the 32-bit OCT, run the setup.exe /admin command line from the x86 (32-bit) folder as shown in the following example:
\server\share\Office15\x86\setup.exe /admin
To run the 64-bit OCT, run the setup.exe /admin command line from the x64 (64-bit) folder as shown in the following example:
\server\share\Ofice15\x64\setup.exe /admin

To configure Office feature installation states

  1. To start the OCT, from the root of the network installation point, type the following at the command prompt: setup.exe /admin.

  2. In the Select Product dialog box, choose the product that you want to configure, and then choose OK.

  3. In the navigation pane, locate Features, and then choose Set feature installation states.

  4. In the details pane, expand the tree and choose the feature that you want to customize. For example, if you opt not to install the Equation Editor, expand Microsoft Office and Office Tools, open the shortcut menu for Equation Editor, and then choose the installation options Not Available, Hidden, and Locked. Setup doesn't install the Equation Editor. If Setup is run interactively, this feature isn't visible and the user can't install it.

  5. On the File menu, choose Save As.

  6. In the Save As dialog box, specify a path and file name for the Setup customization file, and then choose Save.

  7. On the File menu, choose Exit.

  8. Copy the Setup customization file to the Updates folder in the network installation point.

When you run Setup to install Office, Setup uses the customization file that it finds in the Updates folder and configures Office features according to your customizations.

The following table describes the available installation options.

Installation options

Option Description

Run from My Computer

Setup copies files to the user's hard disk and also writes registry entries and shortcuts that are associated with the feature. The feature (or application) runs on the user's computer.

Run all from My Computer

This option is the same as Run from My Computer, except that all child features that belong to the feature are also set to this state.

Installed on First Use

Setup leaves components for the feature and all its child features in the local installation source until the user first attempts to use the feature, at which time the components are copied to the Office program folder on the user's local hard disk. Some features don't support Installed on First Use. This option is not available for these features in the OCT.

Not Available

The components for the feature, and all of the child features that belong to that feature, aren't installed on the user's computer.

Note

The Not Available installation state is reversible. When Not Available is set, a feature won't be installed. But, you can later install the feature locally by using an .msp customization file or a Config.xml file.
To unlock and install a feature locally, you can edit the Config.xml file to change the OptionState element, as described in the note for the Locked feature state description.

Hidden

Neither this feature nor any of its child features appear in the feature tree when Setup runs interactively. Setup uses the default installation state, or the state specified in the customization file, to determine how to install the feature.

Note

The Hidden option isn't reversible. After you set it, a Hidden feature won't be displayed in the feature tree either during or after installation. You can't use another Config.xml file or apply a second .msp file after the initial installation to “unhide” a feature.
The feature remains hidden even if you opt to change your installation by using Programs and Features in Control Panel to change your Office 2013 installation.
Also, it won't be displayed in the Office Setup feature installation tree under the Add or Remove Features option for Office 2013. Even though the feature remains hidden, you can unlock the feature to install and run it locally later by using an .msp file or a Config.xml file.
For more information about the Config.xml file, see Config.xml file reference for Office 2013.
You can also use the OCT to create an .msp customization file to install the feature later. To do this, choose Set feature installation states in the navigation pane. In the details pane, open the shortcut menu for a feature, and then set the feature installation state to Run all from My Computer.

Locked

The user can't change this feature during interactive Setup or maintenance mode.

Note

The Locked option is reversible. If you set the Locked option for a feature by using the OCT or the Config.xml file during initial installation, you can unlock that feature and install it locally by using an .msp file or a Config.xml file at a later date.
For example, you can edit the Config.xml file to change the OptionState element as shown in the following example. This adds the OptionState element line to install the feature (in this case, Access 2013) on a user's computer, and sets child features of the feature to the specified state.
To edit the Config.xml file to change the OptionState element, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Config.xml file in the core product folder (core_product_folder_name.WW folder, for example, ProPlus.WW) for the Office 2013 product that you are installing. Use a text editor tool, such as Notepad, to customize the file.

  2. Locate the line in the Config.xml file that contains the OptionState element:

    <!-- <OptionState Id="OptionID" State="absent" Children="force" /> -->

  3. Change the OptionState element as follows and then save the Config.xml file:

    <OptionState Id=”ACCESSFiles” State=”local” Children=”force” />

For more information about OptionState syntax, see OptionState element in Config.xml file reference for Office 2013.

Note

The following subcomponents of Publisher 2013 aren't visible in the Setup feature installation state tree in Office 2013:

  • Commercial Printing and its Enhanced RGB to CMYK Conversion subcomponent

  • Font Schemes

  • PaperDirect Previews

  • Publisher Templates and its Business Publications and Other Publications subcomponents

When you change the installation state of a feature, Setup might change the installation state of a parent or child feature to match. For more information, see the Set feature installation states section in Office Customization Tool (OCT) reference for Office 2013.

As with any deployment of Office, make sure that you test customizations and deployment in a non-production environment before you deploy Office 2013 to users in the organization.

For information about how to specify application installation options for a group of users, see this Office 2010 blog: How to install Office 2010 applications for a subset of users in your organization. Although the blog is about Office 2010, the information also applies to Office 2013.

See also

Deploy Office 2013 from a network installation point
Overview of Setup architecture for Office 2013