Windows 7: Windows Security Updates For Office Needed If Don't Use Office?

I don't even have MS Office Suite installed ... do I need to install the security 'patches' ?

What is confusing is that IE security updates are necessary for Windows even though I don't use IE.

IE is part of Windows, so you will see updates for it whether you use it or not. If you are seeing updates specifically dealing with Office, then you have it or some part of it installed. You don't get updates for a product that isn't there.

Show the updates you're getting. It may be that the updates are for .NET and other security problems. If you don't have Office installed you shouldn't get updates for it but some of the updates are for other interfaces. Windows 7 uses IE whether you do or not so I would keep it up to date as well.

I only have Windows PowerPoint (Viewer) 2007 installed (for emailed PP Presentations).

Based of replies:

• Updates to 'only' Office programs need not be installed.
• Updates to interfaces that Office programs use should be addressed and maybe installed.
• Updates to IE should be installed.

Right?

Power Point is part of the MS Office series. You'll get security and program updates for all Office products that interface with PP or use the same data link libraries. The auto update process is pretty smart. I would apply any updates you get. One came through today, for me, that included a performance update for all Office products. That sounds like it might be a shared .dll file. Unless you can spend time researching each bulletin, just let the Office updates apply.

And +1 for IE. These may include security updates for Windows' interface not just IE.

Understand

I had the same questions since I also only had PowerPoint Viewer. I'm going to apply the Office updates after reading this thread.

Will installing Office Suite updates for programs not-installed leave unnecessary 'junk' in Windows? Or is the Update procedure smart enough to know not to.

If you've ever run a certification, you can see exactly what MS knows about your system. The auto update function uses similar results to know what patches/updates to apply. It can't apply updates to software you don't have. However; some updates contain patches to MS Office as a package and not individual applications. As already stated, these are most likely shared updates that apply to all applications in the Office group. If I were presented with an "Office" update, I would certainly apply it even if you have only one of the applications.

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