Microsoft’s Office Online Server (OOS), formerly known as Office Web Apps (OWA), recently released the second significant update to OOS. This April 2017 update includes changes and improvements in the following seven functional areas of OOS:
  • Support on Windows Server 2016
  • Performance improvements to co-authoring in PowerPoint Online.
  • Equation viewing in Word Online.
  • New navigation pane in Word Online.
  • Improved undo/redo in Word Online.
  • Enhanced W3C accessibility support for users who rely on assistive technologies.
  • Accessibility checkers for all applications to ensure that all Office documents can be read and authored by people with different abilities.

Like the previous major update it does require that you uninstall the previous version of OOS and then install the updated bits on each server in your Office Online Server farm. This means in order to apply the ‘update’ to your OOS farm, you need to perform these tasks on each server in your farm, which to me screams PowerShell. Write a simple PowerShell script to complete these ongoing updates.

For additional information on the PowerShell commands involved with the installation, configuration, and removal of Office Online Server, you can find the OOS PowerShell commands in the TechNet article, Windows PowerShell for Office Online.

You’ll first need to locate and download the Office Online Server update and this can be done by accessing the Volume Licensing Service Center.

For a step-by-step preview of the OOS steps involved in performing the update, you should review the TechNet article on How to Apply Software Updates to Office Online.

I’ll remind you one more time, this is going to be an ongoing task, so please take the time to write a PowerShell script using the information above. This will not only expedite the update, but also avoid any issues of misspelling, or leaving out parameters when entering the PowerShell commands necessary to complete the Office Online Server upgrade.