Resume Assistant, the Word feature that showed LinkedIn-sourced resume examples, no longer exists. Microsoft announced its retirement on August 9, 2022 and removed it on January 10, 2023. If you landed here looking for Review > Resume Assistant, it isn’t there, and no setting will bring it back.
What happened to Resume Assistant
- August 2022: Microsoft announced the retirement. Users saw an in-product message when they opened Resume Assistant.
- September 13, 2022: removed from the Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel (Preview).
- January 10, 2023: removed from Word on Windows (Current Channel, Monthly Enterprise Channel and Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel), Mac and Word for the web.
- Older Office builds: if your build is not current, the pane may still appear, but it shows an end-of-support message and does not work. Update Microsoft 365 Apps.
What to use instead
Microsoft recommends two replacements:
- A resume template in Word. Go to File > New and search for resume to start from a professionally designed layout. Microsoft also has a Resume Builder page for Word.
- The LinkedIn Resume Builder. Build the resume on LinkedIn, then use it for job applications or your profile.
Neither tool replaces the one thing Resume Assistant did: showing how other people in your field describe the same job. For that, browse public job postings and LinkedIn profiles in your target role, then write your own wording. Copy the structure and keywords, not the sentences.
Tips for a stronger resume
- Tailor it to each job. Reuse the skills and wording from the posting where they honestly apply to you.
- Lead each bullet with an action verb and add a result or number where you can.
- Keep it to one or two pages with a clean layout. Templates help here.
- Match your resume to your LinkedIn profile so dates and titles agree.
- Save a PDF copy for applications, so formatting does not change on the recruiter’s screen.
For IT administrators
No action is required. If you want to block the retirement message on builds that still show it, use the Allow LinkedIn Resume Assistant feature policy. If you already disabled it, you are not affected.
Sources
- Resume Assistant is no longer available (Microsoft Support)
- Retiring Resume Assistant in Word (MC411669), a summary of Microsoft’s message center post
Last reviewed: October 23, 2026. This post replaces an earlier how-to for the retired feature.
