So, no, what we generally think of as Microsoft Office installed on your computer is not free, but the online version is.įor anyone not accustomed yet to using the Microsoft Store, either updating Apps through it or using the Windows 10 Applications themselves (seems for some strange reasons many do seem to get into some habit of either deleting or uninstalling the live tiles, ignoring them completely or even just ignore a Microsoft Account altogether to seemingly remain locally accounted only), a real easy way to get free Office is simply to bookmark the website instead. If you’re using Office 365, the individual Office applications will appear on your Start menu, and if you’re using Office Online, you can simply visit and log in with your Microsoft account. You can uninstall it if you like, even if you use Microsoft Office. If you’re using Office Online, a web browser will open to Microsoft Word online. If you’re using Office 365, the installed program will be run. When you want to run, say, Word, you open the Office app and select Word. Keeping the Office app or notĪfter you’ve made your decision, the Office app remains. If you need more features and don’t really have a compatibility issue with other Microsoft Office users, Libre Office or Open Office may be right for you.Īnd if only the real thing will do, a subscription to Office 365 might be the best solution. If you find it has the features you need - and it’s very possible it will - it may be enough. If you frequently exchange documents with other Microsoft Office users, you may want to check out Office Online. Whether it’s right for you depends on your needs. Given that it’s Microsoft Office, Office Online also doesn’t suffer from many compatibility issues found in exchanging documents with other free solutions, like Open Office or Libre Office. The online version of Office is, of course, a somewhat less feature-rich version, but it’s more than adequate for many, many uses.įor example, Office Online compares favorably with the other big player in the free online space: Google Docs. Office Online is free to use, and since these versions are web-based, they can be used from any version of Windows, and any computer running any operating system with a compatible web browser. It includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more. Office Online is the online, web-based version of many of the Microsoft Office programs. It includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Access, and Publisher. It is not free, and requires a subscription purchase to download and install.
Office 365 is the traditional version of Office that you download and install on your computer. The wording may change, but the choice remains the same. The first time you run it, you’ll be given a choice: Office 365 or Office Online. If you never intend to use Microsoft Office, you can right-click on the tile and select Uninstall. It’s intended to be your “home base” for Microsoft Office use moving forward. The Microsoft Office app in the tiled Start menu. When you run Windows 10 for the first time (or if you’ve not modified your Start menu to make it go away), there’s a tile for an app called “Office”. The “Office” app pre-installed on Windows 10 is the gateway to whichever you choose.
The installed version is not free, and requires either a one-time or subscription purchase.
You may not even need Office installed on your computer. The online versions of Microsoft Office apps are completely free, surprisingly capable, and compatible with their desktop counterparts.