Whether you’re a student, professional, parent, entrepreneur, CEO, author or artist, it’s likely you’ll need an office suite at your fingertips. But what do you do if the money is tight? With costs constantly increasing, everyone needs to pinch pennies at some level, and that doesn’t stop with software.
Free services such as: Google Docs, Libreofficeor any number of free alternatives, but if Microsoft Office is required, there is a way to use that platform for free (you don’t need to buy a new PC with Windows first).
Also: How to upgrade “incompatible” Windows 10 PC to Windows 11-2 free option
You may be thinking, “The free version is probably very limited, so it’s useless.” You’ll be wrong. The free version of the office also allows you to get PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, Copilot, Forms, Lists, Designer, Clipchamp, and even Microsoft teams. Yes, there are some limitations (not all features are available and cloud storage is limited), but the average user has everything they need to complete their work.
Is there a catch?
There are, but you can live with most people. The biggest goccia is that the free version is locked to the cloud (aka Microsoft 365). This means you must always be connected to the internet and use it.
If that catch is fine for you, continue reading and find a way to access the office for free.
Method 1: Access from Office.com
A few years ago, I had to write an article about using Office 365 (now Microsoft 365). As someone who rarely uses Microsoft products, I was shocked to learn that I can use this service for free. All I needed was a stable network connection and a Microsoft account. I have an old Skype (RIP) account and I logged in with it. Once you logged in, you’ll get access to the free version Office.com Instead of installing locally on your PC using cloud-based versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint (and others).
Also: How to remove copilot from Microsoft 365 plan – before you need to pay
For those who need access to traditional MS office apps, this is by far the best way to do this. Also, unless you’re holding too many old files, you only have 5GB of OneDrive cloud storage, but that’s fine. Better yet, download the old files and save them to internal storage (delete them from OneDrive when you’re done). If you need it again, please upload it to your OneDrive account.
Here’s how to access Office.com:
open Office.com Using the default web browser on your desktop or laptop (the operating system is not important).
Please show me more
Sign in using your current Microsoft account credentials. If you don’t already have an account, you can create one here. If you see pop-ups or messages referring to Get an Office or Upgrade an Office Plan, you can ignore them (unless you need/need a paid version).
Please show me more
Once you’ve logged in, you can find yourself on the main page where you can start creating. To create your first document, click the Create icon in the sidebar and select the type of document you want to create (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.). From the creation page you have the option to start from scratch or access the various templates that are included in your office.
Please show me more
Method 2: Download the Office App for Mobile
Personally, I’m not a fan of working on documentation on my phone. But there was a time when it was necessary. In such cases, what I had to do was to use the Microsoft 365 Copilot App for Mobile (iOS and Android), and I had everything at my fingertips.
Again, you’ll need a Microsoft account for this, but once you’ve set it up, you can create and edit MS office documents (and create/sign PDFs) without having to go back to the office and sit at your desk.
Method 3: Microsoft 365 Education for Students and Teachers
If you are a student or teacher, you are lucky. Office 365 Education. This edition gives you access to all standard tools, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Copilot Chat, and even Microsoft Teams. Teachers will receive an additional bonus of accessing Microsoft team classroom tools to help organize classes and files.
Also: yet another European government is dumping Microsoft for Linux – this is why
To access the educational version, go to Microsoft Education Please enter your homepage and school email address to see if you are eligible for this version. If your registration is denied, consult your teacher or your school’s IT department to see if there is a way to get access.
Get the top stories of the morning in your inbox every day Tech Today Newsletter.
