Buzz
Office is one of the most widely used software suites globally, meaning you’ll frequently encounter Office documents everywhere. If you need to open, edit, or create Office documents but don’t want to spend money on the full suite, here are some methods you can follow. Use the free trial version to access Office features for one month. Alternatively, utilize the web-based Office apps to create and edit documents online. There are also mobile versions of Office apps, or alternative applications that support Office file formats.
Steps
Download the Office Trial
Use the Office 365 trial for one month. You can access Office for free for one month by downloading the Office 365 trial. The suite includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other programs from the Office 2016 version. Office 365 is the only version of Office that offers a trial.
- A credit card is required to sign up for the free trial, and charges will apply starting from the second month if you continue using it. You can cancel the subscription before the first month ends to avoid charges while still using the service until the month concludes.
Visit the Office trial page. You can download the trial version from the Office website. Go to products.office.com/try to access the trial page.
Click the "Try 1-month free" button. This action initiates the registration process.
Sign in with your Microsoft account or create a new one. You’ll need to log in with a Microsoft account. You can use an existing Hotmail, Live.com, or Outlook.com email, or create a new account for free. A new account is required to access the trial.
Enter a valid credit card. You must provide a credit or debit card to start the trial. You won’t be charged immediately, but if you don’t cancel before the trial ends, monthly fees will apply.
Download the Office 365 installer. After creating an account and entering your credit card details, you’ll be provided with a link to download the Office 365 installer. The installer is small and downloads quickly.
Run the installer after downloading. Once downloaded, execute the installer to officially download and install Office. You may be prompted to log in to your Microsoft account before the download begins.
- During installation, you can choose which Office products to install. Save time and hard drive space by deselecting programs you don’t need. You can install them later if required.
- The installation process may take some time, especially with a slow internet connection.
Launch the Office programs. You’ll find the newly installed Office programs in the Start menu. You can access all features of the programs throughout the trial period.
Use the free online Office apps
Visit the Office website. Microsoft offers free online versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Office apps. While these versions aren’t as powerful as their desktop counterparts, they are sufficient for basic use without installation or payment. Go to office.com to see the available applications.
Click on the Office program you want to use. Scroll down the Office page to view the available programs. Click on the one you wish to launch.
Sign in to your Microsoft account. You can use a personal, work, or school Microsoft account. Once logged in, you can start using the selected program. If you don’t have a Microsoft account, you can register for free. New accounts come with 5 GB of free storage on OneDrive, a cloud service accessible from computers and multiple devices.
Use the program. The web app interface closely resembles the desktop version. Use the tabs at the top to switch between editing options. Some features may be missing or limited. For advanced functionality, you’ll need the desktop version. Check out the Microsoft support page to learn about the differences between the web and desktop versions of Word.
Save your document. The web app doesn’t auto-save, so you’ll need to manually save your work frequently. To save, click the "File" tab and select "Save As."
- When you save, the document is stored on OneDrive.
- You can download the document to your computer from the Save As menu. Several formats are available, including PDF and other open formats.
Upload documents to OneDrive to open them in the web app. If you receive an Office document from someone else, you can view it in the web app by uploading it to OneDrive.
- Visit onedrive.live.com in your web browser. You can also use the OneDrive mobile app.
- Drag and drop the file into the browser window to upload it to OneDrive. Smaller documents upload quickly, while PowerPoint files may take longer.
- Click on the uploaded document to launch the Office web app. You can view and edit the document (if it’s not protected).
Use Office apps on mobile devices
Download the Office app for iOS or Android devices. Microsoft offers free Office apps for Android and iOS. You can download them from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. The free version provides basic creation and editing features. To access advanced features, you’ll need an Office 365 subscription.
Allow the Office app to access your device’s storage. When launching the app for the first time, you’ll be prompted to grant access to your device’s storage. Agree to this to easily save and load files.
Sign in to your Microsoft account to connect with OneDrive. You’ll be asked to log in to a Microsoft account when you first open the app. While you can skip this step, signing in or creating a free account grants you 5 GB of free OneDrive storage and enables file synchronization across devices.
Tap "Open" to access files from various locations. You can open files downloaded to your device, documents stored on Google Drive or Dropbox, OneDrive files, and more. The Office app supports all common file formats (e.g., Word can open DOC, DOCX, and TXT files).
Tap "New" to create a new document. At the top of the New screen, a menu will appear allowing you to create a new document. If you’re signed in to a Microsoft account, the OneDrive Personal folder will be the default save location. You can also save files directly to your device.
Use the button at the top of the page to access formatting tools. The pencil-shaped "A" button opens the formatting menu. From here, you can select basic adjustments and formatting tools from the Office tabs. Tap the "Home" button to view different tabs. Scroll up and down the formatting page to see available options.
- When the keyboard is open, swipe the slider above it left or right to quickly access formatting tools.
Tap the "Save" button to save your work. While documents are auto-saved at regular intervals, you can manually save by pressing the Save button. You can also tap the Menu button in the top-left corner and select "Save" at any time.
Use alternative Office applications
Explore programs that can replace Office. Several programs offer most of the features supported by Office, and some even include features Office lacks. These programs can open and edit Office documents as well as other open formats. Popular options include FreeOffice, OpenOffice, and LibreOffice.
- FreeOffice is known for its user-friendly interface, while OpenOffice and LibreOffice are more powerful. If you’re accustomed to Office, you might want to try FreeOffice or LibreOffice.
Download the software. Once you’ve made your choice, download the installer for your preferred program. Visit the following websites to download the respective installers:
- LibreOffice - libreoffice.org/download/libreoffice-fresh/
- FreeOffice - freeoffice.com/en/download
- OpenOffice - openoffice.org/download/index.html
Run the installer. You can choose which programs from the suite to install. Select only the ones you plan to use to reduce installation time and save hard drive space.
Get familiar with the new program. The three Office alternatives listed above have different interfaces and workflows, but they are all fully functional. You may need to spend some time exploring, especially if you’re used to Office. Basic functions are straightforward; for advanced features, you can find tutorials on YouTube or Mytour.
- Look up online guides to learn how to use Writer in OpenOffice.
- Search for articles to get acquainted with LibreOffice’s word processor.
Consider cloud-based Office alternatives. As online tools continue to evolve, the need to install software on your computer decreases. In addition to the web-based Office apps mentioned earlier, you can explore cloud-based suites. These services allow you to upload and edit Office documents.
- Google Docs is the most popular option. You can create and edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations using Google’s online tools. Everything is accessible through Google Drive, where your files are stored. If you have a Gmail account, you already have access to Google Docs. Check out the article Using Google Drive to learn more about creating and editing documents.
- Zoho is another cloud-based program that can replace Office. Its interface is more similar to Office than Google Docs. Like Google Docs, you can create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Look for online guides to learn how to use Zoho.
- OnlyOffice is an online Office alternative that lets you create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
