Microsoft has released two versions of Office 2024 for Windows PCs and Macs: Office Home 2024 and Office Home & Business. These versions include applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook (in the Home & Business edition). They are "Locked-in" versions, meaning no annual subscription to Microsoft 365 is required, with pricing set at [openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: Microsoft has unveiled two distinct versions of Office 2024, tailored for Windows PCs and Macs. This latest iteration of its renowned productivity suite encompasses essential applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and, notably in the Home & Business edition, Outlook. These offerings are classified as "Locked-in" versions, meaning they do not necessitate an annual subscription to Microsoft 365, with pricing set at 0 for Office Home 2024 and 0 for Office Home & Business.
Key Features and Enhancements
The Home & Business version not only includes Outlook but also comes with a commercial use license, as highlighted by Microsoft. Office 2024 is designed to be compatible with both Windows 10 and 11, as well as the last three iterations of macOS. This launch coincides with a notable update to Windows 11, known as 24H2, which introduces a range of enhancements including:
Support for Wi-Fi 7
New features for Phone Link
Visualizations in File Explorer
Support for advanced hearing aids
A new energy saver mode
Innovative Copilot AI features
This update also allows users to reverse the scroll direction on their mouse and includes Sudo, a tool aimed at developers. However, it does remove several applications, including Windows Mixed Reality, Tips, and WordPad.
For those transitioning from Office 2021, several enhancements in Office 2024 stand out:
Enhanced Performance: Excel boasts improved speed, even when multiple workbooks are open, along with a new feature that allows images to be inserted without altering their format.
Revamped Outlook: The search functionality has been overhauled, now featuring an accessibility checker.
Fresh Aesthetic: A new default theme embraces fluent design principles.
OpenDocument Support: Compatibility with ODF 1.4 is now included.
Android Integration: Users can directly insert photos into documents from their Android devices.
Document Comments: Comments can now receive a thumbs-up, although a thumbs-down option is notably absent.
PowerPoint Innovations: Users can embed live camera feeds, create videos, and add closed captioning to audio and video presentations.
Auto-Recovery Feature: Word documents can now be automatically recovered if the software closes unexpectedly before saving.
Both the Home and Home & Business editions are designed for installation on a single Mac or PC and do not include Publisher and Access, which are available exclusively through a Microsoft 365 subscription. The Microsoft 365 offerings are priced at annually for the Personal edition and 0 for the Family edition, accommodating up to five devices simultaneously, with the Family plan extending usage to six individuals. Notably, these subscription plans include cloud storage, a feature absent in the stand-alone Office 2024 versions." max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"] for both editions. Office 2024 is compatible with Windows 10, Windows 11, and the last three versions of macOS. Key enhancements include improved performance in Excel, a revamped Outlook with better search functionality, a new default theme, OpenDocument support, Android integration, document comments with thumbs-up reactions, PowerPoint innovations, and an auto-recovery feature in Word. The editions are for installation on a single Mac or PC and do not include Publisher and Access, which require a Microsoft 365 subscription. Microsoft 365 subscription plans are priced at .99 annually for the Personal edition and .99 for the Family edition, which supports up to six users and includes cloud storage.
