feature limitations Archives

Winsage

February 26, 2025

There’s a free Microsoft Office option for Windows now, but it comes with ads

Microsoft has launched a free version of its Office suite for Windows, which includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, but with significant limitations. Users will encounter persistent advertisements, cannot save files locally, and face restricted functionality. To access the free apps, users must download the suite from the Microsoft website, sign in, and save documents to OneDrive.

Winsage

February 24, 2025

You Can Now Use Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Free on Windows

Microsoft has introduced free, ad-supported versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Windows users, which require saving documents to OneDrive. These versions have significant limitations: Word lacks Dictate, Line spacing, WordArt, and all Draw and Design tools; Excel is missing Add-in support, Pivot Table functionality, and various chart types; PowerPoint excludes Add-ins, Dictate, Screenshot, and SmartArt. Users can use these apps offline, but they represent a compromise between Office Web Apps and the full desktop Office suite. The release coincides with a price increase for Microsoft 365 subscriptions and the distribution of AI credits for accessing Copilot features. To install, users must visit the Microsoft 365 website, skip the sign-in prompt, and agree to save documents to OneDrive to access editing features. There have been reports of inconsistencies in the installation process across different regions.