Microsoft is set to unveil a new iteration of its Office suite this week, catering specifically to users who prefer not to engage with the Microsoft 365 subscription model. The standalone Microsoft Office 2024 is now accessible to both consumers and small businesses, featuring timeless versions of essential applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook, compatible with both Mac and PC platforms.
Key Features of Office 2024
This latest release encapsulates many enhancements that have been gradually rolled out to Microsoft 365 subscribers over the past few years. Following the last standalone version released in 2021, Office 2024 brings significant upgrades to its core applications, alongside improvements in accessibility and user interface design.
Office 2024 introduces a fresh default theme, aligning with Microsoft’s latest Fluent Design principles, which harmonize with the visual aesthetics of Windows 11. Notably, accessibility-focused features have been integrated to assist users in identifying potential accessibility issues within documents, presentations, spreadsheets, and emails.
Among the most substantial updates are those found in Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Excel now boasts new functionalities that allow users to manipulate text and arrays within worksheets, including a novel IMAGE function that can extract images from the web. Additionally, Excel 2024 can reference Dynamic Arrays in charts, enabling automatic updates rather than being tethered to fixed data points. Microsoft asserts that overall speed and stability in Excel 2024 have also seen marked improvements.
PowerPoint has been enhanced with the introduction of the cameo feature, which allows users to embed a live camera feed into their slides. Furthermore, a new recording studio feature has been added, enabling users to record narration, animations, transitions, and inking. The ability to incorporate closed captions or subtitles into videos and audio files within presentations significantly boosts accessibility.
Outlook 2024 has undergone notable enhancements, particularly in its search functionality, yielding more relevant results for messages, attachments, contacts, and calendar entries. The latest version also offers expanded options for meetings, including an automatic feature to shorten meeting durations. Mac users will appreciate the ability to customize swipe gestures for enhanced navigation within Outlook.
In Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, users can now effortlessly insert images directly from Android mobile devices. Additionally, Microsoft has adopted version 1.4 of the OpenDocument format (ODF), introducing a range of new improvements. Word and PowerPoint now allow users to like and react to comments within documents, fostering a more interactive experience.
Word 2024 also features an improved file recovery mechanism, ensuring that users can restore their sessions seamlessly in the event of a crash. Should your PC experience an unexpected shutdown or power loss, Word will automatically reopen all previously active documents. OneNote 2024 users will benefit from a revamped inking and drawing experience.
Microsoft has indicated that Office 2024 will necessitate a Microsoft account and an internet connection for installation and activation, although it is anticipated that, similar to Office 2021, an internet connection will only be required for these initial steps and subsequent security updates. Office 2024 is compatible with Windows 10 and 11, as well as the three most recent releases of macOS.
The suite will be available in two editions: Office Home 2024, priced at 9.99, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote for either PC or Mac; and the Office Home and Business 2024 edition at 9.99, which includes Outlook and the rights for commercial use of the applications.
Microsoft Office 2024 is now available for Macs and PCs
Microsoft is set to unveil a new iteration of its Office suite this week, catering specifically to users who prefer not to engage with the Microsoft 365 subscription model. The standalone Microsoft Office 2024 is now accessible to both consumers and small businesses, featuring timeless versions of essential applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook, compatible with both Mac and PC platforms.
Key Features of Office 2024
This latest release encapsulates many enhancements that have been gradually rolled out to Microsoft 365 subscribers over the past few years. Following the last standalone version released in 2021, Office 2024 brings significant upgrades to its core applications, alongside improvements in accessibility and user interface design.
Office 2024 introduces a fresh default theme, aligning with Microsoft’s latest Fluent Design principles, which harmonize with the visual aesthetics of Windows 11. Notably, accessibility-focused features have been integrated to assist users in identifying potential accessibility issues within documents, presentations, spreadsheets, and emails.
Among the most substantial updates are those found in Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Excel now boasts new functionalities that allow users to manipulate text and arrays within worksheets, including a novel IMAGE function that can extract images from the web. Additionally, Excel 2024 can reference Dynamic Arrays in charts, enabling automatic updates rather than being tethered to fixed data points. Microsoft asserts that overall speed and stability in Excel 2024 have also seen marked improvements.
PowerPoint has been enhanced with the introduction of the cameo feature, which allows users to embed a live camera feed into their slides. Furthermore, a new recording studio feature has been added, enabling users to record narration, animations, transitions, and inking. The ability to incorporate closed captions or subtitles into videos and audio files within presentations significantly boosts accessibility.
Outlook 2024 has undergone notable enhancements, particularly in its search functionality, yielding more relevant results for messages, attachments, contacts, and calendar entries. The latest version also offers expanded options for meetings, including an automatic feature to shorten meeting durations. Mac users will appreciate the ability to customize swipe gestures for enhanced navigation within Outlook.
In Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, users can now effortlessly insert images directly from Android mobile devices. Additionally, Microsoft has adopted version 1.4 of the OpenDocument format (ODF), introducing a range of new improvements. Word and PowerPoint now allow users to like and react to comments within documents, fostering a more interactive experience.
Word 2024 also features an improved file recovery mechanism, ensuring that users can restore their sessions seamlessly in the event of a crash. Should your PC experience an unexpected shutdown or power loss, Word will automatically reopen all previously active documents. OneNote 2024 users will benefit from a revamped inking and drawing experience.
Microsoft has indicated that Office 2024 will necessitate a Microsoft account and an internet connection for installation and activation, although it is anticipated that, similar to Office 2021, an internet connection will only be required for these initial steps and subsequent security updates. Office 2024 is compatible with Windows 10 and 11, as well as the three most recent releases of macOS.
The suite will be available in two editions: Office Home 2024, priced at 9.99, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote for either PC or Mac; and the Office Home and Business 2024 edition at 9.99, which includes Outlook and the rights for commercial use of the applications.