Many people are accustomed to thinking of Microsoft Office as a paid software package that requires an annual subscription fee. However, if you have a computer running Windows 10, you can work with documents, spreadsheets, and presentations completely free of charge. No subscriptions or hidden fees are required.
The easiest way is to use the online versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. They work right in your browser, look almost the same as their desktop counterparts, and let you do pretty much the same things. All you need to do is create a Microsoft account, which also doesn't cost a penny.
If you need the program right on your desktop, there is another option. Some new laptops with Windows 10 come with a free simplified version of Office pre-installed, called “Office for Windows Store.” Its capabilities are sufficient for most everyday tasks.
Whichever path you choose, you can work comfortably with documents without investing any money. Let's take a look at how to access these free tools and start using them right now.
Method 1 of 2 – Office app.
The Office app allows you to work as efficiently as possible by providing centralized access to all Microsoft Office applications and files. The app itself is free and can be used with any subscription, including the free web version of Office, Office 365, and Office 2019-2016.
Step 1: To get started, open the Office app. In most cases, the app is already installed on your system. If not, follow the link in the Windows Store and install the application.
Step 2: Open the menu “Start” find and launch the installed app “Office”.
If you use a Microsoft account to log into Windows 10, you will automatically be logged into the application. If not, create an account and log into the application.
What is a Microsoft account?
A Microsoft account is the email address and password you use for Outlook.com, Hotmail, Office, OneDrive, Skype, Xbox, and Windows.
The application interface is very user-friendly and includes online versions of selected Office applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more. No installation or subscription is required. It's free!
Creating a new document.
Step 3: To create a new document, simply click the button with the text “Create”, a pop-up window will then appear for you to select the document type (see image).
After selecting the document type, it will open in your default browser, and you will be able to type and edit Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other documents in the usual Microsoft Office editor.
You can instead “Create” select the desired type of office document available on the main page of the application, after which you will be prompted to create a new blank document, use templates, or open a previously created document for editing.
If you right-click on one of the previously created documents in the list, a context menu will appear, which you can use to:
- Open the document in your browser
- Pin it to a separate list
- Remove the document from the list
- Open file location
Using Microsoft Office for free in Windows 10 is easier than it seems: just use the web version of the office suite through your browser. Simply go to office.com, log in with your Microsoft account (which many people already have from Windows itself), and get access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other programs right in your browser—no installation or payment required. There are enough features for everyday tasks: you can write documents, work with spreadsheets, create presentations, and save everything to the OneDrive cloud. The main thing to remember is that this is an online version, so you need to be connected to the internet.
How to open an MS Office document.
Step 4: To open an MS Office document located on your hard drive or flash drive, click the button “Add or open” (see image), if you don't see the button caption, expand the application window to full screen.
You can also drag the document you need from any folder into the application window with your mouse, after which the document will be added to the list and opened instantly.
How to save a document.
Step 5: Newly created or edited old documents are automatically saved to OneDrive cloud storage, but you can save them to your hard drive or flash drive.
To do this, open the menu in the editor “File” → “Save as” and then click “Download a copy”, in the pop-up window “Document ready” confirm the action by clicking the button “Download”, the document will then be downloaded to the “Downloads” folder available in Explorer.
You will also find a link at the bottom of the application window “Other documents in OneDrive” which allows you to view, edit, and download previously created documents to your PC.
Print.
If you need to print a document, go to the menu in the open document “Reset conversion”. Select your printer and click the button “Print”.
As you have already seen, the Office application allows you to view, create, and edit previously created documents. Last but not least, you don't need to purchase an expensive license for MS Office products. It's free!
As you can see, it is quite possible to access the main features of Microsoft Office without paying a penny. The main thing is to understand what options are available and how they differ.
If you need full-featured Word or Excel for one-off tasks, online versions via a browser are a great choice. They are free and work right in your browser window. For constant work with documents, especially without the Internet, it is better to install Office on your computer, but here you will have to put up with the limitations of the trial period.
Ultimately, it all comes down to your tasks. For studying, simple documents, or infrequent use, the free features are more than enough. And if you realize that you can't do without advanced features, you can always switch to a paid subscription.
