Probably everyone sometimes needs to work with documents in .docx format, tables with .xls extension or .pptx presentations. In principle, this is not a problem on Apple devices - you can open files in the iWork office package, or activate a Microsoft Office subscription, when Word, Excel and PowerPoint work more or less well on Mac and iPad. However, the amount Microsoft charges for Office isn't right for everyone, and opening files in iWork all the time involves some pretty annoying conversions and occasional compatibility issues. However, today we'll show you what options you have if you want to use Microsoft Office without major fees.
Mobile applications, or you will only provide basic work
If you look in the App Store, you will find the complete Microsoft Office package, both in separate programs and as an application that unites all three software into one. To be honest, however, longer work on any mobile phone is more of a pain, unless you additionally activate the paid Microsoft 365, the software will offer you only basic adjustments. If you're hoping to use a tablet for at least these adjustments, you'll be disappointed. For screens larger than 10.1 inches, Microsoft has adapted its applications in a free preview-only version. This solution is more of an emergency, and one could say that it is almost unusable for longer work.
- You can download the Microsoft Word application here
- You can download the Microsoft Excel application here
- Download the Microsoft PowerPoint application here
- You can download the Microsoft Office application here
The students have (almost) won
Whether you're in high school or college, you'll almost always get a school email address under your educational institution's domain. If your school has paid Microsoft 365 for students, you've (most likely) won. Your account includes 1TB of OneDrive storage and full-fledged Microsoft Office applications for computers, tablets and smartphones. In any case, even when your educational institution has a contract with another provider of office applications, you will not have a problem with activating a school Microsoft account. Just go to the site Microsoft 365 Education, where are you create an account. Use as an email address your school You'll be happy to know that you get 1 TB of storage absolutely free with your account, but not the full Office apps. You can use their full potential on mobile devices, which will especially please iPad owners, but unfortunately you won't get Office for free on either Mac or Windows.
The web apps are choppy, but they work
It is usually not a problem for students to get at least some usable Microsoft applications for free. But did you know that other users can also work with documents, spreadsheets and presentations? Microsoft offers its office software as web applications. Don't expect to find all the features found in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Windows and macOS. The advantage, however, is that you can use Office this way both on a computer and on a tablet. To use Microsoft Office on the web, go to OneDrive page and subsequently sign in to your Microsoft account. If you don't have it, Sign up. You will already be familiar with the web OneDrive user interface, you can create and edit files in .docx, .xls and .pptx format.
Caption like a cow and the deed ran away.
Since when do Apple users look for ways not to pay for software? I thought that Apple users are proud of the fact that a few extra crowns is not an obstacle for them.
Ok, now to the point: Isn't Google Docs or LibreOffice a free solution rather than trying to find a way around Microsoft? I have to admit that Office is really probably the best office suite.
Those local Jablíčkárs are no longer that kind of community of Apple users, so don't associate what they do here with Apple users in any way.
Hello,
this is not about a few crowns at all, but a few crowns for software whose potential you will not use. Many, including myself, only need Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to properly view documents and make occasional edits, and at that point they'd rather pay for more iCloud storage and other software to get the most out of it.
I personally have Office from school for free, but if it wasn't for that, I don't need to use it to its full potential.