Microsoft Word is without a doubt among the most used software in the entire world, used to write simple letters, create contracts, write academic papers or reports and many other uses. As other Office applications, Word is open to third-party tools adding features to it to make the Word experience easier and more complete. Here is a list of 60+ add-ins, plugins and apps that will save you time and effort when working on Word documents.
1. Power-user l Our add-in for Word, PowerPoint and Excel will give you some great superpowers to save countless hours. Here are some of the main features it offers:
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1+ million high-quality pictures and company logos
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7,000 icons and flags
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Hundreds of templates
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350 maps
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Advanced charts: Waterfall, Mekko, Sankey, Tornado and Gantt charts
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Smart diagrams like value chains, relationship, pyramids
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Harmonize fonts and colors
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Automate basic formating
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Create Agenda pages in PowerPoint
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Advanced Excel functions like SumColor, CountColor, CountVisible, CAGR, etc.
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… and more
2. Grammarly — Free but subscription may be required l Grammarly is one of the most famous solution for helping you improve your writing process. It will check your text’s grammar, spelling but also suggest alternatives to improve the style, clarity and precision of your speech. It works with Word on Windows, Mac iOS or the web.
3. ProWritingAid — $0 to $140 l ProWritingAid is an interesting tool that lets Word users improve their writing. The add-in needs an Internet connection to work, and highlights overused words, displays a grammar report and sentence length report, analyzes your writing style, and other useful feedback for you to improve your writing. Starting with $40 a year (or $140 for a lifetime license), the premium version will let you also improve on writing with Gmail, WordPress, Google Documents, etc. and will work faster. This add-in is not available on Mac.
4. Link Checker — €7.95 l This add-in helps you manage internal and external links within your documents. It provides you with a tree view of those links, can find suspicious links, and let you edit or remove them. Link Checker works with Word 2003 to 2013 on Windows, but is not available for Mac.
5. QuillBot — Free but subscription may be required l This add-in helps write faster thanks to the AI’s capability to rewrite sentences and paraphrase in order to improve your writing style and clarity, find synonyms, improve your vocabulary and more. QuillBot works on Windows 2013 and above on PC, Mac and Word online.
6. Proposal Pack Wizard — $69 l This add-in works as a contract and proposals assistant for Word. It helps you manage business documents such as proposals, quotes, bids, contracts, etc. It also provides some features to help you manage multiple proposals. The software works on Word for Windows 2003 to 2019, but is not available on Mac computers.
7. NXPowerLite Desktop 8 — $50 l This tool works with Word as well as PowerPoint, Excel, and and JPEG or PDF files. NXPowerLite compresses files and optimize them for screen, print or mobile devices. You can also enable it to automatically compress your email’s attachment files. NXPowerLite works on Windows but not on Mac iOS.
8. Selection Diff Tool — €3.99 l How often do you need to compare several Word documents, or multiple versions of a document? Well, this add-in lets you compares two strings of text and will show you what the differences are. If you are working on a document where someone did not use Track Change, you will still be able to avoid the terrible pain of manually identifying the differences. Selection Diff Tool works on Word and Excel 2013 and later. It is not supported by Mac computers.
9. Pro Word Cloud — Free l Use this tool for Word and PowerPoint to create word cloud images in your document or presentation. Word clouds are a great solution to introduce a word into a conversation by showing how it is related to other ideas. The more frequent a word is, the more prominent it will be on the image. There are multiple size, fonts, layouts and colors you can use. Word cloud are based on your own text, and can be used and shared freely. Pro Word Cloud works on Word and PowerPoint 2013 and later for Windows. It does not work on Mac computers.
10. IconScout — Free but subscription required l This app gives you access to millions of icons, graphics, illustrations etc. to insert in your Word documents. It runs on Word and PowerPoint 2013 and later on PC, Mac or Online.
11. Office Tabs — Free l If you are tired of moving between your Office windows this add-in is made for you. Office tabs creates a simple interface to switch between open windows of a Microsoft Office application. It creates a tab bar on your standard Word, Excel or PowerPoint window, with all the currently open documents of the same kind. You can click on a document’s title and it will switch the window to this document. Also, you can save all currently open documents with just 1 click, instead of saving them one by one. Office Tabs works on Office 365 and all versions of Office from 2003 to 2019, but does not work on Mac.
Nota Bene: this is comparable to the Tab Explorer feature included in the Power-user add-in alongside dozens of other tools for PowerPoint, Excel and Word.
12. Microsoft Dynamics — Free l Microsoft Dynamic is a great CRM solution provided by Microsoft. You can use this add-in to work on Word templates that will be updated with data directly coming from Microsoft Dynamics. You can also connect your Excel spreadsheet to your Microsoft Dynamics data, read it, analyze it or feed your dashboard, and publish data changes back into Microsoft Dynamics. If your company uses Dynamics, you will probably enjoy this app. It works for Word and Excel 2016 and later, on Windows computers only.
13. Epsillion — $400 | Epsillion helps you create reports with a professional design in very little time. Upload some unformatted text with Epsillion, define a few parameters like the number of columns, do the same with some charts and get a great-looking PDF or HTML. This tool also lets you sync figures with Excel to save time refreshing your reports. It integrates with Word and Excel.
14. vIcons — $99 l Insert icons directly into your documents with this add-in. It provides 600 icons for you to illustrate your words. Icons can be searched using keywords you can just pick them up from the library. vIcons works with Word, PowerPoint and Excel 2007, 2010 and 2013 for Windows. It is not available on Mac.
15. Excel-to-Word Document Automation — Free | This great plugin for Word allows you to update content from Excel in Word and PowerPoint, such as text, tables, charts, pictures and lists. It can save you a considerable amount of time, sparing you the effort of manually copy-pasting your content in Word every time you need to update. It works with Word 2016 and later on Windows, Mac and Online.
16. Vertex42 Templates Gallery — Free l Access the Vertex42 library of over 150 professionally designed templates for Word and Excel. Those templates include calendar, planners, budgeting, inventory, invoices or financial statements. The Vertex add-in works on Word and Excel versions 2013 and later for Windows. It is not available for Mac.
17. Decisions Meeting Documents Manager — Free but subscription required l Everyone in an organization has been in one of those countless meetings and needed to write minutes. This tool actually offers a solution to generate minutes from the meeting agenda, access minutes templates, create and assign tasks synced with Planner, To Do or Excel and share minutes for review. It works on Word 2013 and later on PC, Mac and Online.
18. QR4Office — Free l Create QR codes on your documents or slides with this app. The QR code will open a url of your choice. You can use QR4Office to make more engaging and interactive documents or presentation, have your audience use their smartphone to check a website or vote for a poll, for instance. QR4Office is available for versions of Word, PowerPoint and Excel later than 2013 on Windows. It is also available on Mac starting with version 2016.
19. Template Chooser — €20.28/y l This add-in for the Office suite provides a cloud template management solution for organizations. Templates are stored online on a SharePoint website. Template Chooser requires an Office 365 subscription and works with Word, PowerPoint and Excel for Windows. It is not available on Mac iOS.
20. Handy Calculator — Free l If you often need to make some quick calculation aside from your work, you might love this add-in. It provides a calculator next to your Word, PowerPoint and Excel documents. It even makes it easy for you to directly insert the the results in your documents with a Select button. Handy Calculator is available on Office applications starting from version 2013. It also works on the Mac 2016 version.
21. Sticky Text — Free l This Office plugin lets save words, sentences or paragraphs that you believe you will use frequecalcuntly. It also enables web searches without opening a browser, directly from your document. Sticky Text is available with Word and PowerPoint 2013, 2016 and 2019for Windows and 2016 on Mac.
22. Intento Translator — Free but subscription required l This tool lets you translate documents in Microsoft Word or Excel. You can select words and sentences, and then use it to understand content from another language or insert the translation in your document. This app can integrate with DeepL, Google, Baidu and other services so you can choose the best translation. It works with Word 2013 or higher, as well as Word on Mac, iPad or Online.
23. Translation by Text United — Variable l This is an interesting add-in that allows you to send files to a network platform of freelance translators to review or translate your documents. Once your account is created, you just need to select a language and level for the translation, and copy-paste your text. Professionals will make the translation at a given price. You can then ask them to make changes if you need before validating the order. The plugin allows you is available directly from SharePoint so you can send any file directly.
24. Spreadsheet123 — Free l Although initially designed for Excel, Spreadsheet123 is now a Word add-in as well. Instead of starting a document from scratch, pick up a template in their library. The templates include financial statements, budgeting, payroll, invoicing, time sheets, checklists or inventory management templates. Spreadsheet123 works with Word and Excel 2013 Service Pack 1 or later as well as Word and Excel online. This add-in is however not supported on Mac computers.
25. Document Wizard — $4.99/mo l This Word add-in lets you update information such as author, brand name, organizational unit or legal disclaimer of a document with just a click. Documents need first to be configured for working with the Document Wizard. This tool works only on Word 2016 and later versions, for Windows and for Mac., as well as Word online.
26. DocuSign for Word — OnQuote l DocuSign lets you send documents for eSignature. You can securely sign yourself documents, or send it for a colleague or client to sign it. You can also store all your signed documents in a dedicated OneDrive folder. DocuSign meets legal standards. Although DocuSign claims to be an Office App Award 2015 Winner of the Most Business Value, the reviews for this app are really negative and people complain about errors when trying to connect. DocuSign is compatible with Word 2013 and later on Windows, Word 2016 on Mac, Word for iPad and Word Online.
27. Mendeley Citation Plugin — Free l As the name suggests, this add-in lets you search for citations without leaving your Word document. If you are writing academic documents such as thesis or publications, you will love this tool. Just type your keywords and the add-in will search in your Mendeley Library. This tool works with Word and LibreOffice on Windows, Mac and Linux.
28. ImageVault Connect for Office — $2.99/mo l The Image Vault Connect for Office add-in lets you search or browse in your existing media library with ImageVault. You can then insert your resources in your document with a single click. You need an existing ImageVault server and credentials before you can use it. This app works with Word and PowerPoint 2013 and later on Windows, as well as Word Online.
29. Wikipedia — Free l This app for Office lets you quickly access Wikipedia content for your Office documents. It also makes it simpler to reference text and images. Search results will appear in a task pane, and you can choose to show text and images, or just images. The Wikipedia app works with Word and Excel 2013 or later, on Word and Excel 2016 for Mac, on Word and Excel for iPad as well as on Word and Excel Online.
30. RefWorks for Word — £11.99/y l The RefWorks app lets you insert in-text citations directly from your Word documents, move and remove citations and auto-generate or update your bibliography. This is clearly meant for students, academics or researchers who are writing papers with many references. You need to be a subscriber of RefMe Plus and RefMe Institute before you can actually use it. The app is available on Word 2016 on Windows and Word for iPad.
31. CRM Word Interface — Free l This app can be used to generate Word documents from Microsoft CRM. Typically, you can use it to bring customer data from your CRM into a mail or contract template in Word.
32. Adobe Sign — Free but a subscription is required l With this Adobe add-in, you can electronically send Word and PowerPoint documents for electronic signature to colleagues, partners or clients. A subscription is required to use the service. It does not work on Mac and is available for Word and PowerPoint 2013 or later on Windows.
33. Qorus — Free but a subscription is required l The Qorus add-in lets you save time when working on Word documents, with features to automatically generate new documents, searching and inserting existing content from your SharePoint site, ensuring documents are up to date or cleaning them before sending. Qorus requires a subscription to use the service. It is available on Word 2013 or later for Windows. Qorus is not available on Word for Mac.
34. Lexis for Microsoft Office — Free l This add-in from the famous law services firm LexisNexis helps create and review legal documents. You can use this tool to make searches, get cited documents, verify quotes, manage citations format and more. It works with Word 2016 and 2019 on Pc, Mac, iPad and Online.
35. Read my Document — Free l This tool can read your Word documents, using text-to-speach technology so you can hear the content of your file without even looking at it. The app works with Word 2013+, Word Online and Mac iOS.
36. Pickit Presentation Images — Free but a subscription is required for HD images l Pickit Presentation Images is an add-in that lets you browse for images from Word and PowerPoint. Images can be previewed from a task pane, and you can search pictures, icons, 3D or moving images without leaving your application. Although the app is free, you will need a subscription if you want pictures to be in HD. Pickit works with Word and PowerPoint 2013 and later on Windows, as well as Word and PowerPoint 2016 on Mac and Word and PowerPoint Online.
Nota Bene: A feature comparable to this tool also exists within the Power-user suite, allowing you to browse over 100,000+ high-quality pictures and it’s 100% free, without requiring a subscription.
37. Symbols and Characters — Free l This Office add-in helps you insert special characters and symbols in your Word documents. Contrary to the native Symbols button in Office, it uses contextual information to suggest relevant symbols based on your selection. It can be very convenient to easily find currency, mathematical, copyright or language-specific symbols. The app works with Word, PowerPoint and Excel 2013+, on PC, Mac and Online.
38. Rhymes.net — Free l If you have the mind and soul of a poet, this app is definitely made for you. It lets you go through a rhyming dictionary to find the rhymes that will sound just right with your words. You can search by senses as well. Rhymes.net works with Word 2013 and later on PC, and 2016 on Mac.
39. Easy Code Formatter — Free l With this app you can easily format your text as code in Word 2013 on PC or Mac iOS.
40. Sciwheel — Free but subscription required l This Word add-in is great for citing easily in research papers. This tool will help you manage references, can suggest citations and will easily format your bibliography. It works for Word 2016 or later on Windows, Mac or Word Online.
41. Microsoft Mathematics — Free l Microsoft Mathematics is an add-in that lets you plot charts, solve equations or inequalities in Word and OneNote. The add-in works with Microsoft Word 2007 and 2010, as well as OneNote 2010 on Windows.
42. Adobe Document Generation — Free l This ADobe add-in lets you easily create templates for documents with consistent branding using Adobe Document Generation API. Such templates can be invoices, contracts, reports and more. It works on Word 2016 and later on Windows, Mac and on the Online version.
43. Word Training and Tips — Free l If you are beginning with Word, this GoSkills add-in will help you learn some tips & tricks to improve your command of the software with Word cheat sheets. Subscribing will give you access to training as well. The plugin works with Word 2013 or later on Windows, as well as the 2016 Mac version and Word Online.
44. Writer — Free but subscription may be required l Writer is meant for companies wanting a
unified style, voice and terminology on all their documents. It can check the usual grammar and, but also approved terms, pronouns, compliance and more. It is compatible with Word 2016 and later on Windows, Mac and Online.
45. PROMT Dictionary and Translator — Fee l Make sure you don’t use an unwise word that will cause some incident, by getting the exact definition with this add-in. The dictionary also provides translations with multiple choices of words, and translations can be inserted in your documents with just a click. The app supports English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Russian and Spanish. It requires an Internet connection to work, as well as Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Project version 2013 or later, or the 2016 Mac version.
46. vLex — Free but subscription may be required l This add-in is made for legal teams and can help drafting legal advice, identify legal citation and case law validity, get recommendation and more. The app works on Word 2013 and later on Windows, Mac, iPad and Word Online.
47. Easy Code Formatter — Free l If you are developer, this plugin will let you edit your code in a Word document following the properly formatted syntax. Highlight your code and select the coding language, and your code will be formatted to look just like in any code editor. This app works with Word 2013 on Windows, and on the 2016 version for Mac and Online.
48. Pictographr — Free l Insert visual content to your Office documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook). Use this to add a design layer to your work and illustrate it with vivid visuals. Pictographr works with Office 2016 and later on Windows and Mac.
49. Pixabay Images — Free l The Pixabay add-in lets you search for online pictures available on Pixabay, without leaving Word or PowerPoint. And the best of it is that all pictures are available under Creative Common CC0, i.e. they are in the public domain and you don’t have to pay nor to give attribution to the author. Pixabay Images works with Word and PowerPoint 2013 or later on Windows as well as Word and PowerPoint 2016 on Mac and Online.
Nota Bene: this is comparable to the Pictures library included in the Power-user add-in alongside other tools and which includes over 100,000 pictures.
50. IMG Effector — Free l Once you have inserted images in your document, you might want to rework them a bit to give them nice visual effects. This free tool can apply 15 different effects to images in your documents. It works on Word 2013 or later on Windows only.
51. Spell checker and Grammar checker by Scribens — Free or Premium l This plugin lets you detect and correct 250 types of grammar mistakes within Word documents, but also improve your style by avoiding repetitions for instance. The app works with Word 2016 or later on Windows and on Word 2016 on Mac.
52. PDFfiller — Free l This tool lets you open and edit files stored on OneDrive as printable PDFs. This add-in requires Word 2013 or later on Windows or Word Online. It is not supported by Mac iOS.
53. Resume CV Template Builder & Optimizer — Free l Let this app guide you into designing your resume. Enter your data and let it make the design part for you. You can also import your Linkedin profile to get a CV in a matter of minutes. This Word app requires version 2016 or later on Windows or Word 2016 on Mac.
54. Semrush SEO Writing Assistant — Free but subscription may be required l This app designed by famous SEO website Semrush will help you optimize your Word content for high performance on search engines. It will offer suggestions based on best performing content on Google’s SERPs, based on competitors and defined target audience and keywords. This is a great idea for copywriters and anyone writing on Word content that will end up on a website. This tool works with Word 2013 or later on Windows, Mac and Word Online.
55. Woodpecker — Free l Woodpecker is a Word app made to help small businesses save time by providing a templates creation and management solution. Templates can be shared with a team so that people can collaborate on it and Woodpecker provides automated formatting. Woodpecker works on Microsoft Word version 2013, 2016 and 2019 for PC, Word 2016 on Mac and Word Online.
56. Emoji Keyboard — Free l This funny app lets you insert smileys for various emotions in your word document with a single click. The app works with Word, PowerPoint and Excel 2013 and later on Windows, as well as the 2016 Mac version.
57. 300Editors — Free l This add-in will let you hire professional editors around the globe to proofread your text. You can get your document read in real time. The app requires a Microsoft account attached to OneDrive, and works on Word 2013 or later on Windows or Word Online.
58. Consistency Checker — Free l This add-in scans your document and detects consistency mistakes in your text. It looks into hyphenation (e.g. ‘part time’ and ‘part-time’), spelling (e.g. ‘color’ and ‘colour’), use of numbers in sentences, etc. It’s always good to run a little consistency check before you submit your document! The app works on Word and Excel 2013 or later, the Mac 2016 and the Online versions.
59. Lucidchart Diagrams — Free but requires subscription l This add-in lets you insert HTML5 diagrams, flowcharts, UML, wireframes, Mind maps, org charts, etc. The app works on Word 2013 or later on Windows and on Word 2016 on Mac.
60. Dolphin Compose — Free l Dolphin Compose is a common phrase library. The idea behind it is great: you or your organization often use and reuse the same phrases, contract clauses or commercial arguments. This add-in will let you search, edit or reuse such phrases, ensuring correctness, brand consistency and up to date content. You will need to host your library on SharePoint, OneDrive or Dolphin365, and the app will run on Word 2013 or later on Windows, as well as the Mac 2016 and the Online versions.
Conclusion:
Although not exhaustive, this list of add-ins for Microsoft Word provides a wide range of useful tools that will enhance you experience of working with Word. Add-ins have the potential to save you a tremendous amount of time and give you new perspectives.
If you are interested in PowerPoint add-ins as well, check our list of 40+ add-ins, plugins and apps for Microsoft PowerPoint.
If you are also interested in Excel add-ins, check our list of 75+ add-ins, plugins and apps for Microsoft Excel.
The trusted Word app lets you create, edit, view, and share your files with others quickly and easily. Send, view and edit Office docs attached to emails from your phone with this powerful word processing app from Microsoft.
With Word, your office moves with you. Whether you’re a blogger, writer, journalist, columnist, student, or a project manager working on documentation, Word is as handy as you want it to be.
Make impactful text documents, scripts, blogs, write-ups, or resumes. Customize your document, letter, resume, or notes your way with robust tools that enable you to accomplish your best writing with the best format options and templates.
Get the complete Microsoft Office experience when you sign in with your Microsoft 365 subscription. Create and edit documents, collaborate and share with ease when you download Microsoft Word today.
Create Documents
• Jump-start your projects, assignments, letters, blogs, scripts, notes, write-ups, or resume with beautifully designed modern templates.
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• Document formats and layouts stay pristine and look great on any device.
Read, Write, & Edit Documents
• Reading view lets you read lengthy docs, letters, scripts, and more on your device with ease.
• Use familiar writing and editing tools as you’d find on a desktop word processor.
Collaborate Anywhere
• Share thoughts by commenting in docs right next to the text you’re discussing.
• Everyone can collaborate and stay on top of changes to the text, layout, and formatting.
• As you and your team make changes, you can revert to view earlier drafts with improved version history in Word.
Simplified Sharing
• Share files with a few taps to quickly invite others to edit or view your documents.
• Easily manage permissions and see who’s working in a document.
• Copy the content of your Word files directly into the body of an email message with its format intact or attach your docs to an email and make sharing easier.
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Unlock the full Microsoft Office experience with a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription for your phone, tablet, PC, and Mac.
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Ratings and Reviews
4.7 out of 5
1.8M Ratings
Absolutely BAD please read this before downloading
Ok. So, I used to love Word because I can make stories, and do stuff at school like essays and stuff. One day while I was at my home, my computer died while I was on Word. So then I got my sisters computer and then logged in in my account then went to word. When I went to Word, I saw all my work and essays there! I continued using her computer, but then, IT DIED TOO 😡! So then, I got on my tablet (lol I keep have to switch) and got Word on the App Store. When I logged in my account, I saw my essays, and my sisters essays. It’s like our work connected in one same account. I thought it was probably because it went on my sisters computer. Then I realized that it really didn’t matter. So I went to finish my stories and essays, but it said “You don’t have permission to edit this.” But I SHOULD! That was my account. So I needed to see if my sisters account works, but mine doesn’t. I was right! Her’s worked, but mine didn’t. I couldn’t finish or edit my stuff. It’s like we switched accounts. When I tried 1 last time to get in, it said it needed my password. I put my password in, then it was loading, but then… IT KICKED ME OUT!!! 😣😡😭 please fix this. I can go also go on my computer when it’s charged, but you just need to fix that
-Girl who is mad
It’s Word, man.
Great app. Business and academic apps like this are sometimes harder to navigate on iPads or smart devices because you can’t see all the icons like you would on a laptop screen, and the layout is a little different, but it still does mostly everything you’d need for work or school. There are certain things that you can’t do unless you pay and upgrade to premium, like getting unlimited text colors, but that’s pretty much what you get with every app these days. The app still lets you be cheap and get away with making word documents without premium if you don’t want all the bells and whistles included, and it’s still functional, so I don’t personally mind not having premium. You can get by without it if you don’t want to spend the extra money-shoutout to all the broke college students out there and all the kids whose parents won’t let them upgrade- but if you’re willing/have the means to pay, hats off to ya. All in all, it serves its purpose and does what it’s supposed to, it’s not glitchy, and it’s pretty easy to use. I like it. So, that’s my two cents in the subject. Try it out, see what you think, and you can always delete it I guess.
Review of Microsoft word
Well I use Microsoft word at work, the mobile version is vastly inferior. If it were free, I probably couldn’t complain. But, if you want to get the capability of redlining documents and other important work-related actions, you have to purchase the subscription. This is where the trouble begins. Microsoft support is terrible. Several times a year the program won’t work and tells me I need a subscription. I’ve spent hours on the phone with Microsoft since I first purchased this program. There’s some sort of company disconnect between their accounting department and mobile services. This needs to be fixed.
Regarding the applications performance, at best it’s OK. It tends to be slow, saving a document while you were working on it is not as straightforward as it should be, and if you want to dictate, you better proofread twice. Many of the desired editing features are not available in this mobile application. Formatting is next to impossible and many many other features are not available. While I don’t think you can expect 100% duplication, iPad cost more than most PCs, have ample memory, and should be capable of handling all of the commands necessary to do a competent job of preparing a word document. And you should not have to have an external keyboard with your iPad to perform the tasks. Bottom line, The program is livable, but not particularly likable.
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The developer, Microsoft Corporation, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy.
Data Linked to You
The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:
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Location
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Contacts
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Identifiers
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Usage Data
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Information
- Seller
- Microsoft Corporation
- Size
- 277.4 MB
- Category
-
Productivity
- Compatibility
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- iPhone
- Requires iOS 15.0 or later.
- iPad
- Requires iPadOS 15.0 or later.
- iPod touch
- Requires iOS 15.0 or later.
- Languages
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English, Arabic, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian Bokmål, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
- Age Rating
- 4+
- Copyright
- © 2023 Microsoft Corporation.
- Price
- Free
- In-App Purchases
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Microsoft 365 Personal
$6.99 -
Office 365 Personal
$6.99 -
Microsoft 365 Family
$9.99 -
Office 365 Home
$9.99 -
Office 365 Home
$99.99 -
Microsoft 365 Personal
$69.99 -
Office 365 Personal
$69.99 -
Microsoft 365 Family
$99.99 -
Office 365 Personal
$5.99 -
Microsoft 365 Personal
$11.99
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Microsoft 365 Personal
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Developer Website
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App Support
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Privacy Policy
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Developer Website
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App Support
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Privacy Policy
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While many people believe that they are «locked» into using Microsoft Word for all their document creation needs, it simply isn’t true. Over the past few years, there have been many Microsoft Word and Office alternatives that were released and that have gained traction. Now, there are alternatives to the costly application from Microsoft, many of which are free.
Today we’re going to explore ten alternatives to Microsoft Word that you can quickly and easily start using today. Some will be online and some will be downloadable applications that can be installed on your local computer, but all will enable you to wean yourself off of Microsoft Word and still be productive.
This is because they can all work in conjunction with the applications you already use with MS Word. Take your everyday PDF converter tool, for instance. Working with PDF documents is difficult and you may think it even harder if you swap out an application in your usual software lineup. This simply isn’t true, though. Able2Extract Professional, for instance, lets you work easily with any MS Word alternative there is. Simply convert your PDF to Word and then import or upload your converted results into any one of the Word processors in this list. You won’t miss a single beat!
So if you need a good list of free alternatives to MS Word, look no further. Let’s get started on our tour of ten free alternatives to Microsoft Word.
Online Microsoft Word Alternatives
Sometimes it’s easier to create and collaborate online in real-time than by editing and managing multiple versions on your local hard drive and sending the files via email. The web-based word processing applications below will not only let you create the documents online but also quickly and easily share them with others.
Dropbox Paper
Dropbox Paper is a free online word processor offered by the online cloud storage provider. To start using it, you will need a Dropbox account. Once logged in, you get full access to the online suite. The minimalist interface is very intuitive and its simplicity allows you to focus on your content. You can also do a number of things that go beyond creating a textual document. You can add rich media, such as audio, video and images. Dropbox Paper also allows you to access apps that let you embed Trello cards, Youtube videos or SlideShare decks. Other collaborative features include document link-sharing, creating and assigning checklist items to members or embedding one of your Dropbox documents. Dropbox Paper, overall, does an excellent job at creating dynamic documents you can share and access online.
Office Online
For Microsoft Word and Office aficionados, the best possible free online alternative for their document editing needs is definitely Word online, which comes as part of the
Office Online suite. Although free MS Word web app is not a full-fledged version of its paid counterpart, it allows you to open, create and edit Word documents online. Also, it offers some additional benefits of online software tools. For example, the ability to access and see updates from co-authors to your docs literally from anywhere in real time with only an Internet connection and the latest 2016 version. You can share and collaborate on documents. An equally alluring feature of Office Online is its cross-platform compatibility. So, if you’re a Chromebook or Linux OS user, MS Word web app is the most elegant way to get access to Microsoft’s document editing features — for free!
Google Docs
Google Docs allows you to create, collaborate and share documents, spreadsheets, presentations, drawings and even forms. Google Docs is packed with features, which can be further extended with various add-ons. While it will automatically save the file online and store it there, you can also have the documents published as a web page, downloaded or emailed as an attachment in Word, ODT, PDF, plain text or RTF formats. You can invite collaborators to work on the document with you or only allow others to view it without the ability to edit. And if you are apprehensive of having to depend on the Internet connection for document processing, don’t worry. You can enable Google Docs offline access and keep editing your documents even when you are disconnected from Internet. All it takes is a free Google account.
Etherpad
Etherpad is an online document editor primarily intended for collaborative editing in, as the site claims, «really real time». It’s an open source, highly customizable tool for online document collaboration with friends, fellow students and classmates, or colleagues at work. One of its advantages, especially appealing to users who are reluctant to use services which require email registration, is that there is no sign up with Etherpad. All you need to do is start a new pad and share the link to it with your collaborators. You can also invite them by email if you prefer. After that, you can start working on the planned writing project together, in real-time, even if you are miles apart.
Zoho
Zoho offers around 20 free online applications including Writer for word processing. You can link your Zoho account to your Google and Yahoo accounts, as well. The Writer’s interface shouldn’t cause anyone problems as it is comfortably familiar. When working online there’s always the risk of losing data due to a lost network connection, accidentally closing your browser or having your browser crash. Luckily Zoho automatically saves your documents for you, as you finish typing. Zoho Writer is well-equipped with features that allow you to work easily online: two-way desktop sync, large file transfer, encryption, file recovery, two-step authentication, in-app chat, and more. You can import and work with MS Word documents, allowing you to insert images, and edit content as needed. Zoho Writer offers all the standard text formatting and document creation features and can export to DOCX, ODF, PDF, Latex, RTF, TXT and even HTML. It can plug into Echosign for digital signatures, publish the document to a blog or make it public for all to see. Zoho Docs is completely free to use.
Downloadable Microsoft Word Alternatives
Some people are reluctant to cut the ties to their local computer and put all their work and business documents online. If you’re one of them and don’t want to rely on an Internet connection, here are several free word processing applications to round out our list. These you can download and install on your local computer. Take advantage of all the desktop features of MS Word without the hefty price tag!
Apache OpenOffice
The Apache OpenOffice package actually includes six programs that all use the same engine making them inherently the same and extremely easy to learn and use. The 6 applications included in the Apache OpenOffice suite are: Writer (word processor), Calc (spreadsheets), Impress (presentations), Draw (diagrams and illustrations) and Base (database manipulation) and Math (mathematical equations). Writer can even natively do some things that Word cannot, like open PDF files without the addition of a plug-in or commercial add-on. As the software is open source it is maintained by a large community meaning help and bug fixes are freely available and quickly created. The downside to Writer is that it can only open DOCX files without the ability to edit and save them. You can install this suite on Windows XP to Windows 10, macOS and Linux.
LibreOffice
LibreOffice is another open source Microsoft Office alternative and a successor of the OpenOffice.org project (in 2010, Oracle/Apache OpenOffice and LibreOffice projects went separate ways). LibreOffice is distributed as a “monolithic software” consisting of seven components: Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, Math, and Charts. LibreOffice Writer is a free and powerful word processor available for Windows, Linux, and Mac. This Microsoft Word alternative can edit and save DOCX file format meaning that if you often collaborate on documents with Microsoft Office users, LibreOffice Writer is your best choice. It offers multi-language support, a spelling and grammar checker, ability to export in PDF and EPUB ebook format, AutoCorrect and AutoComplete features, a lot of extensions and document templates, and more regular updates and major and minor releases than Apache OpenOffice.
Jarte
Jarte is based on Microsoft WordPad Engine, but is still free. There is a paid version of the software that adds on some extra functionality, but the free version is more than adequate and fully compatible with Word and WordPad documents. Features include an ergonomic tabbed interface, small resource requirements, portability, support for touchscreens, and quick loading time. It also has built-in spell checking and can export to HTML and PDF files. Jarte allows you to insert images, tables, hyperlinks and everything else that you have come to expect from Word. Jarte contains no ads, trial periods or crippled features and is funded through user purchases of the Jarte Plus version.
WPS Office
WPS Office is a free document processing suite whose WPS Writer app will serve you well as a Microsoft Word alternative. WPS Office 2016 Free can open and save to a long list of popular file formats native to those applications like docx, doc, and more. You can get the application in languages other than English: French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish and Russian. The suite has the same familiar look and feel of MS Office with one exception—it has a tabbed viewing window, so you can open more than one document at a time. And also worth mentioning is WPS Cloud, the company’s cloud document storage service that offers up to 1GB of free storage that you can use. This is perfect if you’re trying to find a free Word alternative that’s not only scalable for teams, but can also be as collaborative and seamless as its Microsoft counterpart.
SoftMaker FreeOffice
SoftMaker FreeOffice is another great free suite that offers a full featured Microsoft Word alternative. The suite’s TextMaker application allows you to focus on creating documents just as you would in MS Word. This suite offers up essential editing features and even a handful of basic templates for creating and editing documents. Tables, charts, shapes and graphics are available along with standard text formatting options. This application provides you with everything you need. The entire suite is available for Windows, Linux, and Android, so you can keep your document processing tasks going even while away from your desktop.
Whether you are looking for a free locally installed Microsoft Word alternative or an online one for easier collaboration and online file storage, there are many available. The ten that are covered in this article are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg, but should give you a good starting point. The obvious giants in the arena are Google Docs and Openoffice.org which are probably also the most popular, though Zoho does offer a wider selection of applications. In the end, the one that best suits you will be the one that offers the features you need the most.
No matter which one you pick, you’re guaranteed a fully functional, robust word processor at zero cost. If you also want a completely free PDF viewer with powerful features for Windows, Mac, or Linux, give Slim PDF Reader 2 a chance today!
Microsoft Word — невероятно востребованный в бизнес-сфере и для личных потребностей текстовый редактор, предлагающий широкий спектр функциональных решений и опций для создания, оформления и редактирования текстового содержимого в пределах интуитивной, продуманной оболочки. Microsoft Word обеспечивает пользователя всем необходимым арсеналом средств для публикации качественных, четко структурированных документов с возможностью совместной работы и синхронизацией с облачными серверами.
Штатные возможности Microsoft Word
В стандартном режиме работы приложение предоставляет следующий набор базовых функций и компонентов:
- продвинутое форматирование содержимого с выбором шрифта, обрамления; задания отступов, межстрочных интервалов, ориентации; добавления маркированных, нумерованных и многоуровневых списков; выравнивания по заданной области; выбором заливки и стиля, а также другими элементами компоновки
- вставка таблиц. Поддерживает как добавление стандартных таблиц, сформированных вручную в самом редакторе Word, так и импорт готовых объектов из табличного процессора Excel с переносом числовых данных. Также документы Word могут вмещать в себя рисунки, изображения из Интернета, фигуры, значки, трехмерные модели, объекты SmartArt, диаграммы и снимки экрана
- интеллектуальный конструктор тем. Доступно как применение шаблонов из встроенной в Word библиотеки, так и загрузка дополнительных образцов с сервера разработчика
- точная и детальная компоновка макета документа. Доступно конфигурирование полей, ориентации, размера страниц; колонок, разрывов, номеров строк; расстановки переносов; отступов и интервалов выбранных областей
- набор инструментов Word включает в себя мастера электронных рассылок, осуществляемых с помощью цифрового инфо-ассистента Outlook
- расширенные возможности проверки правописания, тезауруса и грамматики текста, написанного практически на любом языке мира. От версии к версии данный модуль заметно эволюционирует, обрастая интеграцией с AI-движком Cortana и поддержкой рукописного ввода посредством цифрового пера или стилуса
- рецензирование документов в режиме совместной работы. Рецензенты могут оставлять собственные комментарии, делать их доступными для других, а также принимать или отклонять предложенные правки в самом редакторе
- несколько режимов просмотра документов, среди которых режим чтения, видимой разметки страницы, просмотра веб-документа, а также отображением структуры и черновика
- поддержка широкого числа форматов, среди которых нативный для Microsoft Office стандарт Open XML, ставшая уже классической спецификация RTF, а также более привычная для пользователей инструментария OpenOffice или LibreOffice технология OpenDocument. Кроме того, последние издания утилиты способны полноценно импортировать и экспортировать PDF-документы, вносить в них соответствующие правки и сохранять выполненные изменения уже в DOCX-формате.
На этом сайте вы можете загрузить на свой ПК полную русскую версию Microsoft Word любого года выпуска, в зависимости от степени давности вашего рабочего устройства. Перед загрузкой стоит ознакомиться с системными требованиями программного набора.
Подробности
Word — это надежное приложение, в котором можно создавать, редактировать и просматривать текстовые документы (даже вложенные в электронные письма), а также предоставлять к ним общий доступ. С Word возможности Office всегда у вас под рукой. Это приложение подойдет всем, кто работает с документами: блогерам, писателям, журналистам, обозревателям, студентам, менеджерам проектов. А благодаря новому средству чтения файлов PDF теперь в Word можно просматривать документы в формате PDF и читать электронные книги в дороге, перед сном, да и просто когда захотите.
Текстовые документы, сценарии, заметки, письма, резюме, статьи для блогов и СМИ — в приложении Word с его широкими возможностями форматирования можно создать и эффектно оформить любой документ для любой цели.
Создание идеальных документов
Современные, профессионально оформленные шаблоны позволяют быстро приступить к работе над проектом или заданием либо же создать любой документ: письмо, статью в блог, сценарий, заметку, рецензию или резюме. А средства форматирования и параметры разметки помогут точно выразить ваши идеи, ведь документы Word одинаково выглядят и на смартфоне, и на компьютере.
Комфортное чтение, творчество и редактирование
В режиме чтения удобно знакомиться с длинными документами, письмами, сценариями и файлами PDF. К тому же последние можно легко отредактировать: преобразуйте документ PDF в Word, внесите правки, преобразуйте его обратно и поделитесь им всего за пару касаний.
Совместная работа на ходу
Высказывайте предложения, оставляя комментарии прямо рядом с фрагментами текста. Любой пользователь сможет участвовать в обсуждении и следить за последними изменениями в тексте, разметке и форматировании документов. А благодаря улучшенному журналу версий всегда можно посмотреть, как файл выглядел на предыдущих этапах.
Удобный контроль общего доступа
Одним касанием открывайте доступ к своим документам и файлам PDF, чтобы ваши коллеги смогли просматривать и редактировать их. При этом вы полностью контролируете доступ к каждому документу и видите, кто с ним работает. Файлы Word также можно пересылать по электронной почте — во вложении либо просто копируя их содержимое прямо в текст письма с сохранением форматирования.
ТРЕБОВАНИЯ
• Версия ОС: требуется устройство с поддерживаемой версией Android и процессором на базе ARM или Intel x86. Поддержка устройств с ОС Kitkat и Lollipop будет действовать до июня 2019 г.
• Не менее 1 ГБ оперативной памяти
Для создания и редактирования документов на устройствах с диагональю экрана не более 10,1 дюйма можно войти в службу с помощью бесплатной учетной записи Майкрософт.
Для получения доступа ко всем функциям Microsoft Office на телефоне, планшете, ПК или компьютере Mac требуется соответствующая подписка на Microsoft 365.
Оплата за приобретенную через приложение подписку на Microsoft 365 будет списана со счета вашей учетной записи Google Play. Подписка будет автоматически продлеваться в последние 24 часа перед окончанием текущего периода, если только вы не отключите эту функцию заблаговременно. Управлять подписками можно в настройках учетной записи Google Play. Подписку нельзя отменить, пока не закончится активный период ее использования.
Приложение предоставляется либо корпорацией Майкрософт, либо сторонним издателем и подпадает под действие отдельного заявления о конфиденциальности и условий использования. Данные, предоставляемые в ходе использования приложения и магазина, могут быть доступны соответственно корпорации Майкрософт или стороннему издателю приложения, передаваться в США или любую другую страну, где корпорация Майкрософт или издатель приложения и их аффилированные компании или поставщики услуг располагают рабочими мощностями, и далее храниться и обрабатываться в этой стране.
Условия использования Office для Android приведены в Условиях лицензии корпорации Майкрософт: http://aka.ms/eula. Устанавливая приложение, вы их принимаете.
Как играть Microsoft Word: Edit Documents на ПК с помощью NoxPlayer
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1Загрузите NoxPlayer на свой компьютер.
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2Запустите установочный пакет и завершите установку.
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3Найдите Microsoft Word: Edit Documents на NoxPlayer.
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4Установите игру в Google Play.
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5Щелкните значок игры, чтобы начать ее.
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6Играйте в Microsoft Word: Edit Documents с NoxPlayer на ПК проще
Простой метод
Метод 1. Нажмите «Загрузить на ПК», чтобы одновременно загрузить NoxPlayer и файл apk. После завершения установки играйте в игру на ПК.
Метод 2. Если у вас уже есть NoxPlayer на ПК, нажмите «Загрузить APK», затем перетащите файл в эмулятор для установки.
Замечательное видео Microsoft Word: Edit Documents
Хотите ли вы запустить Microsoft Word: Edit Documents с лучшим игровым опытом? Благодаря большому экрану, более умной клавиатуре и более высокой производительности оборудования NoxPlayer предлагает вам невероятные игровые возможности на ПК. Загружая и играя в Microsoft Word: Edit Documents на ПК через NoxPlayer, пользователям не нужно беспокоиться о разряде батареи или прерывании звонка.
NoxPlayer совместим с Android 7 и поддерживает запуск более 90% мобильных игр на ПК, что значительно улучшит ваш игровой опыт. Кроме того, открывая несколько экземпляров, Noxplayer поддерживает одновременный запуск нескольких игр или приложений или общение с другом во время игры.
NoxPlayer полностью совместим с AMD и Intel благодаря эксклюзивной технологии виртуализации ядра, что делает работу вашего компьютера более стабильной и плавной. Загрузите NoxPlayer и испытайте его сейчас!
As far as word processors go, Microsoft Word is still the king. But you don’t have to pay for the expensive Microsoft Office suite to use it. Here are all the ways to get Microsoft Word free.
Of course, MS Word is more than a simple word processor. It has a wide selection of tools and applications. Whether it’s on a computer or on a phone, it’s the best software for creating, editing, and managing documents. And you can download Microsoft Word for free.
Word Mobile for Windows
For a long time, Microsoft offered a free program called Word Viewer to open any DOCX file without paying for the full version of Office. But Word Viewer was retired a few years back. What you have instead is the new Word Mobile.
You can install Word Mobile on any Windows laptop, desktop, tablet, or phone. If your screen is larger than 10.1 inches, however, you can’t create nor edit files with the free Microsoft Word Mobile. Unless you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can only open documents and read them on larger screens.
To grab the app, head to the Microsoft Store and search for Word Mobile. Otherwise, follow the link below and click the Get in Store app button to open it in the Microsoft Store on your Windows computer. Proceed to download it like any app.
Download: Word Mobile for Windows (Free)
Microsoft Office for Android and iOS
Microsoft’s all-in-one Office suite for Android and iOS combines Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Forms, and a host of PDF options in a single app, and it’s completely free.
Perhaps the best part about the free Microsoft Office mobile app is how well it represents documents filled with charts and graphics. This has historically been a problem on most mobile office suites, but such files show up perfectly on this app, scroll through smoothly without lagging, and are smartly optimized for mobile screens.
The app also features a strong dictation mode. Apart from turning your voice into text, you can make lists, add punctuation, change lines, and much more. Not bad considering you’re getting Microsoft Word for free.
Download: Microsoft Office: Edit & Share for Android | iOS (Free)
Use the Android App on Chromebooks
Microsoft Office: Edit & Share is also the best method to get Microsoft Word free on Chrome OS. All Chromebooks now run Android apps, so go to the Play Store and download the same app for the Android linked above.
It will work as if you were using a tablet. The app works fine with a keyboard, and you can keep using the regular keyboard shortcuts you are accustomed to. But in the end, that’s a mobile version of Word, not the proper desktop one. For something closer to the desktop Word experience on a Chromebook, you’re better off using our next option; Office Online.
Office Online
If you have an active internet connection, you can use the free Office Online instead in your browser. All you need is a Microsoft account, which you can register for free, and then choose the Word app.
We can think of a few reasons why you should use Office Online instead of paying Microsoft to use Word. For starters, you can access documents anywhere through the 5GB of free OneDrive storage you get with a Microsoft account. It also accurately retains Microsoft Word formatting, unlike other apps. And it automatically saves your work, so you don’t lose it.
Office Online also makes it easier to share documents and work with others. Like with Google Docs, you and your friends can collaborate on the same document in this free Microsoft Word online app. It’s an easy step to cloud computing for anyone who is already hooked into the Microsoft Office ecosystem.
However, you can’t use Office Online without an internet connection. When you need an offline office suite, fully installed on your own PC, then the good old Office is still your best bet.
Microsoft 365
If you temporarily need the full version of Microsoft Word for free on your PC or Mac, get a trial subscription to Microsoft 365. Until a few years ago, buying Microsoft Office was a one-time cost, but a hefty one.
Now, Microsoft has embraced the subscription model, which actually increases the price but makes a lot of sense if you are using Office on multiple computers for your whole family. Plus, there are some cool freebies packaged with it.
Once you have finished your trial period, you need to make a decision whether to stick with one of the aforementioned Microsoft Word free versions or pay for the full version. The new Microsoft 365 subscription model not only gets you Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, and Outlook, but if you opt for the Family package, it also adds 1TB of OneDrive storage per person, which is a total of up to 6TB.
The Microsoft 365 Family package is available for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. If you plan on sharing your Office with members of your family, this is the best value-for-money deal you can get.
It basically applies to six users; so you can install Office offline on six computers (PC or Mac), six tablets, or six phones, and get the aforementioned 1TB storage for six users each. And you also get some additional safety features for Word Mobile on your smartphone:
The cheaper Microsoft 365 Personal package costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year but supports only one user for 1TB of storage, offline installation on one computer, one tablet, and one phone.
BUY NOW
MICROSOFT 365If you don’t like the new subscription model, you can purchase Office at a one-time cost varying from $149.99 to $399.99.
Before you make a decision, check out these methods to get cheap Microsoft Office and Word licenses.
For Students and Non-Profits
Students can get Office 365 Education for free if your school supports it. You can check out eligibility on the official site. However, be warned that the 1TB of OneDrive storage is associated with your school’s account, which means a school administrator can change permissions and access.
Like students, non-profit organizations can get Microsoft 365 Business Premium for free.
Still Nothing? Try Microsoft Word Alternatives
Microsoft Word has always been a fantastic word processor. Maybe you have moved away from it because of its price. Though these alternatives aren’t the full-fledged Office suite that you expect to grab for free, you can still rely on these methods and use them for your productivity.
Otherwise, you might want to consider these fresh alternatives to Microsoft Office. You never know which of those free or cheap alternatives will work out for you.
There was a time when you had to have Microsoft Office installed to create, edit, or even view a Microsoft Word document. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case. There are a number of free alternatives for working with those Word documents people occasionally send you.
Word Online
Word Online is Microsoft’s own cloud-based solution for working with Word files. It’s part of the Microsoft Office Online suite, and you can access it without a subscription. You just have to sign in with a free Microsoft account.
The interface of the Word Online is similar to the desktop version of Microsoft Word, so if you’re familiar with Word, you’ll feel right at home.
Documents you create with Word Online are saved automatically to your OneDrive folders. Word Online also integrates with the desktop version of Microsoft Word, and you can seamlessly switch to the desktop app with the click of a button. All the changes you make to one version are automatically synced to the other. However, you cannot work in the web-app and the desktop app simultaneously.
Word Online also features real-time collaboration that lets multiple people work on the same document at the same time. This feature works with Word Online, the Windows and Mac desktop apps, and the mobile apps. The iOS and Android app are also free and allow you to view and edit documents on the go.
Word Online is probably your best bet for working with Word documents (other than actually using the desktop app), because it does a good job of maintaining the original formatting of the Word documents. For viewing and editing documents, it’s a great solution.
That said, there are a few disadvantages. You have to be online for it to work; there’s no way to edit a local file offline. Not all the features of the desktop version of Word are present, either. All the basics are there, but you won’t be able to some of the more advanced stuff like create captions and bibliographies, create or apply styles, or use advanced reviewing tools. You can view all those things if they’re already present in the document; you just can’t work with them.
Word Online also has a few restrictions on printing, and you might not be able to fine-tune your prints as you would in the desktop app.
Google Docs
Much like Word Online, Google Docs works in your browser. You can use it to create new document files and collaborate with other users. By default, you can’t work directly with a Word file in Google Docs. Instead, you have to upload the file to Google Drive, and then open it in Google Docs—a process that converts it to a Google Docs file.
For simple, mostly text documents, that might be fine, especially if the document is something you’re just going to be using yourself. However, Google Docs doesn’t do a great job at retaining most formatting that can go along with a Word document. And, if it’s a document you need to edit and return to someone else that uses Word, converting it and then reconverting it isn’t ideal.
The good news is that if you use the Chrome browser, Google makes an extension that lets you open Microsoft Office files (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) directly into their Google counterparts (Docs, Sheets, and Slides) without converting them. The extension is named Office Editing for Docs, Sheets, and Slides—a bit on the nose, but whatever—and it’s free from the Chrome Web Store.
Unfortunately, that leaves users of other browsers out in the cold, unless they can install Chrome extensions. If you need to edit Word documents semi-regularly and want to use Google Docs to do it, it might be worth installing Chrome just for that purpose.
RELATED: How to Install Any Chrome Extension in Firefox
On the features front, Google Docs does fall a bit behind Word Online, but only power users will feel the pinch.
By default, Google Docs works only when you are online. If you want offline access, then you’ll need to install a Chrome extension that enables offline viewing and editing of files. For mobile access, Google offers apps for both iOS and Android devices. Both platforms’ apps support offline file access with editing features, as well.
Zoho Writer
If you’re not a fan of using Word Online or Google Docs, but still want an online solution, Zoho Writer is a free online word processor that lets you import Word documents, without needing to convert them. The only real catch with Zoho Writer is that you can only upload Word documents up to 10 MB in size. That’s big enough to accommodate most documents, but if you’ve got something larger than that, you’ll need another solution.
Zoho Writer supports all the recent Word file formats, and it does a really good job of maintaining the layout of the original Word file. You can also save and export the document to many other formats, such as ODT, RTF, txt, HTML, ePub, and PDF.
Apart from the web app, Zoho also offers mobile apps for Writer which are available for Android and iOS. Both apps also support collaboration and offline editing features.
Libre Office
So far, we’ve looked at several free online services for working with Word documents. LibreOffice is a full desktop app suite that aims to be a free, open source replacement for Microsoft Office. And it’s a capable app. It’s not quite as full-featured as Word itself, but it’s easily out-features any of the online solutions we’ve talked about. It’s available for Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems.
While LibreOffice is primarily designed to work with local documents, it does support services that you can use to edit remote documents, as well.
Unless you’re a real Word power user (in which case, you’d likely have Word, anyway) or you have very specific needs, you should find that LibreOffice can do almost all of what you need when editing a Word document. It even retains formatting pretty well, and supports native Word formats—so, no conversion needed. That said, it can sometimes have issues with image placement in Word documents, especially those documents created in the newer versions of Word.
Libre Office does have a mobile app, but only for Android, and it can only be used to view documents. The app is rough around the edges, so expect some bugs and user experience issues.
Of course, there are other alternatives out there that you can use to to edit Word Documents, but these are the ones that we believe offer the most diverse feature set. If you prefer a specific application, do let us know!
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