Buying word for my laptop

Buy Microsoft Office Products On Jumia At Low Prices

How Can I Download Microsoft Word to My Computer? : Computer Basics

Simplify how you get your work done at work with our range of Office tools such as Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Yammer, OneDrive. Office 365 has you covered with whatever you want to do on your computer or Surface. Whether you are a corporation or an individual, there is something for everyone irrespective of their workforce. Get your work tools for PCs, MacBook, tablets and smartphones. If you are running on iOS, Android or Windows operating system this MS office 365 got you covered. Share your office home with your family or colleagues and get tasks done online.

How To Create A Bootable Usb Drive

Users could create a bootable DVD or a bootable USB drive. We use bootable DVD as the example.

Install and open Windows Password Reset Platinum on an accessible computer and insert a formatted USB flash drive into the computer. Windows Password Reset Platinum is able to create bootable disc as well. The steps are the same with bootable USB drive.

Tap on Burn USB button to create bootable USB drive. The whole process may need a few minute.

Use Microsoft Word For Free

Even though you do not purchase the Microsoft product key, you can use Microsoft Word for free.

• 1.Microsoft provides a month free trial of Office 365 Home Premium. So you can use Word on multiple PCs and Macs for a month without paying a penny. A month later, you can cancel the service and start another free trial.
• 2.Office Professional Plus 2013 has two months free trial. And you can follow the steps below to extend the free trial to six months. After install Office Professional Plus 2013 on your computer, go to C: -> Program Files -> Common Files-> Microsoft Shared. Press Shift key and right-click the folder named OfficeSoftwareProtectionPlatform then choose Open command window here option. Input OSPPREARM.EXE in command prompt window and press Enter key.
• 3.Microsoft has released Office Online service, which is totally free. Office Online provides all basic features of desktop programs. Moreover, you can save documents to OneDrive directly. Office Online service is more convenient to team work.
• 4.Office Mobile is another free service that developed by Microsoft. Office Mobile app is available for Android, iPhone and Windows Phone currently.

You can enjoy these Microsoft Word applications for free without Microsoft Word product key.

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How To Activate Microsoft Word

Install Microsoft Office 2010 on your computer. You can download the installation file from Microsoft website for free.

Open Word application and go to File-> Help menu.

Tap on Activate Product Key button and follow the instructions and enter your 25-character product key to complete the process.

If you want to activate Microsoft Word 2013 or 2016, you can use your Microsoft account.

How To Download Microsoft Office: Word Excel Powerpoint & More On Pc

• 1. Download MEmu installer and finish the setup

• 2. Start MEmu then open Google Play on the desktop

• 3. Search Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint & More in Google Play

• Install

  4. Download and Install Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint & More

• 5. On install completion click the icon to start

• 6. Enjoy playing Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint & More on PC with MEmu

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You Don’t Necessarily Need To Pay To Get Word And Other Office Apps

ByChris Martin, Reviews Editor| 13 Aug 2021

• > Free Office alternatives

Not so long ago, Microsoft released a new version of Word and its other Office apps every few years. These launches were eagerly anticipated, with relatively few new features released in between.

While Microsoft still produces standalone versions of these apps, many of the new features are behind the paywall of Microsoft 365. A subscription offers plenty of functionality besides Word, Excel and PowerPoint, but if you’ll only be using basic features, it can be difficult to justify the cost.

Fortunately, there are plenty of other options if you’re looking to get started with Word or any of the other Microsoft Office apps. You can access these across all your devices, whether you’re working on a phone, tablet, laptop or PC.

We’ve outlined some free workarounds below, as well as significantly discounted offerings, but should you go through all this and decide you don’t want Microsoft Word at all there is also plenty of free alternative office suites that are compatible with Microsoft’s software.

Sign Up And Get Started

First, you’ll need a Microsoft Account. If you don’t already have one, set it up at the Microsoft Account website. A Microsoft Account comes with 5GB of free OneDrive storage if you need more, you can snag 100GB for $1.99 a month. Navigate to the Office website and click the Sign in button. Sign in with your Microsoft Account, and youre taken to the Office website.

On the left are icons for apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. After you start creating and saving Office files, theyll appear at the bottom of the page as recent documents so you can more easily access them.

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Try Microsoft 365 For Free

Being able to view documents alone is of limited use, so if you’re using a device with a screen bigger than 10.1in you’ll want some extra functionality.

The easiest solution is to sign up for Microsoft 365, the company’s cloud-based subscription service, which starts at £5.99/US$6.99 per month for a Personal account. It offers the same apps listed above, but simply unlocks their full feature set on any device, while saving your work in the cloud so that you can access it wherever you are. You also get access to programs like Exchange Online and .

Several new features were added in the April 2020 rebranding of Office 365 to Microsoft 365, but none are likely to fundamentally change the way you use the apps. They include a consumer-focused Teams subscription, new Family Safety app and a handful of new features across the core Office programs.

The good news is there’s a one-month free trial of Microsoft 365, so you can test it out without committing to paying a penny.

Try The Mobile Apps On Phones And Small Ipads

How to get Microsoft Word for FREE!!!

Microsofts Office apps are free on smartphones, too. On an iPhone or Android phone, you can to open, create, and edit documents for free.

On an iPad or Android tablet, these apps will only let you create and edit documents if you have a device with a screen size smaller than 10.1 inches. On a larger tablet, you can install these apps to view documents, but youll need a paid subscription to create and edit them.

In practice, this means Word, Excel, and PowerPoint offer a full experience for free on the iPad Mini and older 9.7-inch iPads. Youll need a paid subscription to get document-editing capabilities an iPad Pro or newer 10.2-inch iPads.

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Do I Need A Laptop With A Long Battery Life

If you regularly use your laptop on the go, a longer battery life is useful. A laptop with 10 hours or more of battery life gives you the freedom to work all day without charging – ideal for taking notes in meetings, checking emails on the commute, or watching a film during down time.

Get Microsoft Teams For Free

If you often collaborate with other people you can also which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote Online apps. Teams lets you chat, share files and start video calls from within the platform. There are premium plans as well starting from £3.80/month per user.

Microsoft is offering a one-month free trial of all the subscriptions.

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How Can It Be Free

Free software falls into two categories: promotional freebies, usually hoped to serve form of commercial again, and software developed to help people fight back against big software providers.

The latter has grown hugely as more people have embraced open source projects, where the building blocks big chunks of code are free for everybody to adapt and improve.

Everything You Need To Find A Laptop Youll Love

In this guide we cover the most important things to consider before buying a new laptop, along with all the information you need to make sure your new laptop does exactly what you want it to do.

If you still have questions or want to see the latest features and tech for yourself, why not call into your nearest store and speak to one of our colleagues, who will happily help you find the perfect laptop.

CONTENTS:

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I Don’t Have A Microsoft Account Yet Or I Forgot My Username Or Password

Before you can install Microsoft 365 or Office 2021 you need to associate it with a Microsoft account, or work or school account.

If you have an Office for home product and bought Office at a retail store or online store, but don’t have a Microsoft account, it’s possible you haven’t redeemed your product key yet , or you missed the step for linking your recent purchase with an account. Do the following to link an account with Office.

For an Office for home product, go to office.com/setup and create a new Microsoft account or sign in with an existing one, then follow the remaining steps on that page such as entering your product key . Your account is successfully associated with Office when you see the page, My Office Account followed by your Microsoft account email address, and a button to install Office. Select the PC or Mac tabs above to help you with the rest of the install process.

Yes You Can Get Microsoft Word For Free: Here’s How

Don’t want to pay for the full Microsoft Word experience? Here are some ways on how you can use Microsoft Word for free.

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.

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Editing An Existing Office File Online

Now, if you already have Office documentsperhaps from a colleague or your boss, or from an older version of Office you had on another computeryou’ll want to be able to view and edit them in Office Online too. That’ll take just one extra step. You’ll first need to go to OneDrive.com, sign in with your Microsoft Account as before, then drag-and-drop your files to the OneDrive page . Alternately, you can sync them to your account with the OneDrive Mac or PC apps.

Now, to open your documents online, just click on your document and it’ll open in the appropriate Office Online app, though only in the view mode. To edit the document, you’ll need to click Edit Document in the ribbon, then select Edit in Word Online . That’ll send you to the Office Online app we looked at before, where you can take advantage of all the great editing features you need.

How To Download Word For Free

How to Find Word & Excel Documents on Your Hard Drive : Microsoft Office Tips

You will need to log in or create a new free Microsoft account. Take note the free trial is only available for new customers. So, if youve previously purchased a subscription, even to an older version of Office, it wont let you continue to the download section. The way around this is to create a new Microsoft account. It only takes a minute enter a valid email address, new password, and confirm the email by entering the verification code you received in your email.

Even though its a free trial, you will need to enter your credit card information. Click the Next button to proceed to the secure payment page.

Choose your payment method. The options are Credit Card or Debit Card, PayPal, or Mobile Phone.

Enter your payment information and click the Save button.

Press the Subscribe button.

After your subscription is confirmed, click the Continue button.

When the download is complete, open the file, and Microsoft will automatically install the entire collection of Microsoft 365 apps to your computer.

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Restore Previous Versions Of Documents In Office Online

It’s so easy to accidentally delete part of your document only to realize later that you deleted info you actually still neededand that’s only easier if you’re collaborating with others on your documents. In Office Online, you’ll never have to worry about losing your work since it automatically saves your work and backups previous versions of your files. To restore the previous version of a file, just click the File button in the top left of the ribbon, select Info, then click the Previous Versions button. That’ll open a list of the previous versions of your file that you can view online, restore, or download a copy for safe keeping.

Features Of Microsoft Office: Word Excel Powerpoint & More On Pc

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Office Online: The Free Office You’ve Always Wanted

The new Office Online is actually nothing terribly new. Back in 2010, Microsoft added “Office Web Apps” to their Skydrive online storage service, which let you edit your Office documents online with a basic copy of Office 2010-styled apps. It worked nice, but was always hidden inside Skydrive. Now that they’ve recently rebranded Skydrive as OneDrive, they’ve also set the Office Web Apps free to live on their own as Office Online, complete with a new Office 2013-style UI.

Now, before we get started, it’s important to clear up a bit of confusion. These free Office apps are web appsthat is, they run in your web browser, and yet they feel more like an “app” than a standard site. You can’t install them on your PC or Mac like you can install normal Office apps, and they won’t work when you’re not connected to the internet. That’s not a huge problem, though, since most of us are online all day already. Best of all, Office Online saves the files you make online to OneDrive, which you can sync for free with your Mac or PC to see your documents when you’re offline. That’s not too bad for free.

With that, let’s get started.

Office 365 For Home Users

Home users have a choice of two versions of Office 365. Both versions come with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher and Access , along with OneDrive cloud storage and Skype services.

Office 365 Personal provides the above 6 programs accessible via any device and a user license for 1 PC or Mac. The user can install Office 365 on an unlimited number of devices and be signed in to 5 devices at the same time.

Office 365 Home provides the above 6 programs accessible via any device and up to 6 user licenses for PC or Mac.

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What If I’m Not Eligible

If your school doesn’t qualify, Microsoft suggests asking your IT department to consider licensing Office through Microsoft’s Volume Licensing program. Alternatively, if you really must have Microsoft Office and the alternatives below won’t do, you can get a one-year subscription to Office 365 Personal for £59.99 or for a one-off £119.99, Office Home & Student .

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Print And Save Your Documents

When your work’s done and you’re ready to share your document, you’ll most likely need to share a copy of your document file or print it out. That’s just as easy in Office Online as it would be in any other copy of Office. Just click the File tab again and select Print to print out a copy of your document, or select Save As and click the button to save a copy of your document to your computer. The file that’ll download automatically is a normal Office file that’ll open in any other copy of Office, or in Office alternates like iWork, LibreOffice, and Google Docs. Alternately, if you’re syncing your OneDrive files with your computer, your new document will automatically sync to your computer so you can copy it from your OneDrive folder and share it.

There’s another nice option if you’re sharing your document online: you can embed an Office Online document in your website so others can read it online. Just select the tab in the File menu, click the Embed button, and then click the Generate button, copy the code, and paste it into your site. That’s a great way to share, say, your team newsletter document on your company site, or a spreadsheet of data in a research blog post.

Microsoft Office began life all the way back in 1990, predating widespread availability of the internet. It’s undergone a variety of changes in that time, but maintained the same name until 2022.

That’s when Microsoft announced that it would be rebranding standalone versions of Office apps to ‘Microsoft 365’, matching what we saw with the company’s productivity-focused subscription service in 2020.

At its most basic, paying regularly gets you access to Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote and Publisher, plus Teams for communication and Outlook for email. You also get cloud storage via OneDrive and regular updates, but even more software is available on professional and business plans.

While this article is designed to help you decide between them, it’s far from your only option. As has always been the case, Microsoft continues to release standalone versions of Office apps every few years. The latest version was released in 2021, but aside from software patches, you won’t get any updates.

For some people, it’s also possible to access Microsoft Office free or at a discounted rate. Here’s everything you need to know.

How to get Microsoft Office on your laptop or PC

In years gone by, the best (and only) way to get Office was to buy a CD-ROM for a one-off price and install it onto your PC or laptop. These days that would be a bit of a faff, with many laptops not even having disc drives anymore, but it was one way to ensure you had a physical backup.

Nowadays, Office is available as a download, but you can either buy it outright with a one time purchase, or as a monthly subscription. There are advantages to either options.

Any Microsoft product under the ‘365’ umbrella is subscription-based, referring to the number of days in a year. Any Microsoft product without ‘365’ in its name is likely to be a one-time purchase – good if you only want to pay once, but you won’t be able to upgrade the software with online updates like you can with 365 subscriptions. 

There are also several different versions of Office available, and you should choose the best one for you depending on your needs. It’s worth noting that while this buying guide covers every platform, Mac users might want to take a look at the specific Office for Mac buying guide on our sister site Macworld.

First, we’ll break down Office options if you are buying for personal home or student use, and then go on to the options if you are buying it for work or use within a small business.

Which version of Microsoft Office do you have?

If you’re looking to upgrade, it’s easy to check which version of Microsoft Office you have installed. Provided you’ve downloaded all the apps at the same time, they should all be running the same version. 

For the purpose of this article, we’re using Microsoft Word. The process may vary slightly depending on your device and app, but it should still be easy to find:

1. Open the Office app of your choice. You should be presented with a home screen similar to the one below
2. From the bottom-left corner, click ‘Account’
   
3. Under the ‘Product Information’ section, look for ‘About Word’. Here, you should see ‘Version’ followed by a four-digit number
   
4. To find out when this version was released, a quick web search will tell you

However, the process differs on older Office apps. In Word 2010, you need to choose ‘File’, then ‘Help’. The information will then be displayed on the right side of the screen, as you can see below.

It’s different again in Word 2007. Click on the round Microsoft Office icon in the top left and then ‘Word Options’ at the bottom of the menu. Next, choose ‘Resources’ – the last option on the left-side panel. You should see an ‘About’ button at the bottom of the list which will provide you additional details about the version that you own.

In the 2003 version, go to the ‘Help’ option in the top menu bar, and then the ‘About Microsoft Office Word’. In the pop-up, you will see the MS Office World version along with the suite it belong to, like the Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003.

Does Windows 11 come with Microsoft Office?

No, it doesn’t. Windows 11 was released in 2021 and is a free upgrade for most Windows 10 users, but Microsoft Office apps aren’t included. All your existing files and apps will make the move, though, so if you already have a standalone version (such as Office 2019 or Office 2021) it’ll still be available.

But everyone else will need to pay for access. Learn more in our separate guide: Does Windows 11 come with Microsoft Office?

Do I need Microsoft 365 to use Outlook?

If Outlook is your email client of choice, you might be wondering if you need to sign up for Microsoft 365 to access it.

The answer is no. Outlook is pre-installed on all Windows 11 and Windows 10 devices, meaning you can start using it straight away.

It used to only be available to Microsoft 365 subscribers on a Mac, but Microsoft has removed this restriction. You can download Outlook from the Mac App Store now, while it’s always been free on iOS and Android.

But if you’re a heavy Outlook user, there are some benefits to a Microsoft 365 subscription. These are:

• 50GB of email storage rather than 15GB
• No ads
• Email encryption
• Extra email security tools for detecting phishing and malware

You can also currently create a personalised email address, but this option is being removed on 30 November 2023.

Will Microsoft 365 be getting new AI features?

Yes. In March 2023, Microsoft announced Microsoft 365 Copilot, a brand-new AI assistant designed to help you be more productive.

It’ll be integrated into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams and other apps, and be used to create entirely new documents, summarise existing ones and help you with specific features.

The functionality here is based on GPT-4, an updated text-based AI model from OpenAI – the company behind ChatGPT. Microsoft’s introduction video gives you an idea of what to expect:

Microsoft 365 Copilot is in testing with “select commercial customers” at the time of writing, but it’s not clear when the feature will be rolled out to consumers.

It’s likely to be exclusive to Microsoft 365 subscribers, although that’s yet to be confirmed.

The news arrived shortly after Microsoft’s reveal of a new version of its Edge browser and Bing search engine with an integrated AI chatbot based on ChatGPT.

Microsoft 365 (previously Office 365)

Microsoft’s productivity-focused subscription service was known as Office 365 from its initial launch in 2011 until 2020. Since April 2020 it’s been known simply as ‘Microsoft 365’, but the rebrand didn’t affect functionality aside from a few new features.

First up are the options designed for the individual consumer (i.e. probably you). If you’re subscribing, there are two main options to choose from: Personal (for just one user) or Family (for up to six users). For both, you have the option to pay monthly or annually:

• Microsoft 365 Personal – $6.99/£5.99 per month or $69.99/£59.99 per year – one person, 1TB of cloud storage
• Microsoft 365 Family – $9.99/£7.99 per month or $99.99/£79.99 per year – up to six people, 1TB of cloud storage each, extra Family Safety features

• See all the Microsoft 365 for home options in the US
• See all the Microsoft 365 for home options in the UK

There’s also a special free version for students and university staff which we’ll get to later.

The main benefit to opting for Microsoft 365 is that you’ll get regular updates for as long as you’re a subscriber, with no need to jump from one version to the next every few years, and no headaches about file compatibility.

You can also save your work to the cloud, similar to Google Docs. Microsoft also throws in a few extra benefits such as 1TB of cloud storage and full access to Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft 365 – Family vs Personal

If you’re subscribing, there currently two main options to choose from: Personal (for just one user) or Family (for up to six users). For both, you have the option to pay monthly or annually:

• Microsoft 365 Personal – $6.99/£5.99 per month or $69.99/£59.99 per year – one person, 1TB of cloud storage
• Microsoft 365 Family – $9.99/£7.99 per month or $99.99/£79.99 per year – up to six people, 1TB of cloud storage each, extra Family Safety features

The extra £20/$30 per year or £2/$3 per month for the Family subscription is a great deal if you choose to share the subscription costs among friends. The yearly subscriptions save you on two months of payment as well.

There’s also no device limit on Microsoft 365 installations, meaning both Family or Personal subscribers can install the software on as many devices as needed. You are limited to working on five devices simultaneously, though.

However, on 11 January 2023, Microsoft announced that a new third tier would be added on 30 January. Known as Microsoft 365 Basic, it’ll replace the existing OneDrive 100GB storage plan but retain the same price – $1.99/£1.99 per month or $19.99/£19.99 per year. More details on what it offers below.

Microsoft 365 Family

• For 6 users at at time across unlimited PCs/Macs, tablets and phones
• 1TB cloud storage per user for 6 users (6TB total)
• Ongoing access to updates
• Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher (PC Only), Access (PC Only), OneDrive, Microsoft Teams

US: $99.99 per year or $9.99 per month

UK:  £79.99 per year or £7.99 per month

Microsoft 365 Personal

• For 1 PC/Mac across unlimited PCs/Macs, tablets and phones
• 1TB cloud storage for one user
• Ongoing access to updates
• Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher (PC Only), Access (PC Only), OneDrive, Microsoft Teams, Family Safety

US: $69.99 per year or $6.99 per month

UK: £59.99 per year or £5.99 per month

Microsoft 365 Basic

• For 1 PC/Mac across unlimited PCs/Macs, tablets and phones
• 100GB cloud storage for one user
• Web and mobile versions of apps only
• More features to be added

US: $19.99 per year or $1.99 per month

UK: £19.99 per year or £1.99 per month

Office 365 Education – Free options for students

Office 365 Education is (as the name suggests) a special version of Microsoft 365 for students and university faculty or staff. Students and teachers can sign up for free web access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Microsoft Teams under the Office 365 A1 plan.

Unsurprisingly, you’ll need a university email address or other proof of your status to claim it. See our full article on how to get Microsoft Word for free.

There’s also the 
Office 365 A3 plan if you want desktop access to the apps, which costs £2.20/US$2.50 per month for each student and £2.85/$3.25 for each teachers or other member of staff. The top-tier Office 365 A5 plan, which costs £5.30/$6 per month for students and £7.05/$8 per month for teachers, offers desktop and web access along with added security features.

• 
  Get Office 365 Education for UK schools 
• Get Office 365 Education for US schools

If you want to look for other great student tech deals, check out
Tech Advisor’s back to school hub. 

Office Home and Student 2021

If you would prefer to pay a one-off price, Office Home and Student 2021 is the right package for you. You lose the automatic software updates of Microsoft 365, but that means you can use the software for years without being tied into a subscription. It works with one device running Windows 11, Windows 10 or any recent version of macOS.

• Office Home & Student in the US – $149.99
• Office Home & Student in the UK – £119.99

However, you don’t get full access to the mobile and tablet apps here (anyone can still use them to view documents for free, just not edit or create them), there’s no cloud storage included, and you don’t get access to the full suite of Office programs included in Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

Office 2021 includes new features such as a black theme in Word, new learning tools, new charts and timelines, new transitions in PowerPoint and lots more. But unlike a Microsoft 365 subscription, it won’t continue getting new features over time.

It’s also worth noting that Microsoft Office will soon be known as Microsoft 365 following a rebrand, but it’ll still perform in exactly the same way.

Microsoft 365 Business

Microsoft also offers business-minded versions of its software. We’re focusing on the options for small businesses here, but Microsoft also offers
Enterprise plans for larger companies. Once again, there’s a split between the 365 subscription packages and the one-off purchase version of Office 2021.

There are three main versions of Microsoft 365 Business available, each offering very different software packages, so make sure you pick the right one. Be especially mindful about Microsoft 365 Business Basic (from $6/£4.50 per user per month), which doesn’t actually include desktop versions of the core Office software like Word and Excel – just Microsoft’s online and cloud tools.

Also note the Microsoft 365 Apps for business plan ($8.25/£7.90 per user per month) includes both desktop and mobile version of the apps but without the other productivity tools such as email, calendar and Teams conference call features.

Here’s a summary of all four main business-focused plans we’d recommend:

Microsoft 365 Business Standard

• One licence for 5 PCs/Macs plus 5 tablets and 5 phones per user
• 1TB cloud storage per user
• Allows up to 300 users
• Ongoing access to updates
• Desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher, Access, OneDrive
• Web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint

US: $12.50 per user per month

UK: £9.40 per user per month

Microsoft 365 Business Premium

• For 5 PCs/Macs plus 5 tablets and 5 phones per user
• 1TB cloud storage per user
• Allows up to 300 users
• Email hosting with 50GB mailbox and custom domain address
• Ongoing access to updates
• Desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher, Access
• Access to OneDrive, Exchange, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Yammer
• Web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook

US:  $22 per user per month

UK: £16.60 per user per month

Microsoft 365 Business Basic

• 1TB cloud storage per user
• Email hosting with 50GB mailbox and custom domain address
• Allows up to 300 users
• Ongoing access to updates
• Video conferencing with up to 250 people
• OneDrive, Exchange, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Yammer
• Web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote

US:  $5 per user per month (annual plan)

UK: £4.50 per user per month (annual plan)

Microsoft 365 Apps for business

• For 5 PCs/Macs plus 5 tablets and 5 phones per user
• 1TB cloud storage per user
• Web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and OneDrive
• Ongoing access to updates
• Allows up to 300 users

UK:  £7.90 per user per month (annual plan)
US:  $8.25 per user per month (annual plan)

UK: £7.90 per user per month (annual plan)

Related articles

• Do students get Office 365 for free?
• How to get Microsoft Word for free
• How to get Microsoft Excel for free
• How to get Microsoft PowerPoint for free

If you’re looking for a Chromebook word processor, you’ve come to the right place.

I’m guessing you’re a student or professional in need of a word processor to type out documents on your Chromebook.

You may have tried to find a way to install Microsoft Word on your laptop, only to find out there’s no actual way to actually install it.

They don’t even have a CD optical drive to install it in the first place (for those who are old-school).

In this list, we’ll go over some of the best alternatives to Word for Chrome OS. And if you’re really intent on getting Microsoft Word or Office on a Chromebook, we’ll cover that as well.

Sound good? Let’s get started.

Last updated: 3/3/23. Updated with detailed information for WFH positions.

Chromebooks and Word

As you probably know, you can’t really just “install” Office or Word on Chrome OS.

But don’t worry, there are alternatives that you can use.

Most programs work in the cloud, so you may not even need a standalone app now. For instance, Sheets and Word both have web-based versions.

Chromebooks natively doesn’t support third-party programs, unless they’re apps that are approved for the Chrome Web Store (and if your laptop is Android app compatible, you get those apps too).

This means that you can’t run it like you’re used to on a Windows desktop, laptop, or smartphone.

You’ll have to find a workaround to get it on your laptop. This is likely an alternative app from another company that works and performs the same tasks as it.

And, if you really just want to use Microsoft Word on your Chromebook, there’s a way to do that too. I’ll cover it.

(I know you’re probably a Windows user and you’re in need of it so you can start typing away on that paper.)

Getting a Chromebook word processor up and going

As mentioned, Chromebooks don’t natively support Microsoft Word, so you should look for alternatives to it.

The easiest way to do this is to use third-party apps developed by Google or other companies that are basically document processors without the whole “Microsoft” part.

You’ll need to find an app from the Chrome Web Store to do this. I’m going to assume you don’t have access to Android apps, just so we’re all on the same page.

Not everyone has a laptop that can run Android apps from the Play Store, but every Chromebook can run Web Store apps. So this guide will work for anyone with a Chromebook.

There are three amazing substitutes you can use instead of it, and I’ll go over all three of them right now. Let’s go over them in no particular order.

Word Processor Alternative #1: Google Docs

This is probably my favorite Chromebook word processor (yes, I like it more than the original).

It’s made by Google and works exactly like what you’re used to.

The only difference is that it’s actually easier to use and it saves every second- literally.

Google Docs is like a slimmed-down version of what you’re used to, but not exactly. The navigation bars are simpler and everything you need is right there. For the more abstract tasks, you can find it but you’ll have to dig through the menus.

It’s also constantly updated without you even knowing. It updates from Google’s servers, so whenever you load a new document, it’ll automatically be using the newest version.

There are also plenty of add-ons you can get (lots of them free) to do all sorts of extra functionality to your writing experience. Add-ons are like “apps” for this app. It’s crazy. You can get add-ons that help you create a table-of-contents to translating text to generating a bibliography automatically.

But chances are that you won’t have to go looking for anything, as Docs puts everything you need right in front of you. Think of it as a quick-access navigation bar. You have all the formatting you could need. Right there in front of you.

Docs isn’t really a slimmed-down version. It’s just a simpler version that can do pretty much everything that the original can do…without the clutter.

I find it very easy to use and really easy to navigate. You can even search for help instantly within the menu if you get stuck on something and you don’t know how to fix it. It’s all there for you. And there’s tons of help online.

What I really like about Google Docs as an alternative is that it’s lean, faster, and it saves everything you do in the cloud (Google’s servers). And by everything, I literally mean it.

As you type, make changes, and whatever else, Docs will automatically save your changes. There’s a little text box near the top of the screen that saves “Saving…” or “All changes saved in Drive.” As you go through your document, you’ll see it constantly updating so you never lose your work.

Yes, you’ll need a Google Drive account to get going, but it’s basically set up for you as soon as you launch your first Doc.

If your laptop loses WiFi connection, you can turn on offline sync so it’ll automatically update when a connection is regained. You literally have no way to lose your work.

Compared to the original, sometimes my laptop runs out of power unexpectedly since the battery meter isn’t calibrated. Or maybe it forces a refresh because of some other program installed. Or my desktop will update overnight with Windows Update and restart itself.

All my work has vanished. It’s one of the biggest wastes of time. You wouldn’t guess how many hours of work this has saved me (not to mention the headaches and frustration).

This is a major reason why I turned to Docs. If you’re used to Windows and you need a text processor for your Chromebook, use Google Docs.

It’s made in a way similar to it so you know where everything is. And the help menu actually helps. You can search for something and get an answer. Just try it. You’ll like it.

You can even save your files as filetypes you’re used to (.docx, etc.) even if you typed the whole thing up with Google Docs. How cool is that?

And if you like collaborating with others, or if you just have a group project, you can easily work with them using Docs. You can see who’s in the same “room” as you, the changes everyone has made, and where everyone’s cursor is to see what they’re working on. You can also make comments and directly communicate with each other as well.

Working from home has a lot of companies now using Google’s suite of productivity tools to help employees easily collaborate together on documents online.

It’s come a long way since inception. With people working virtually, collaboration is built-in. You can invite people to view, edit, or critique your work simply by sending them an invitation. Since it runs through the web directly in the browser, no installs are needed. This means they can be using Safari, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Brave, or anything recent. They just need a Google Account for easy group work.

It makes writing documents a party for all. Join in.

I use Docs for everything- writing, making to-do lists, saving personal memos, capturing screenshots, taking notes, and even writing some of these articles (like the one you’re reading now).

You don’t need to download nor install anything to get Google Docs.

It’s all web-based. Just go here and check it out.

Update: This is still my go-to text editor. They’re constantly adding new features to it. My only gripe with Docs is that the spellcheck isn’t always that accurate. So that’s why I run my articles through multiple spellcheckers. I’d suggest you do the same if you decide to use Docs with Chrome OS.

Update: In 2021, I still use Docs as my primary word editor. I’ve noticed that the spellcheck is sub-par compared to other free alternatives, so be sure to run your document through another spellchecker for Chromebooks before you publish.

Word Processor Alternative #2: Use your Chromebook’s native file editor

You can easily view, edit, and open Word files on by using your device’s native built-in file editor.

It’s your Chromebook’s word processor that’s made to work with all things text related. This means you can open a file that you download from your email, USB drive, cloud service, or whatever other means you can grab one.

This means you can open a file that you download from your email, USB drive, cloud service, or whatever other means you can grab one.

Simply open it up and you’ll be able to make changes to it. You can also save it in the same “.docx.” format even if you edit it with the native editor.

You can open up a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file on your Chromebook by doing the following:

Step 1: Grab the Word file and save it to your Chromebook. This should be self-explanatory, but I understand that many readers aren’t familiar with Chromebooks, so I’ll break it down:

• If you’re getting it from your email, download it and it’ll be in your “Downloads” folder.
• If you’re importing it from a flash drive, open up the file explorer and connect to your USB drive. Find the file and save it to your Chromebook.
• If you’re downloading it from a cloud service, like Google Drive, just save it and it’ll show up in your “Downloads” folder.

Step 2: After you’ve saved the file, click on the Launcher icon in the bottom-left of your screen. You can also just press the “Search” key on your keyboard (where the “Caps Lock” key is on a traditional Windows keyboard).
Step 3: Click on “All Apps” then go to “Files.”

Step 4: Find the Word or Office file, double-click it, and it’ll open up in your native file editor.

Step 5: Make your changes, edits, and whatever else you need to do.

Step 6: If you want to save it in the same format so you can easily open it on a Windows computer, save it in the same format it previously was by going to “Save As…” and then choosing the proper file type.

(If you’re new to Chromebooks, you may want to check out this beginner’s guide to get up and going.)

Are you getting a “file not supported” error?

The file type must be: .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx for it to open. If it doesn’t open, it could be corrupted or larger than the size limits that’s allowed.

If you get a “file not supported” error, try opening up the file on your Windows computer and breaking it down into parts or removing any images from it. Save it again. Then try to open it again on your Chromebook.

Word Processor #3: Use an app

There are plenty of Microsoft Office apps available for Chrome OS.

The most reliable one is made by Google and has full support for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

It’s an app you add to your Chrome web browser. It’ll allow you to view, edit, and save Office files without needing to install any Microsoft products on your computer. It works not just for Chromebooks, but any computer running Chrome Internet browser- this means you can use it on a Windows or Mac computer as well.

It’s very easy to use too. Once you install it and activate it, you can drag your Microsoft files into Gmail, Chrome, Drive, and more. Depending on where you drag them, it’ll open up with Docs, Sheets, or Slides automatically.

You can also save them in their original formats when you’re done making changes so you can open them up on their original computer without a hitch. Or if you’re working with others on a group project, you can send them as their native file type so others (who aren’t using Chromebooks) can open them easily. How generous.

The app is called “Office Editing for Docs, Sheets, and Slides” and it’s fully supported by any Chrome-native device, or any devices running Chrome.

It supports the following formats:

• doc
  
• .docx
  
• .xls
  
• .xlix
  
• .ppt
  
• .pptx

So, you can use this app if you don’t want to install any programs, mess around with different apps, and want it to just work out-of-the-box.

You can grab it here. It’s an excellent Chromebook word processor because it works with almost all different file types.

Note that if you’re using a Chromebook, you probably already have this installed by default.

“Downloading” Microsoft Word on Chromebook

Okay, if you’ve made it this far, you probably really want Microsoft Word on your Chromebook.

As you should know by now, you can’t just install it, or any Office product, on a laptop. That’s why we had to use all these workarounds above.

Chromebooks don’t natively support any third-party programs, as they only support apps downloaded from the Chrome web store, or Google Play store if your Chromebook is compatible.

So, you really want a Microsoft-supported version of it on your laptop? There’s only one way to get it- via the app.

Thankfully, Microsoft does offer a third-party app called “Word Online” just for Chrome browser and Chromebook users.

Word Online is the closest to Microsoft Office you can get

It allows you to create, edit, and collaborate on all documents.

You can create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations all from a live web app through your Chrome browser. This means you don’t need to download anything to your computer. It all works through the Internet.

You can also save anything you create to your OneDrive cloud service if you’re a user of it.

The collaboration feature allows you to have others make edits to your files so you can all work together at the same time. It works exactly like the one Google Docs offers.

I haven’t used it much, but it works pretty well. You can see who’s viewing your document, spreadsheet, or presentation and what they’re doing and where their cursor is.

If you’re used to Office products and their user interface (menus), you’re probably better off using this app. It keeps everything where you’d expect them to be so you don’t have to get used to using Google’s products. This is the closest to the actual program you can get.

It’s basically Microsoft’s online web-based version of it. Many companies now are moving towards putting their software which was once standalone and downloadable into a web version.

But at the same time, they’re both pretty much easy to use and you’ll likely find a lot of the menus, options, and other tools in the same place. After all, Google modeled their products after Microsoft’s for an easy learning curve.

You can grab Word Online from the Chrome Web Store here.

Need a word processor that works offline with your Chromebook?

If you’re offline, you can make edits with Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Simply turn on “Offline Sync” and you can continue making edits to your files.

When you regain an Internet connection, your laptop will automatically sync everything you’ve done to your online storage, so it’s like nothing happened.

It doesn’t matter if you’re online or offline really, as everything you do either saves in the cloud or saves on your laptop. When there’s a connection present, the cloud, and your laptop to communicate with each other and “fill each other in” with any additional changes made by you (the user) since the last connection.

The trick is to turn “Offline Sync” on before you actually go offline.

If you don’t, you’ll lose your WiFi connection and you won’t’ be able to make any changes to your Word, Sheets, or Slide files until you get a connection again. It’ll simply lock up.

For example, if you’re typing out a document and you lose your WiFi connection. Google Docs will just lock up and prompt you with a message to turn on Offline Sync when you get a connection again.

Then, after you get a connection, you’ll likely turn it on.

However, the wait can be an issue depending on your situation. If you have to finish your assignment within a specific period, you could be risking it.

So, what you need to do is switch on the option the first time you use Docs so that if you ever lose your connection and go offline, you can still work offline on your Chromebook.

It really only applies to first-time users, but it’s pretty significant.

Did you find the best word processor for your Chromebook?

And there you have it. Three different Word alternatives to get a working word processor on your laptop, and a way to get Microsoft Word and Office on your Chromebook as well.

If you’re still on the fence, I suggest going for Google Docs. It’s the easiest to use, fastest, and the most connected with its autosave feature. It’s also a text editor that works offline for Chromebooks, so you’ll always be connected in some way and your work will constantly be saved.

It’s the best processor and alternative that I’ve tried to date. I’ve used several apps, other workarounds, other alternatives, and it all comes back to Google Docs. You can’t really find any other app that even comes close if you want it to be just like what you’re used to.

Since they’re so similar, there’s literally no learning curve other than finding out where all the buttons are. But they’re laid out so intuitively that it’s easy to learn.

It also gives you the flexibility and compatibility you need to work across platforms without having to get every device on the same program. You can work with one and switch to the other whenever you want.

And the crazy part? It’s completely free.

No premium features. No upgrades. No locked stuff. It doesn’t even count towards your Google Drive’s quota for storage space.

Who’d have thought the best could also be free? Heh.