Computers with microsoft word

Since Microsoft 2007 came out into the market, no computer sold by a major retailer comes with Microsoft processing software. Microsoft works is included with most computers, but it is just a basic word processor in which you can only change font and size. Microsoft Office Word is mentioned in top word processing tools 2021 for Windows. Generate files in DOC and DOCX formats, write texts, select fonts, colors and page parameters, add standard graphs and diagrams, import images, etc. Multiple languages are supported along with dedicated spellchecking.

1. Laptops That Come With Microsoft Word
2. Computer With Microsoft Word Installed

Word may refer to any of the following:

1. When referring to a word processor, Word is short for Microsoft Word.

2. In general, a word is a single element of verbal communication with a unique meaning or use. For example, this sentence contains seven words. The English language contains several hundred thousand different words and Computer Hope lists over 15,000 computer-related words in its computer dictionary.

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Laptops That Come With Microsoft Word

3. In computing, a word is a single unit of measurement that is assumed to be a 16-bits in length value. However, it can be any set value, common word size values included: 16, 18, 24, 32, 36, 40, 48, and 64.

Related pages

Bit, Character, Computer abbreviations, Desktop publishing, Double Word, Editor, Google Docs, Software terms, Synonym, Typography terms, Word count, WordPad, Word processor, Word processor terms, WOTD

Microsoft today launched Office for Android and iOS in general availability. The unified app means you no longer need to download, install, and switch between the individual Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps. The company today also announced new features coming to the app this spring: Word Dictation, Excel Cards View, and Outline to PowerPoint. You can download the app now for Android phones and tablets (limited support) from Google Play and for iOS from Apple’s App Store (iPhone-only, iPad support is coming later). You can use Office for free, and if you sign in with a Microsoft Account or connect a third-party storage service you can access and store documents in the cloud.

Microsoft has over 200 million monthly active Office 365 business users and over 37 million Office 365 consumer subscribers. When the company launched the new Office mobile app as a public preview in November, ‘tens of thousands of people’ rushed to try it. Microsoft has found that most users and businesses want to use the Office app as a hub or starting point for all their document work. ‘The idea behind the Office app is to give our users a single place from which they can access all their relevant content,’ Office product manager Nithya Sampathkumar told VentureBeat. But that’s not the only reason to adopt it — Microsoft’s push to roll out nifty AI features in Office is especially noticeable in this launch.

Between public preview and general availability, the Office app has gained several enhancements. On both Android and iOS, Office now includes templates to help you create new documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, as well as support for third-party cloud storage services Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, and iCloud. On iOS, you can now create a Presentation from images and use Dark Mode. On Android, Office gained a bunch of tablet optimizations.

Additive features

Play minecraft pc with xbox one controller. The only functionality that the standalone Word, Excel, and PowerPoint mobile apps have that Office doesn’t yet have is optimized tablet support on Android and iOS. Other than that, all the functionality of the existing mobile apps is there. You can thus uninstall the other three apps if you’d like. After all, the Office app does take up less space than the three apps. Additionally, businesses now only need to deploy and update one app. We asked Microsoft 365 general manager Rob Howard if the three will be killed off, and he said no.

‘There’s definitely no disruption we want to cause,’ Howard said. ‘There are hundreds of millions of downloads of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint as individual apps on Android and iOS. We’re not getting rid of those, killing those, or telling people they need to change their workflow. If people are happy with those and excited about them, we absolutely want them to continue using them.’

We asked Microsoft for a full list of features in the Office app that aren’t available in the individual Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps. If you do choose to install Office, here’s what you can expect.

Home

First, there’s the Home screen, which has the following features:

• Recommended documents
• Files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF), media, and notes all in one place
• Search for files across your organization, cloud storage, and device

The AI-based recommended documents section is pretty powerful because it leverages the Microsoft Graph to serve up relevant suggestions. It takes into consideration which documents you’ve created that others have read or edited, which documents you have read and edited, how long you spent in a document, recency, frequency, sharing, and so on. ‘It’s taking all of that signal about all the different ways you collaborate and then building recommendations on what’s the content that I’m most likely to be interested in, and then looking at the activity of those documents and prioritizing them using machine learning,’ Howard explained.

Best of all, the Office app tries to precache documents so you can open them quickly (or even offline).

New button and Actions

Next, there’s the New button, which includes:

• Sticky notes
• Lens (for digitally enhanced whiteboards, documents, and photos)
• Scan text — Take a picture of a document and turn it into an editable Word document
• Scan table — Take a picture of a table and turn it into an editable Excel spreadsheet
• Choose pictures — Get a jumpstart on a new presentation simply by choosing pictures from your device

Lens is worth calling out because it uses AI to convert images taken with your device’s camera into editable Word and Excel documents. Lens can also scan PDFs, capture whiteboards, and even automatically digitally enhance what was captured. The next three options also leverage AI to help make content creation in Office much more productive on mobile. ‘Lens is all about connecting the physical world and pulling into the digital word,’ Howard said.

Finally, there are Actions, which represent common tasks people encounter on the go:

• Transfer files — Quickly share files between your phone and computer using a QR code
• Share nearby (Android only) — Share files to other nearby Android phones with the Office app
• Sign a PDF
• Scan to PDF
• Pictures to PDF
• Document to PDF
• Scan QR Code
• Image to Text
• Image to Table

Computer With Microsoft Word Installed

Interestingly, almost all of these are mobile-only experiences. Again, Microsoft isn’t just porting over desktop features here.

Word Dictation, Excel Cards, and Outline to PowerPoint

Microsoft also shared what’s next for the Office app. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint help you view documents and maybe even do a little light editing. Office is meant to be for ‘more sophisticated work.’

‘The big focus for us with Office on mobile is to help people not just consume content but also create content,’ said Howard. ‘To help them really be productive on the phone.’

Microsoft plans to ship the next three features this spring.

Word Dictation will do exactly what you’d expect — it will use AI to turn your voice into written text. But that’s not all — you will be able to use voice commands (such as ‘numbered list’ or ‘new line’) while still having access to toolbars and formatting options as you dictate.

Excel Cards View converts table rows to a more digestible card format so you do not have swipe back and forth across columns on your screen. It’s essentially an easier way to view and edit the data in an Excel row on mobile.

Outline to PowerPoint lets you write your presentation content as a simple outline. PowerPoint Designer, the AI-powered service that offers presentation suggestions, will then turn it into slides using styling, formatting, and iconography.

Beyond Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

These features will be coming to the new Office app first and will show up in the individual Word, Excel, and PowerPoint soon after. Howard explained that while the codebase is the same for all these apps, the testing they go through is different, resulting in a lag between the same feature landing in different apps.

Microsoft is also exploring whether to build more apps into the Office app, such as OneNote. ‘We are looking at ‘How do we add more capabilities?» Sampathkumar said. ‘Users do tell us, ‘We see this as a content hub. We want to see OneNote here.’ We are looking at how we can add it while still keeping the size small. We don’t want the size of the app to bloat up. Because for users who do not use OneNote, they don’t want a bloated app.’

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Sometimes called Winword, MS Word, or Word, Microsoft Word is a word processor published by Microsoft. It is one of the office productivity applications included in the Microsoft Office suite. Messenger for windows desktop. Originally developed by Charles Simonyi and Richard Brodie, it was first released in 1983.

Microsoft Word is available for Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS, Android, and Apple iOS. It can also run on the Linux operating system using WINE.

What is Microsoft Word used for?

Microsoft Word allows you to create professional-quality documents, reports, letters, and résumés. Unlike a plain text editor, Microsoft Word has features including spell check, grammar check, text and font formatting, HTML support, image support, advanced page layout, and more.

What does the Microsoft Word editor look like?

Below is an overview of a Microsoft Word 2010 document. https://iredie.over-blog.com/2021/01/araxis-merge-2017-4855-download-free.html.

Tip

See our Ribbon page for further information on the Ribbon. For an overview of the items contained on the Ribbon, see: Overview of the Microsoft Office Ribbon.

Where do you find or start Microsoft Word?

Install mythbuntu from usb. If you have Microsoft Word or the entire Microsoft Office package installed on Microsoft Windows, you can find Microsoft Word in your Start menu.

Keep in mind that new computers do not include Microsoft Word. It must be purchased and installed before running it on your computer. If you do not want (or cannot afford) to purchase Microsoft Word, you can use a limited version for free at the Microsoft Office website.

Note

There are also free word processing programs you can try that are very similar to Microsoft Word. See: Where can I get a free word processor?

If Microsoft Word is installed on your computer, but you can’t find it in your Start menu, use the following steps to launch Microsoft Word manually.

1. Open My Computer.
2. Click on or select the C: drive. If Microsoft Office is installed on a drive other than the C: drive, select that drive instead.
3. Navigate to the Program Files (x86) folder, then the Microsoft Office folder.
4. In the Microsoft Office folder, if there is a root folder, open that folder. Then open the OfficeXX folder, where XX is the version of Office (e.g., Office16 for Microsoft Office 2016). If there is no root folder, look for and open a folder having ‘Office’ in the name.
5. Look for a file named WINWORD.EXE and click or double-click that file to start the Microsoft Word program.

What are the uses of Microsoft Word?

Microsoft Word is a word processor, and, like other word processors, it’s capable of helping users create a variety of different types of documents. For example, users can create a résumé, business contract, instruction document, or a letter to another person. We’ve included a list of the top uses of a word processor on our word processor page.

How many lines are there on a page in Microsoft Word?

By default, there are 29 lines on one page in Microsoft Word.

What type of files can Microsoft Word create and use?

Early versions of Microsoft Word primarily created and used the .docfile extension, while newer versions of Word create and use the .docx file extension.

More recent versions of Microsoft Word can create and open the following types of files:

• .doc, .docm, .docx
• .dot, .dotm, .dotx
• .htm, .html
• .mht, .mhtml
• .odt
• .pdf
• .rtf
• .txt
• .wps
• .xps
• .xml

Example of a Microsoft Word .doc file

You can download an example of a Microsoft Word .doc document by clicking the Microsoft Word .doc file link.

Why use Word instead of a plain-text editor?

Microsoft Word offers many features not found in a traditional text editor or a plain-text file. Reasons to use Microsoft Word instead of a plain-text editor include the ability to change the formatting (e.g., center), change the font type, size, and color, insert pictures, and much more.

Tip

The features above are also available in a rich-text editor, such as WordPad, which is included with Microsoft Windows.

Why use Word instead of a WordPad?

A rich-text editor, like WordPad, offers many of the same basic features as Microsoft Word. Where Microsoft Word differs is the ability to do more advanced features. Some of the advanced features include mail merges, spellchecker, styles, tables, headers & footers, WordArt, columns, margins, and more.

What are the different versions of Microsoft Word?

Microsoft Word has had several versions throughout its history. The different releases, along with release dates are listed below.

Windows versions

• Word 2019, released in 2018
• Word 2016, released in 2016
• Word 2013, released in 2013
• Word 2010, released in 2010
• Word 2007, released in 2006
• Word 2003, released in 2003
• Word 2002, released in 2001
• Word 2000, released in 1999
• Word 98, released in 1998
• Word 97, released in 1997
• Word 95, released in 1995
• Word 6.0, released in 1993
• Word 2.0, released in 1991
• Word 1.1, released in 1990
• Word 1.0, released in 1989

Mac versions

• Word 2019, released in 2018
• Word 2016, released in 2015
• Word 2011, released in 2010
• Word 2008, released in 2008
• Word 2004, released in 2004
• Word v. X, released in 2001
• Word 2001, released in 2000
• Word 98, released in 1998
• Word 6, released in 1993
• Word 5.1, released in 1992
• Word 5, released in 1991
• Word 4, released in 1989
• Word 3, released in 1987
• Word 1, released in 1985

Related pages

Desktop publishing, Editor, Google Docs, Office, Office 365, Office Online, Software terms, WordPad, Word processor, Word processor terms

Are you finding the Best Computer for Microsoft Office and Excel? In modern days, the best laptop or desktop set is the one which is both portable, has good looks and offers the smoothest performance. Microsoft Office is a package of various tools required for everyday work. It has various applications such as excel, word, PowerPoint, etc.

Of course, almost any laptop today can smoothly run Microsoft office applications. But with the latest features introduced to the package, you wouldn’t want your system to lag. And, while work from home has become a new trend, you need to have the best laptop with windows 10 and Microsoft office.

But the job is better said than done. Hence, to ease you, we have made a list of the best laptop and computers for Microsoft Office. But, let’s start by knowing the essential things to consider before buying a laptop or computer for Microsoft office. Let’s move when you are ready.

How to Choose the Best Computer for Microsoft Office & Excel?

It might seem that choosing the best laptop for word and excel isn’t a great deal. But things can go severely wrong if you fail to pick the right one. And how does that work? Well, you need to know the anatomy of the computer that you are buying. And by anatomy, we mean the parts used in the device.

If you are not tech-savvy, you might feel these somewhat overwhelming at the beginning. Well, you always have the option to pick one from the reviewed list. But, knowing the features will only help you get a better understanding of your device.

1.   Budget

Laptops and computers are not some cheap appliances you can buy every day. So, when you buy one, you better make the right choice. And budget plays an essential role in that. Unless you have an endless limit, you are someone with a certain budget limit.

Your budget will greatly depend on your requirement and capability of the machine. If you want a laptop only for basic works and Microsoft office, you won’t be needing high-end components plucked inside. But, if you will also play games or do graphic works, you will have to aim for the higher-end models. You can calculate the price accordingly.

2.   Hard Disk Memory

If you are finding the best laptop for Microsoft word and excel, you have to take care of the specifications. Hard disk memory is another important factor you must check before buying one. The minimum requirement of hard disk memory for Microsoft office is 4.0 GB. The memory is only required to download and install the application.

3.   Processor

Whatever the purpose be, the processor plays a vital role while buying a laptop or computer. Modern computers come with some powerful processors that can suit most basic applications like Microsoft office. Go for the laptops at least having a 2-core processor, with 1.6 GHz or faster speed. However, presuming that you won’t be buying the computer only for Microsoft Office, you can go for better processors.

4.   RAM

RAM or Random Access Memory is one of the essential components for a computer or laptop. It manages your computer while providing you with real-time data. The best laptop with Microsoft office installed must have at least 4GB RAM for a 64-bit operating system, whereas for 32-bit OS, you would need a minimum of 2GB RAM.

While in computers you may install an extra RAM later, laptops might not have that option. So, it is better to check the RAM storage before you purchase one. Also, keep in mind that the more, the merrier.

5.   Graphics

A graphic card isn’t some critical component you will be looking for if you are to buy the best computer for excel or Microsoft Office. The bunch of applications available in Microsoft Office, including MS Word, MS Powerpoint, MS Access, MS Excel, are not graphic-intensive applications. Hence, you can go for buying laptops without a graphic card.

However, if your job requires other graphic-intensive applications, such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, or some heave video editing tools, you might want a computer with a graphic card. So, whether with graphic or without is a decision of your preference and requirement.

6.   Other

While those were almost all the necessary things to consider before buying a laptop or computer for Microsoft Office or Excel, there are some other factors as well. First, pick the latest OS or Windows 10 when you buy the best budget laptop with Microsoft Excel.

Secondly, you should also see the screen resolution of the laptop. A poor screen might be a pain to your eyes if you work for hours on Microsoft Office. Also, you might want to pick a laptop or computer with having an attractive design.

A basic laptop will have a sleek and simple design. However, some high-end graphic or gaming laptops tend to become heavy, making them uncomfortable to carry. If you have to take it to the office, you might prefer buying a light model instead.

Laptops or Desktops Computer for Microsoft Office & Excel?

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF USING A LAPTOP

There are some advantages and disadvantages of using laptops for Microsoft office. First, we will start with discussing the advantages, and then move on to the disadvantages.

Advantages of Using a Laptop:

• Mobility: Laptops are mobile that you can carry wherever you want. Hence, it gives you the option to work from anywhere literally. It is the most significant advantage of using a laptop over a computer. If you need to take it to the office, a laptop would be a better choice. Microsoft Office isn’t a much demanding software sack, requiring high-end specs. Hence, using a laptop may seem reasonable.
• Finished Item: A laptop comes pre-assembled, unlike the computers that you need to assemble later. And while most laptops can run Microsoft Office applications, you wouldn’t have to worry about the performance.
• Wireless Operation: Another benefit of using a laptop for Microsoft office is that it offers you a wireless connection. Not only in terms of WiFi, internet, but a laptop also does not need to be connected to the power. It has a backup battery, which lets you use it anywhere you want. Hence, you can finish your project works faster even when you are traveling.

Disadvantages of Using a Laptop

• Sensitive: Laptops are more sensitive than desktops. Also, since you carry those with you and if it falls, it may break easily. Hence, if you don’t have mobile work, you might prefer computers for Microsoft Office better instead of a portable set up.
• Upgradation: Technology is constantly evolving. Laptops come preassembled with the slightest possibility of customization. So, if you plan to have a system for a more extended period, a laptop might not be an option. When applications become more demanding in the future, you will have to change your laptop for the parts cannot continually be upgraded.
• Price: Laptops are usually costlier than computers. So, it might be a disadvantage for many who look forward to having an affordable system. However, the price of a laptop varies in many different aspects. You can always find the best budget laptop for Microsoft Office.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF USING A DESKTOP SETUP

Just as laptops, desktop or computer setups also have some advantages and disadvantages. First, we will talk about the advantages of desktop and then move on to the disadvantages.

Advantages of Using a Desktop:

• Price: Cost is the most significant advantage of having a desktop set up at your workstation. Whether you work from home or office, a desktop setup wouldn’t cost you as much as a laptop with similar specifications. Hence, buying a desktop is more affordable than having a laptop for Microsoft Office.
• Screen: A desktop has a larger screen than a laptop. Hence working on a desktop is more comfortable than working on a laptop. A bigger screen lets you focus more on your work. Also, you don’t have to struggle to notice something on the screen. If you prefer a bigger screen, you might want to get a desktop.
• Powerful Processor: A powerful processor can take your work experience with your computer to another level. Desktop computers are more compatible with any kind of processor available in the market. On the other hand, laptops come with a preset processor that you cannot upgrade in most cases. It makes the desktop setups a more sought-after choice.
• Upgradable: Desktop computers are the best choice if you want something more for an extended period. While in laptops, you can only upgrade the storage and the hard drive; you can upgrade every component in desktop setups. So, you can keep up with the trend and keep your setup upgraded.

Disadvantages of Using a Desktop:

• No Mobility: The most significant disadvantage of using a desktop computer is its immobility. You cannot take your desktop to some other place as you could with a laptop. Instead, your desktop needs a permanent setup, making it difficult for people, having a mobile job.
• Wired Setup: Desktops are not wireless. You need to power your system by connecting it to the electricity supply. You may use a UPS when there’s no electricity. But you would still have to connect the system with the UPS with wire.
• Spacious: Unlike laptops, desktop setups require a lot of space, given the many individual hardware assembles it comes with. So, you will have to dedicate a space for the setup entirely. Sometimes it becomes an issue when it comes to people having space problems.

Minimum & Recommended System Requirements for Microsoft Office & Excel

Minimum System Requirements for Microsoft Office and Excel

Operating System: 8.1 or Higher

Memory (RAM): 4 GB for 64-bit/2 GB for 32-bit

Hard Disk Space: 4.0 GB

Processor: 1.6 GHz or Faster, 2-Core Processor

Screen Resolution: 1280×768

Recommended System Requirements

Operating System: Windows 10

Memory (RAM): 4 GB

Hard Disk Space: 10 GB

Processor: 1.6 GHz or Faster, 2-Core Processor

Screen Resolution: 1280X768 or higher

Understanding Microsoft Office Package

MS Excel

MS Excel is a software application designed by Microsoft. It allows users to format, organize and calculate given data with formulas using a spreadsheet system. You will get MS Excel as a part of the Microsoft Office suite.

Some of the main features of MS Excel are:

• Data Filtering
• Pivot Table Report
• Data sorting
• Formula Auditing
• Data Analysis

MS Word

MS Word or Microsoft Word is a part of the Microsoft Office package. It is a word-processing program used for various word-processing jobs. The software is developed by Microsoft and comes in handy for multiple personal and professional jobs. The things you can do on MS Word are:

• Document Creation
• Brochure maker
• Student’s homework
• Learning activities.

MS Powerpoint

MS Powerpoint is a presentation tool developed by Microsoft. The presentation tool is suitable for various works, including office presentations, school works, pie chart presentations, etc.

Other Applications in Microsoft Office

Apart from these, you also get Microsoft OneNote.

• Microsoft Outlook.
• Microsoft Publisher.
• Microsoft Access.
• Skype for Business.

All these applications are very helpful in our daily life.

Best Laptop for Microsoft Office & Excel

Image	Name	Fatures	Check Price
	Microsoft Surface Laptop 3	Pocesor: 10th Gen Intel Core i7 and i5 Ram:  8 GB, 16GB, 32 GB Storage: 128GB SSD, 256GB SSD, 512GB SSD, 1TB SSD Graphics Cards: Intel Iris Plus Graphics Display: 13.5″ touch screen, (‎2256 x 1504)	Check On Amazon
	ASUS VivoBook 15	Pocesor: Intel Core i3-1005G1 Processor Ram: 4 GB Storage: 128 GB SSD Graphics Cards: 4 GB, ‎Intel UHD Graphics Display: 15.6″ (1920 x 1080)	Check On Amazon
	Acer Aspire 5	Pocesor: 3.5 GHz ryzen_3 Ram: 4 GB Storage: 128GB SSD Graphics Cards: AMD Radeon Vega 6 Graphics Display: 15.6″ (1920 x 1080)	Check On Amazon
	HP Pavilion 13	Pocesor: 11th Generation Intel Core i5-1135G7 Ram: 8 GB Storage: 512 GB SSD Graphics Cards: Intel Iris Xe Graphics Display: 13.3″ (1920 x 1080)	Check On Amazon
	Microsoft Surface Book 3	Pocesor: 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10710U Ram: 16 GB Storage: 1 TB SSD Graphics Cards:Intel UHD Graphics Display: 13.3″ (1920 x 1080)

1- Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 – Best Overall

What can be a better companion of Microsoft Office than Microsoft itself? If you are finding the best laptop for Microsoft office, you want a better one than Microfost Surface Laptop 3. The laptop is a fine mix of looks and performance.

It features a large 13.5-inch display with a resolution of 2256 x 1504 Pixels. The touchscreen display makes the usage smooth and precise. It also comes with a powerful 10th generation Core i5 processor, along with powerful Iris Plus Graphics.

The 8 GB RAM, comprised of a 128 GB variant, gives you smooth speed and enough storage to save your files. But you can go for higher RAM variants, including 16 GB and 32 GB. Also, the Microsoft Surface Laptop has other internal storage variants of 256GB SSD, 512GB SSD, 1TB SSD.

Surprisingly, the laptop weighs only 3.4 pounds, making it very light if compared to its spec sheet. Finally, it also features a powerful, cut-edge infrared camera supporting Windows Hello face recognition. Also, the 720p HD camera is suitable for video conferencing.

In simple words, Microsoft Surface 3 is an all-rounder, having all the top-notch specs and a durable, lightweight build. It is suitable for both office and school works and can also support heavy graphic works as well.

Pros

Cons

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2- ASUS VivoBook 15 – Best Budget

ASUS VivoBook 15 is the best budget laptop for Microsoft office on our list. The best part about ASUS VivoBook 15 is that it has a huge 15.6-inch screen, which has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 Pixels. The large screen is a feast to the eyes when working for extended hours.

The performance of the laptop with its Intel 8th Generation Core i3-1005G1 Processor is very fast. It has 4 GB RAM, clubbed with 128 GB SSD storage. It has an Intel UHD graphics card included beforehand. Also, if you are using Microsoft Office applications, you won’t face any lagging so far.

The most attractive part is that the laptop is considerably lightweight despite having such a large screen and specs. It weighs around only 3.97 pounds. However, the battery performance is down to the average, which is a downer.

But, the laptop has a decent and stylish design, making it look even more expensive. Also, the backlit keyboard allows finishing late-night works without any issues at all.

In simple words, while you may not enjoy playing games on the laptop, the device is one of the best laptops for Microsoft Office and Excel. Given the balance between its features and price, it is fair to say that ASUS VivoBook 15 is the best budget laptop with Microsoft Office.

Pros

Cons

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3- Acer Aspire 5 – Cheapest

Acer Aspire 5 is the cheapest laptop on our list. The significant part about this laptop is that it has quite an attractive design even after being priced so low. It has a 15.6″ Full HD display with an 82.58% screen-to-body, 16:9 aspect ratio. The narrow bezel display looks premium.

The laptop has 4 GB DDR4 RAM, clubbed with 128 GB SSD storage. The SSD storage should be sufficient for your essential office works, including using the Microsoft Office application. However, you also get one hard drive bay for storing your backup or essential files.

Despite being priced this low, Acer Aspire 5 has a biometric fingerprint reader and Windows Hello sign-in options that provide extra security to your device. We liked its sleek design, which, when compared to all the specs, is pretty minimal. It weighs around 3.97 pounds, making it a comfortable device to work with in-home and office.

Acer Aspire 5 also comes with Alexa support. This feature lets you control your device using voice commands. You can simply ask Alexa to find something for you, and it will be on your screen.

So, while the laptop may not be suitable for heavy works, such as graphic designing, video editing, or gaming, it is perfect for basic Microsoft Office works.

Pros

Cons

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4- HP Pavilion 13 – Best Laptop for Excel

Laptops enjoy such popularity because of the comfort they provide. With HP Pavilion 13, you can’t ask for more. It has a sleek, stylish, and comfortable design, somewhat similar to Apple’s Macbook. But the best part is that it weighs only 2.97 pounds, making it one of the lightest laptops on the list.

HP Pavilion has some fantastic features that make it more than just some basic laptops for Microsoft Office. It has a powerful 8 GB RAM, clubbed with a 512 GB SSD. It also features an 11th Generation Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor and Intel Iris Xe Graphics card. It pretty much tells how fast the laptop would be given any circumstances.

It also has a 13.3-inch Full HD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The sharp and crispy image is a relief to your eyes when working and feast when you watch movies. Also, you would love the audio experience with the laptop.

HP Pavilion is the best laptop for excel given its performance, speed, lightweight design, and compatibility. You can easily carry it wherever you want, or do your work even when you are traveling. The battery performance is also commendable. It will provide you with 8-hour of battery backup.

Pros

Cons

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5- – Best 2-in-1

Dell XPS 13 is one of the best laptops for Microsoft Office that you can use as both a laptop and a tablet. 2-in-1 laptops are becoming the new trend in the market. Given its comfortable and smooth handling experience, these laptops are suitable for both typing and designing jobs.

It comes with the powerful Intel 10th Generation Core i7-1065G7 Processor with a turbo speed of up to 3.9 GHz. It also has 16 GB RAM onboard, clubbed with 512 GB PCIe NVMe x4 SSD. For the graphics, you get an Intel Iris Plus Graphics card. This inclusion plays a significant role when it comes to smoother and faster performance.

Apart from these, the Dell XPS 13 features a UHD+ 13.4″ WLED Touch screen display, with a ratio of 16:10 and a resolution of 3840 x 2400 pixels. The widescreen 720p camera on the top is a quality inclusion that lets you attend your meetings at your own comfort.

But the part is that the laptop has edge-to-edge corning Gorilla glass 5 protection to protect the screen from significant damages. Also, it is a fine example of portability, given its weight of only 2.9 pounds.

In simple words, the laptop can manage all your Excel, Word, and other Microsoft Office application, while you still can do other heavy works on it.

Pros

Cons

Best Desktop Computer for Microsoft Office & Excel

Image	Name	Fatures	Check Price
	HP 24-inch All-in-One Touchscreen	Pocesor: Intel Core i5-1035G1 Quad Core Ram: 12 GB Storage: 512 GB SSD PCIe NVMe M.2 Graphics Cards: Intel UHD Graphics Display: 23.8″ FHD (1920 x 1080)	Check On Amazon
	Acer Aspire TC	Pocesor: Intel 9th Generation Core i5-9400 Ram: 8 GB Storage: 1 TB HDD / 512 GB SSD Graphics Cards: ‎Intel UHD Graphics 630 Display:	Check On Amazon
	HP 270	Pocesor: Intel Pentium Dual-Core G4560T Ram: 4 GB Storage: 1 TB HDD Intel HD Graphics Display: 21.5″ LED Backlit Full HD (1920 x 1080)	Check On Amazon
	Apple Mac Mini	Pocesor: SoC Apple M1 Chip Ram: 8 GB DDR4 Storage: 256 GB SSD / 512 GB SSD Graphics Cards: Apple 8-core GPU Display:	Check On Amazon
	HP Envy	Pocesor: Intel Core i5-9400 Ram: 32 GB Storage:2 TB SSD Graphics Cards: NVIDIA GeForce 4GB GDDR5 Display: 32″ 4K UHD IPS display (3840 x 2160)	Check On Amazon

1- HP 24-inch All-in-One Touchscreen – Best Overall

We are living in the 21st century. Modernism has touched every sphere of this generation. So, it’s time to upgrade your desktop system as well. HP 24-inch All-in-One desktop is the best overall computer for Microsoft Office on our list. It has a sleek and stylish modern design, with a 24-inch large anti-glare touch screen which adds its name to the tops.

The desktop system comes with a 12 GB DDR4-3200 SDRAM clubbed with an Intel Core i5-1035G1 processor that adds more power to the system. The RAM is upgradable up to 32 GB. The most important part is that it has a three-sided micro-edge display that provides you better viewing angles.

Also, the desktop has a built-in pop-up camera for better privacy. The camera only comes out when it’s in use. The backlit keyboard is a peace of mind during late-night office works. The features offered in this desktop computer are far superior when compared to its price. In short, this is the best overall desktop computer for Microsoft Office.

Pros

Cons

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2- Acer Aspire TC – Best Budget

Acer Aspire TC is the best budget desktop for Microsoft Office and Excel. The desktop can support most of your regular office work, including making presentations and preparing Excel sheets or Word documents. It comes with an 8 GB DDR4 RAM, clubbed with Intel 9th Generation Core i5-9400 Processor.

The desktop also features an integrated Intel UHD graphic 630, which lets you do some basic graphic tasks as well. You can easily record videos or stream them online without facing lag issues. The RAM can also be extended up to 32 GB.

However, Acer Aspire TC comes in two storage variants. The cheaper version features a 1 TB HDD, while the other one has a 512 GB SSD. We would always recommend going for SSD if you can push your budget a little high.

At the front of the PC tower, you get an SD card reader that can help you transfer files quickly. It also has a Type-c port for faster file transfer. Most importantly, the desktop has 7 USB 3.1 ports. Hence, you can connect various external devices to your system.

Club the computer with a high-quality screen, and you can enjoy your work and personal hours even more.

Pros

Cons

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3- HP 270 – Cheapest

HP 270 2018 version is the cheapest desktop computer on our list. It is a complete desktop system having a monitor, mouse, keyboard, and PC tower. HP 270, however old, is a good option for people wanting to have a basic system for Microsoft Office applications.

HP 270 comes with a 4 GB DDR4 SDRAM, with 2400 MHz system memory. It also features a 1 TB HDD for storage. In case you want a better storage option, you can use an external SSD as well. It also features Intel Pentium G4560T Dual-Core Processor with 2.9GHz speed.

The desktop has a 21.5-inch LED Backlit Full HD screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080. The image aspect ratio of the monitor stands at 16:9, giving you a clear image of everything. Overall, HP 270 is a decent desktop computer that can support basic workload, such as MS Excel, MS Word, and other Microsoft Office appliances.

Pros

Cons

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4- Apple Mac Mini – Best Desktop for Excel

If you are a MAC fan or want to use it someday, you can find Apple Mac Mini incredibly fascinating. And why so? Because it is a portable Desktop computer by MAC that you can literally use with any kind of monitor. You would hardly find any other option like this one at this budget range.

Apple Mac Mini is one of the fastest mini-computers powered by an SoC or System on Chip, Apple M1 chip. It is an 8-core CPU, of which four cores are performance cored, and the other four are efficiency cores. It also has a 16-core Neural engine.

The best part about Apple Mac Mini is that it is portable. You can pack the system in your bag and take it somewhere else and connect it to some other monitor. The portability is something unique that you wouldn’t get in other desktop computers at this range.

Microsoft Office is available for Mac users as well. So, you can simply purchase Microsoft Office for Mac and use the applications smoothly. It is the best desktop computer for Excel.

Pros

Cons

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5- HP Envy – Best Desktop for Excel

HP Envy– Best All-in-One Option

Processor	Intel Core i5-9400
RAM	32 GB
Storage	2 TB SSD
Graphics Card	NVIDIA GeForce 4GB GDDR5
Display Resolution	32″ 4K UHD IPS display (3840 x 2160)

HP Envy is the best All-in-One model available on our list. It has a 32-inch 4K UHD IPS display, featuring HDR 600 micro-edge with 3840 x 2160 pixels resolution. It provides you with clear and stunning imageries which are a feast to your eyes. And the best part is that the display has edge-to-edge anti-reflection glass.

While the display is undoubtedly the most attractive part of HP Envy’s all-in-one desktop, we cannot overlook its performance. HP Envy, having 32 GB RAM, is powered by Intel Core i5-9400 CPU, providing the computer with ample power necessary for all your daily jobs. You get a 2 TB SSD for the storage device, which should be more than enough for anyone.

The desktop computer also features an NVIDIA GeForce 4GB GDDR5 dedicated Graphics card. It also comes with a 5mp IR camera and supports Bluetooth and WiFi connections.

In short, HP Envy, with all these features, has a very attractive design which makes it the best all-in-one desktop for Microsoft Office and Excel.

Pros

Cons

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do computers have Microsoft Office preinstalled?

No, computers do not generally come with Microsoft Office preinstalled. Even if you buy a laptop, chances of getting a preinstalled Microsoft Office package are low. So, you will have to purchase Microsoft Office online from their official site.

How much does Microsoft Office cost?

Microsoft Office has different plans available to serve different purposes. First, there are two primary packages available: For Home & For Business. Home Plans start from as low as $59.99 per year. On the other hand, business subscriptions start from as low as $5.00 per user/month. You can check their detailed pricing description from here.

Does Windows 10 home include Word and Excel?

No, Windows 10 Home does not include MS Word or Excel, or any Microsoft Office for that matter. So, you have to install the Microsoft Office app separately to use the applications on your device. Microsoft Office is available for both Windows, iOS, and Android.

Conclusion

While most modern computers can run Microsoft Office applications seamlessly, it becomes essential to consider many other aspects. For example, if you have a computer, you might want to do some extra works as well. Also, buying a computer is a matter of investment.

Between laptop and desktop, one might have different preferences. If you have a mobile job where you need to carry your device, you would prefer a laptop more. However, if you want something budget-friendly or easily upgradable, you would always choose a desktop.

In our above discussion, we have mentioned all the important points, including a buyer’s guide and comparison between laptop and desktop to help you make a wiser choice. Also, the choices listed above are the best computer for Microsoft Office and Excel available in the market. With that, we end this discussion here and hope to meet you again soon.

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Office 365 version of Microsoft Word, with the new redesign applied
Developer(s)	Microsoft
Initial release	October 25, 1983; 39 years ago (as Multi-Tool Word)
Stable release	2209 (16.0.15629.20208) / October 11, 2022; 6 months ago[1]
Repository	none
Written in	C++ (back-end)[2]
Operating system	Windows 10 and later, Windows Server 2016 and later Office 365 only Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 and later[3]
Platform	IA-32, x64, ARM, ARM64
Type	Word processor
License	Trialware
Website	microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/word

Microsoft Word for Mac

Word for Mac running on macOS Ventura (13.2)
Developer(s)	Microsoft
Stable release	16.64 (Build 22081401) / August 16, 2022; 7 months ago[4]
Repository	none
Written in	C++ (back-end), Objective-C (API/UI)[2]
Operating system	macOS
Type	Word processor
License	Proprietary software plus services
Website	products.office.com/word

Microsoft Word for Android

Screenshot of Microsoft Word for Android 13
Original author(s)	Microsoft Corporation
Developer(s)	Microsoft Corporation
Initial release	January 29, 2015; 8 years ago[5]
Stable release	16.0.15427.20090 / July 14, 2022; 8 months ago[6]
Repository	none
Operating system	Android Pie and later
License	Proprietary commercial software
Website	products.office.com/word

Microsoft Word for iOS

Developer(s)	Microsoft Corporation
Initial release	March 27, 2014; 9 years ago[7]
Stable release	2.63.2 / July 18, 2022; 8 months ago[8]
Repository	none
Operating system	iOS 14 or later IPadOS 14 or later
License	Proprietary commercial software
Website	products.office.com/word

Word Mobile for Windows 10

Developer(s)	Microsoft
Repository	none
Operating system	Windows 10 and later, Windows 10 Mobile
Type	Word processor
License	Freemium
Website	www.microsoft.com/store/productId/9WZDNCRFJB9S

Microsoft Word is a word processor developed by Microsoft. It was first released on October 25, 1983,^[9] under the name Multi-Tool Word for Xenix systems.^[10][11][12] Subsequent versions were later written for several other platforms including: IBM PCs running DOS (1983), Apple Macintosh running the Classic Mac OS (1985), AT&T UNIX PC (1985), Atari ST (1988), OS/2 (1989), Microsoft Windows (1989), SCO Unix (1990), macOS (2001), Web browsers (2010), iOS (2014) and Android (2015). Using Wine, versions of Microsoft Word before 2013 can be run on Linux.

Commercial versions of Word are licensed as a standalone product or as a component of Microsoft Office suite of software, which can be purchased either with a perpetual license or as part of a Microsoft 365 subscription.

History[edit]

Origins[edit]

In 1981, Microsoft hired Charles Simonyi, the primary developer of Bravo, the first GUI word processor, which was developed at Xerox PARC.^[13] Simonyi started work on a word processor called Multi-Tool Word and soon hired Richard Brodie, a former Xerox intern, who became the primary software engineer.^[13][14][15]

Microsoft announced Multi-Tool Word for Xenix^[13] and MS-DOS in 1983.^[16] Its name was soon simplified to Microsoft Word.^[10] Free demonstration copies of the application were bundled with the November 1983 issue of PC World, making it the first to be distributed on-disk with a magazine.^[10][17] That year Microsoft demonstrated Word running on Windows.^[18]

Unlike most MS-DOS programs at the time, Microsoft Word was designed to be used with a mouse.^[16] Advertisements depicted the Microsoft Mouse and described Word as a WYSIWYG, windowed word processor with the ability to undo and display bold, italic, and underlined text,^[19] although it could not render fonts.^[10] It was not initially popular, since its user interface was different from the leading word processor at the time, WordStar.^[20] However, Microsoft steadily improved the product, releasing versions 2.0 through 5.0 over the next six years. In 1985, Microsoft ported Word to the classic Mac OS (known as Macintosh System Software at the time). This was made easier by Word for DOS having been designed for use with high-resolution displays and laser printers, even though none were yet available to the general public.^[21] It was also notable for its very fast cut-and-paste function and unlimited number of undo operations, which are due to its usage of the piece table data structure.^[22]

Following the precedents of LisaWrite and MacWrite, Word for Mac OS added true WYSIWYG features. It fulfilled a need for a word processor that was more capable than MacWrite.^[23] After its release, Word for Mac OS’s sales were higher than its MS-DOS counterpart for at least four years.^[13]

The second release of Word for Mac OS, shipped in 1987, was named Word 3.0 to synchronize its version number with Word for DOS; this was Microsoft’s first attempt to synchronize version numbers across platforms. Word 3.0 included numerous internal enhancements and new features, including the first implementation of the Rich Text Format (RTF) specification, but was plagued with bugs. Within a few months, Word 3.0 was superseded by a more stable Word 3.01, which was mailed free to all registered users of 3.0.^[21] After MacWrite Pro was discontinued in the mid-1990s, Word for Mac OS never had any serious rivals. Word 5.1 for Mac OS, released in 1992, was a very popular word processor owing to its elegance, relative ease of use, and feature set. Many users say it is the best version of Word for Mac OS ever created.^[21][24]

In 1986, an agreement between Atari and Microsoft brought Word to the Atari ST^[25] under the name Microsoft Write. The Atari ST version was a port of Word 1.05 for the Mac OS^[26][27] and was never updated.

The first version of Word for Windows was released in 1989. With the release of Windows 3.0 the following year, sales began to pick up and Microsoft soon became the market leader for word processors for IBM PC-compatible computers.^[13] In 1991, Microsoft capitalized on Word for Windows’ increasing popularity by releasing a version of Word for DOS, version 5.5, that replaced its unique user interface with an interface similar to a Windows application.^[28][29] When Microsoft became aware of the Year 2000 problem, it made Microsoft Word 5.5 for DOS available for free downloads. As of February 2021, it is still available for download from Microsoft’s website.^[30]
In 1991, Microsoft embarked on a project code-named Pyramid to completely rewrite Microsoft Word from the ground up. Both the Windows and Mac OS versions would start from the same code base. It was abandoned when it was determined that it would take the development team too long to rewrite and then catch up with all the new capabilities that could have been added at the same time without a rewrite. Instead, the next versions of Word for Windows and Mac OS, dubbed version 6.0, both started from the code base of Word for Windows 2.0.^[24]

With the release of Word 6.0 in 1993, Microsoft again attempted to synchronize the version numbers and coordinate product naming across platforms, this time across DOS, Mac OS, and Windows (this was the last version of Word for DOS). It introduced AutoCorrect, which automatically fixed certain typing errors, and AutoFormat, which could reformat many parts of a document at once. While the Windows version received favorable reviews (e.g., from InfoWorld^[31]), the Mac OS version was widely derided. Many accused it of being slow, clumsy, and memory intensive, and its user interface differed significantly from Word 5.1.^[24] In response to user requests, Microsoft offered Word 5 again, after it had been discontinued.^[32] Subsequent versions of Word for macOS are no longer direct ports of Word for Windows, instead featuring a mixture of ported code and native code.

Word for Windows[edit]

Word for Windows is available stand-alone or as part of the Microsoft Office suite. Word contains rudimentary desktop publishing capabilities and is the most widely used word processing program on the market. Word files are commonly used as the format for sending text documents via e-mail because almost every user with a computer can read a Word document by using the Word application, a Word viewer or a word processor that imports the Word format (see Microsoft Word Viewer).

Word 6 for Windows NT was the first 32-bit version of the product,^[33] released with Microsoft Office for Windows NT around the same time as Windows 95. It was a straightforward port of Word 6.0. Starting with Word 95, each release of Word was named after the year of its release, instead of its version number.^[34]

Word 2007 introduced a redesigned user interface that emphasized the most common controls, dividing them into tabs, and adding specific options depending on the context, such as selecting an image or editing a table.^[35] This user interface, called Ribbon, was included in Excel, PowerPoint and Access 2007, and would be later introduced to other Office applications with Office 2010 and Windows applications such as Paint and WordPad with Windows 7, respectively.^[36]

The redesigned interface also includes a toolbar that appears when selecting text, with options for formatting included.^[37]

Word 2007 also included the option to save documents as Adobe Acrobat or XPS files,^[37] and upload Word documents like blog posts on services such as WordPress.

Word 2010 allows the customization of the Ribbon,^[38] adds a Backstage view for file management,^[39] has improved document navigation, allows creation and embedding of screenshots,^[40] and integrates with online services such as Microsoft OneDrive.^[41]

Word 2019 added a dictation function.

Word 2021 added co-authoring, a visual refresh on the start experience and tabs, automatic cloud saving, dark mode, line focus, an updated draw tab, and support for ODF 1.3.

Word for Mac[edit]

The Mac was introduced on January 24, 1984, and Microsoft introduced Word 1.0 for Mac a year later, on January 18, 1985. The DOS, Mac, and Windows versions are quite different from each other. Only the Mac version was WYSIWYG and used a graphical user interface, far ahead of the other platforms. Each platform restarted its version numbering at «1.0».^[42] There was no version 2 on the Mac, but version 3 came out on January 31, 1987, as described above. Word 4.0 came out on November 6, 1990, and added automatic linking with Excel, the ability to flow text around graphics, and a WYSIWYG page view editing mode. Word 5.1 for Mac, released in 1992 ran on the original 68000 CPU and was the last to be specifically designed as a Macintosh application. The later Word 6 was a Windows port and poorly received. Word 5.1 continued to run well until the last Classic MacOS. Many people continue to run Word 5.1 to this day under an emulated Mac classic system for some of its excellent features, such as document generation and renumbering, or to access their old files.

In 1997, Microsoft formed the Macintosh Business Unit as an independent group within Microsoft focused on writing software for Mac OS. Its first version of Word, Word 98, was released with Office 98 Macintosh Edition. Document compatibility reached parity with Word 97,^[32] and it included features from Word 97 for Windows, including spell and grammar checking with squiggles.^[43] Users could choose the menus and keyboard shortcuts to be similar to either Word 97 for Windows or Word 5 for Mac OS.

Word 2001, released in 2000, added a few new features, including the Office Clipboard, which allowed users to copy and paste multiple items.^[44] It was the last version to run on classic Mac OS and, on Mac OS X, it could only run within the Classic Environment. Word X, released in 2001, was the first version to run natively on, and required, Mac OS X,^[43] and introduced non-contiguous text selection.^[45]

Word 2004 was released in May 2004. It included a new Notebook Layout view for taking notes either by typing or by voice.^[46] Other features, such as tracking changes, were made more similar with Office for Windows.^[47]

Word 2008, released on January 15, 2008, included a Ribbon-like feature, called the Elements Gallery, that can be used to select page layouts and insert custom diagrams and images. It also included a new view focused on publishing layout, integrated bibliography management,^[48] and native support for the new Office Open XML format. It was the first version to run natively on Intel-based Macs.^[49]

Word 2011, released in October 2010, replaced the Elements Gallery in favor of a Ribbon user interface that is much more similar to Office for Windows,^[50] and includes a full-screen mode that allows users to focus on reading and writing documents, and support for Office Web Apps.^[51]

Word 2021 added real-time co-authoring, automatic cloud saving, dark mode, immersive reader enhancements, line focus, a visual refresh, the ability to save pictures in SVG format, and a new Sketched style outline.

File formats[edit]

Native file formats

DOC	Legacy Word document
DOT	Legacy Word templates
WBK	Legacy Word document backup
DOCX	XML Word document
DOCM	XML Word macro-enabled document
DOTX	XML Word template
DOTM	XML Word macro-enabled template
DOCB	XML Word binary document

Filename extensions[edit]

Microsoft Word’s native file formats are denoted either by a .doc or .docx filename extension.

Although the .doc extension has been used in many different versions of Word, it actually encompasses four distinct file formats:

1. Word for DOS
2. Word for Windows 1 and 2; Word 3 and 4 for Mac OS
3. Word 6 and Word 95 for Windows; Word 6 for Mac OS
4. Word 97 and later for Windows; Word 98 and later for Mac OS

(The classic Mac OS of the era did not use filename extensions.)^[52]

The newer .docx extension signifies the Office Open XML international standard for Office documents and is used by default by Word 2007 and later for Windows as well as Word 2008 and later for macOS.^[53]

Binary formats (Word 97–2007)[edit]

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the default Word document format (.DOC) became a de facto standard of document file formats for Microsoft Office users.^{[citation needed]} There are different versions of «Word Document Format» used by default in Word 97–2007.^[54] Each binary word file is a Compound File,^[55] a hierarchical file system within a file. According to Joel Spolsky, Word Binary File Format is extremely complex mainly because its developers had to accommodate an overwhelming number of features and prioritize performance over anything else.

As with all OLE Compound Files, Word Binary Format consists of «storages», which are analogous to computer folders and «streams», which are similar to computer files. Each storage may contain streams or other storage. Each Word Binary File must contain a stream called the «WordDocument» stream and this stream must start with a File Information Block (FIB).^[57] FIB serves as the first point of reference for locating everything else, such as where the text in a Word document starts, ends, what version of Word created the document and other attributes.

Word 2007 and later continue to support the DOC file format, although it is no longer the default.

XML Document (Word 2003)[edit]

The .docx XML format introduced in Word 2003^[58] was a simple, XML-based format called WordProcessingML or WordML.

The Microsoft Office XML formats are XML-based document formats (or XML schemas) introduced in versions of Microsoft Office prior to Office 2007. Microsoft Office XP introduced a new XML format for storing Excel spreadsheets and Office 2003 added an XML-based format for Word documents.

These formats were succeeded by Office Open XML (ECMA-376) in Microsoft Office 2007.

Cross-version compatibility[edit]

Opening a Word Document file in a version of Word other than the one with which it was created can cause an incorrect display of the document. The document formats of the various versions change in subtle and not-so-subtle ways (such as changing the font or the handling of more complex tasks like footnotes). Formatting created in newer versions does not always survive when viewed in older versions of the program, nearly always because that capability does not exist in the previous version.^[59] Rich Text Format (RTF), an early effort to create a format for interchanging formatted text between applications, is an optional format for Word that retains most formatting and all content of the original document.

Third-party formats[edit]

Plugins permitting the Windows versions of Word to read and write formats it does not natively support, such as international standard OpenDocument format (ODF) (ISO/IEC 26300:2006), are available. Up until the release of Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Office 2007, Word did not natively support reading or writing ODF documents without a plugin, namely the SUN ODF Plugin or the OpenXML/ODF Translator. With SP2 installed, ODF format 1.1 documents can be read and saved like any other supported format in addition to those already available in Word 2007.^{[59][60][61][62][63]} The implementation faces substantial criticism, and the ODF Alliance and others have claimed that the third-party plugins provide better support.^[64] Microsoft later declared that the ODF support has some limitations.^[65]

In October 2005, one year before the Microsoft Office 2007 suite was released, Microsoft declared that there was insufficient demand from Microsoft customers for the international standard OpenDocument format support and that therefore it would not be included in Microsoft Office 2007. This statement was repeated in the following months.^{[66][67][68][69]} As an answer, on October 20, 2005, an online petition was created to demand ODF support from Microsoft.^[70]

In May 2006, the ODF plugin for Microsoft Office was released by the OpenDocument Foundation.^[71] Microsoft declared that it had no relationship with the developers of the plugin.^[72]

In July 2006, Microsoft announced the creation of the Open XML Translator project – tools to build a technical bridge between the Microsoft Office Open XML Formats and the OpenDocument Format (ODF). This work was started in response to government requests for interoperability with ODF. The goal of the project was not to add ODF support to Microsoft Office, but only to create a plugin and an external toolset.^[73][74] In February 2007, this project released a first version of the ODF plugin for Microsoft Word.^[75]

In February 2007, Sun released an initial version of its ODF plugin for Microsoft Office.^[76] Version 1.0 was released in July 2007.^[77]

Microsoft Word 2007 (Service Pack 1) supports (for output only) PDF and XPS formats, but only after manual installation of the Microsoft ‘Save as PDF or XPS’ add-on.^[78][79] On later releases, this was offered by default.

Features and flaws[edit]

Among its features, Word includes a built-in spell checker, a thesaurus, a dictionary, and utilities for manipulating and editing text. It supports creating tables. Depending on the version, it can perform simple calculations, and supports formatting formulas and equations.

The following are some aspects of its feature set.

Templates[edit]

Several later versions of Word include the ability for users to create their formatting templates, allowing them to define a file in which: the title, heading, paragraph, and other element designs differ from the standard Word templates.^[80] Users can find how to do this under the Help section located near the top right corner (Word 2013 on Windows 8).

For example, Normal.dotm is the master template from which all Word documents are created. It determines the margin defaults as well as the layout of the text and font defaults. Although Normal.dotm is already set with certain defaults, the user can change it to new defaults. This will change other documents which were created using the template.^[81] It was previously Normal.dot.^[82]

Image formats[edit]

Word can import and display images in common bitmap formats such as JPG and GIF. It can also be used to create and display simple line art. Microsoft Word added support^[83] for the common SVG vector image format in 2017 for Office 365 ProPlus subscribers and this functionality was also included in the Office 2019 release.

WordArt[edit]

WordArt enables drawing text in a Microsoft Word document such as a title, watermark, or other text, with graphical effects such as skewing, shadowing, rotating, stretching in a variety of shapes and colors, and even including three-dimensional effects. Users can apply formatting effects such as shadow, bevel, glow, and reflection to their document text as easily as applying bold or underline. Users can also spell-check text that uses visual effects and add text effects to paragraph styles.

Macros[edit]

A macro is a rule of pattern that specifies how a certain input sequence (often a sequence of characters) should be mapped to an output sequence according to a defined process. Frequently used or repetitive sequences of keystrokes and mouse movements can be automated. Like other Microsoft Office documents, Word files can include advanced macros and even embedded programs. The language was originally WordBasic, but changed to Visual Basic for Applications as of Word 97.

This extensive functionality can also be used to run and propagate viruses in documents. The tendency for people to exchange Word documents via email, USB flash drives, and floppy disks made this an especially attractive vector in 1999. A prominent example was the Melissa virus, but countless others have existed.

These macro viruses were the only known cross-platform threats between Windows and Macintosh computers and they were the only infection vectors to affect any macOS system up until the advent of video codec trojans in 2007.^{[citation needed]} Microsoft released patches for Word X and Word 2004 that effectively eliminated the macro problem on the Mac by 2006.

Word’s macro security setting, which regulates when macros may execute, can be adjusted by the user, but in the most recent versions of Word, it is set to HIGH by default, generally reducing the risk from macro-based viruses, which have become uncommon.

Layout issues[edit]

Before Word 2010 (Word 14) for Windows, the program was unable to correctly handle ligatures defined in OpenType fonts.^[84] Those ligature glyphs with Unicode codepoints may be inserted manually, but are not recognized by Word for what they are, breaking spell checking, while custom ligatures present in the font are not accessible at all. Since Word 2010, the program now has advanced typesetting features which can be enabled,^[85] OpenType ligatures,^[86] kerning and hyphenation (previous versions already had the latter two features). Other layout deficiencies of Word include the inability to set crop marks or thin spaces. Various third-party workaround utilities have been developed.^[87]

In Word 2004 for Mac OS X, support of complex scripts was inferior even to Word 97^[88] and Word 2004 did not support Apple Advanced Typography features like ligatures or glyph variants.^[89]

Issues with technical documents[edit]

Microsoft Word is only awkwardly suitable for some kinds of technical writing, specifically, that which requires mathematical equations,^[90] figure placement, table placement and cross-references to any of these items.^{[citation needed]} The usual workaround for equations is to use a third-party equation typesetter.^{[citation needed]} Figures and tables must be placed manually; there is an anchor mechanism but it is not designed for fully automatic figure placement and editing text after placing figures and tables often requires re-placing those items by moving the anchor point and even then the placement options are limited.^{[citation needed]} This problem is deeply baked into Word’s structure since 1985 as it does not know where page breaks will occur until the document is printed.^{[citation needed]}

Bullets and numbering[edit]

Microsoft Word supports bullet lists and numbered lists. It also features a numbering system that helps add correct numbers to pages, chapters, headers, footnotes, and entries of tables of content; these numbers automatically change to correct ones as new items are added or existing items are deleted. Bullets and numbering can be applied directly to paragraphs and converted to lists.^[91] Word 97 through 2003, however, had problems adding correct numbers to numbered lists. In particular, a second irrelevant numbered list might have not started with number one but instead resumed numbering after the last numbered list. Although Word 97 supported a hidden marker that said the list numbering must restart afterward, the command to insert this marker (Restart Numbering command) was only added in Word 2003. However, if one were to cut the first item of the listed and paste it as another item (e.g. fifth), then the restart marker would have moved with it and the list would have restarted in the middle instead of at the top.^[92]

Word continues to default to non-Unicode characters and non-hierarchical bulleting, despite user preference for Powerpoint-style symbol hierarchies (e.g., filled circle/emdash/filled square/endash/emptied circle) and universal compatibility.

AutoSummarize[edit]

Available in certain versions of Word (e.g., Word 2007), AutoSummarize highlights passages or phrases that it considers valuable and can be a quick way of generating a crude abstract or an executive summary.^[93] The amount of text to be retained can be specified by the user as a percentage of the current amount of text.

According to Ron Fein of the Word 97 team, AutoSummarize cuts wordy copy to the bone by counting words and ranking sentences. First, AutoSummarize identifies the most common words in the document (barring «a» and «the» and the like) and assigns a «score» to each word – the more frequently a word is used, the higher the score. Then, it «averages» each sentence by adding the scores of its words and dividing the sum by the number of words in the sentence – the higher the average, the higher the rank of the sentence. «It’s like the ratio of wheat to chaff,» explains Fein.^[94]

AutoSummarize was removed from Microsoft Word for Mac OS X 2011, although it was present in Word for Mac 2008. AutoSummarize was removed from the Office 2010 release version (14) as well.^[95]

Other platforms[edit]

Word for mobile[edit]

Word Mobile^[96] is a word processor that allows creating and editing documents. It supports basic formatting, such as bolding, changing font size, and changing colors (from red, yellow, or green). It can add comments, but can’t edit documents with tracked changes. It can’t open password-protected documents; change the typeface, text alignment, or style (normal, heading 1); create bulleted lists; insert pictures; or undo.^[97][98][99] Word Mobile is neither able to display nor insert footnotes, endnotes, page headers, page footers, page breaks, certain indentation of lists, and certain fonts while working on a document, but retains them if the original document has them.^[100] In addition to the features of the 2013 version, the 2007 version on Windows Mobile also has the ability to save documents in the Rich Text Format and open legacy PSW (Pocket Word).^[100] Furthermore, it includes a spell checker, word count tool, and a «Find and Replace» command. In 2015, Word Mobile became available for Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile on Windows Store.^[101]

Support for Windows 10 Mobile version ended in January 12, 2021.^[102]

Word for the web[edit]

Word for the web is a free lightweight version of Microsoft Word available as part of Office on the web, which also includes web versions of Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint.

Word for the web lacks some Ribbon tabs, such as Design and Mailings. Mailings allows users to print envelopes and labels and manage mail merge printing of Word documents.^[103][104] Word for the web is not able to edit certain objects, such as: equations, shapes, text boxes or drawings, but a placeholder may be present in the document. Certain advanced features like table sorting or columns will not be displayed but are preserved as they were in the document. Other views available in the Word desktop app (Outline, Draft, Web Layout, and Full-Screen Reading) are not available, nor are side-by-side viewing, split windows, and the ruler.^[105]

Password protection[edit]

Three password types can be set in Microsoft Word,

• Password to open a document^[106]
• Password to modify a document^[106]
• Password restricting formatting and editing^[107]

The second and third password types were developed by Microsoft for convenient shared use of documents rather than for their protection. There is no encryption of documents that are protected by such passwords and the Microsoft Office protection system saves a hash sum of a password in a document’s header where it can be easily accessed and removed by the specialized software. Password to open a document offers much tougher protection that had been steadily enhanced in the subsequent editions of Microsoft Office.

Word 95 and all the preceding editions had the weakest protection that utilized a conversion of a password to a 16-bit key.

Key length in Word 97 and 2000 was strengthened up to 40 bit. However, modern cracking software allows removing such a password very quickly – a persistent cracking process takes one week at most. Use of rainbow tables reduces password removal time to several seconds. Some password recovery software can not only remove a password but also find an actual password that was used by a user to encrypt the document using the brute-force attack approach. Statistically, the possibility of recovering the password depends on the password strength.

Word’s 2003/XP version default protection remained the same but an option that allowed advanced users to choose a Cryptographic Service Provider was added.^[108] If a strong CSP is chosen, guaranteed document decryption becomes unavailable and, therefore, a password can’t be removed from the document. Nonetheless, a password can be fairly quickly picked with a brute-force attack, because its speed is still high regardless of the CSP selected. Moreover, since the CSPs are not active by default, their use is limited to advanced users only.

Word 2007 offers significantly more secure document protection which utilizes the modern Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) that converts a password to a 128-bit key using a SHA-1 hash function 50,000 times. It makes password removal impossible (as of today, no computer that can pick the key in a reasonable amount of time exists) and drastically slows the brute-force attack speed down to several hundreds of passwords per second.

Word’s 2010 protection algorithm was not changed apart from the increasing number of SHA-1 conversions up to 100,000 times and consequently, the brute-force attack speed decreased two times more.

Reception[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2021)

Initial releases of Word were met with criticism. Byte in 1984 criticized the documentation for Word 1.1 and 2.0 for DOS, calling it «a complete farce». It called the software «clever, put together well and performs some extraordinary feats», but concluded that «especially when operated with the mouse, has many more limitations than benefits … extremely frustrating to learn and operate efficiently».^[109] PC Magazine‘s review was very mixed, stating: «I’ve run into weird word processors before, but this is the first time one’s nearly knocked me down for the count» but acknowledging that Word’s innovations were the first that caused the reviewer to consider abandoning WordStar. While the review cited an excellent WYSIWYG display, sophisticated print formatting, windows, and footnoting as merits, it criticized many small flaws, very slow performance, and «documentation produced by Madame Sadie’s Pain Palace». It concluded that Word was «two releases away from potential greatness».^[110]

Compute!’s Apple Applications in 1987 stated that «despite a certain awkwardness», Word 3.01 «will likely become the major Macintosh word processor» with «far too many features to list here». While criticizing the lack of true WYSIWYG, the magazine concluded that «Word is marvelous. It’s like a Mozart or Edison, whose occasional gaucherie we excuse because of his great gifts».^[111]

Compute! in 1989 stated that Word 5.0’s integration of text and graphics made it «a solid engine for basic desktop publishing». The magazine approved of improvements to text mode, described the $75 price for upgrading from an earlier version as «the deal of the decade» and concluded that «as a high-octane word processor, Word is worth a look».^[112]

During the first quarter of 1996, Microsoft Word accounted for 80% of the worldwide word processing market.^[113]

Release history[edit]

Legend:	Old version, not maintained	Older version, still maintained	Current stable version

Microsoft Word for Windows release history

Year released	Name	Version	Comments
1989	Word for Windows 1.0	1.0	Code-named Opus[114]
1990	Word for Windows 1.1	1.1	For Windows 3.0.[115] Code-named Bill the Cat[citation needed]
1990	Word for Windows 1.1a	1.1a	On March 25, 2014, Microsoft made the source code to Word for Windows 1.1a available to the public via the Computer History Museum.[116][117]
1991	Word for Windows 2.0	2.0	Included in Office 3.0.
1993	Word for Windows 6.0	6.0	Version numbers 3, 4, and 5 were skipped, to bring Windows version numbering in line with that of DOS, Mac OS, and WordPerfect (the main competing word processor at the time). Also, a 32-bit version for Windows NT only. Included in Office 4.0, 4.2, and 4.3.
1995	Word for Windows 95	7.0	Included in Office 95
1997	Word 97	8.0	Included in Office 97
1998	Word 98	8.5	Included in Office 97
1999	Word 2000	9.0	Included in Office 2000
2001	Word 2002	10.0	Included in Office XP
2003	Microsoft Word 2003	11.0	Included in Office 2003
2006	Microsoft Word 2007	12.0	Included in Office 2007; released to businesses on November 30, 2006, released worldwide to consumers on January 30, 2007. Extended support until October 10, 2017.
2010	Word 2010	14.0	Included in Office 2010; skipped 13.0 due to triskaidekaphobia.[118]
2013	Word 2013	15.0	Included in Office 2013
2016	Word 2016	16.0	Included in Office 2016
2019	Word 2019	16.0	Included in Office 2019
2021	Word 2021	16.0	Included in Office 2021

Microsoft Word for classic Mac OS and macOS release history

Year released	Name	Version	Comments
1985	Word 1	1.0
1987	Word 3	3.0
1989	Word 4	4.0	Part of Office 1.0 and 1.5
1991	Word 5	5.0	Part of Office 3.0 Requires System 6.0.2, 512 KB of RAM (1 MB for 5.1, 2 MB to use spell check and thesaurus), 6.5 MB available hard drive space[21]
1992	Word 5.1	5.1	Part of Office 3.0 Last version to support 68000-based Macs[21]
1993	Word 6	6.0	Part of Office 4.2 Shares code and user interface with Word for Windows 6 Requires System 7.0, 4 MB of RAM (8 MB recommended), at least 10 MB available hard drive space, 68020 CPU[21]
1998	Word 98	8.5	Part of Office 98 Macintosh Edition Requires PowerPC-based Macintosh Renumbered alongside contemporary Windows version
2000	Word 2001	9.0	Part of Microsoft Office 2001 Word 2001 is the last version that is compatible with Classic Mac OS (Mac OS 9 or earlier)
2001	Word v. X	10.0	Part of Office v. X First version for Mac OS X only
2004	Word 2004	11.0	Part of Office 2004
2008	Word 2008	12.0	Part of Office 2008
2010	Word 2011	14.0	Part of Office 2011; skipped 13.0 due to triskaidekaphobia.[118]
2015	Word 2016	16.0	Part of Office 2016; skipped 15.0
2019	Word 2019	16.0	Part of Office 2019
2021	Word 2021	16.0	Included in Office 2021

Word for MS-DOS release history

Year released	Name	Version	Comments
1983	Word 1	1.0	Initial version of Word
1985	Word 2	2.0
1986	Word 3	3.0	Removed copy protection
1987	Word 4	4.0
1989	Word 5	5.0
1991	Word 5.1	5.1
1991	Word 5.5	5.5	First DOS version to use a Windows-like user interface
1993	Word 6	6.0	Last DOS version.

Word release history on other platforms

Platform	Year released	Name	Comments
Atari ST	1988	Microsoft Write	Based on Microsoft Word 1.05 for Mac OS
OS/2	1989	Microsoft Word 5.0	Word 5.0 ran both under DOS and OS/2 dual-mode as a native OS/2 application
OS/2	1991	Microsoft Word 5.5	Word 5.5 ran both under DOS and OS/2 dual-mode as a native OS/2 application
OS/2	1990	Microsoft Word for OS/2 Presentation Manager version 1.1
OS/2	1991	Microsoft Word for OS/2 Presentation Manager version 1.2[citation needed]
SCO Unix	1990	Microsoft Word for Unix version 5.0[119]
SCO Unix	1991	Microsoft Word for Unix version 5.1[120]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Tsang, Cheryl. Microsoft: First Generation. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 978-0-471-33206-0.
• Liebowitz, Stan J. & Margolis, Stephen E. Winners, Losers & Microsoft: Competition and Antitrust in High Technology Oakland: Independent Institute. ISBN 978-0-945999-80-5.

External links[edit]

• Microsoft Word – official site
• Find and replace text by using regular expressions (Advanced) — archived official support website

Microsoft Word is a word processing program that was first developed by Microsoft in 1983. Since that time, Microsoft has released an abundance of updated versions, each offering more features and incorporating better technology than the one before it. The most current web-based version of Microsoft Word is Microsoft 365, but the software version of Microsoft Office 2019 includes Word 2019.

Microsoft Word is included in all of the Microsoft 365 application suites. The most basic (and least expensive) suites also include Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Excel. Additional suites exist and include other Office programs, such as Microsoft Outlook and Skype for Business.

Do you need Microsoft Word?

If you only want to create simple documents, consisting of paragraphs with bulleted and numbered lists with very little formatting, you don’t need to purchase Microsoft Word. You can use the WordPad application included with Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10. If you need to do more than that though, you’ll need a more powerful word processing program.

With Microsoft Word you can choose from a variety of preconfigured styles and designs, which provides an easy way to format long documents with just a single click. You can also insert pictures and videos from your computer and the internet, draw shapes, and create an insert all kinds of charts.

If you’re writing a book or creating a brochure, which you can’t do effectively (or at all) in WordPad or an application like Abiword, you can use the features in Microsoft Word to set margins and tabs, insert page breaks, create columns, and even configure the spacing between lines. There are also features that let you create a table of contents with a single click. You can insert footnotes too, as well as headers and footers. There are options to create bibliographies, captions, a table of figures, and even cross-references.

If any of these things sound like what you’d like to do with your next writing project, then you’re going to need Microsoft Word.

Do You Have Microsoft Word?

You might already have a version of Microsoft Word on your computer, tablet, or even your phone. Before you make a purchase you should find out.

To see if you have Microsoft Word installed on your Windows device:

1. From the Search window on the Taskbar (Windows 10), the Start screen (Windows 8.1), or from the Search window on the Start menu (Windows 7), type msinfo32 and press Enter.

2. Click the + sign beside Software Environment.

3. Click Program Groups.

4. Look for a Microsoft Office entry.

To find out if you have a version of Word on your Mac, look for it in the Finder sidebar, under Applications.

Where to Get Microsoft Word

If you are sure you don’t already have it, you can get the latest version of Microsoft Word with Microsoft 365. Microsoft 365 is a subscription though, something you pay for monthly. If you’re not interested in paying monthly, consider purchasing Office outright. You can compare and purchase all of the available editions and suites at the Microsoft Store. If you want to wait though, you can get Microsoft Word 2019 during the latter part of 2018 by purchasing the Microsoft Office 2019 suite.

The History of Microsoft Word

Over the years there have been many versions of the Microsoft Office suite. Most of these versions came with lower-priced suites that only included the most basic apps (often Word, PowerPoint, and Excel), to higher priced suites that included some or all of them (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, OneNote, SharePoint, Exchange, Skype, and more). These suite editions had names like “Home and Student” or “Personal”, or “Professional”. There are too many combinations to list here, but what’s important to note is that Word is included with any suite you can buy.

Here are the recent Microsoft Office Suites that also contain Word:

• Microsoft Word 365) is available and updated regularly in Microsoft 365
• Word Online is a free limited version.
• Word 2019 is available in Office 2019
• Word 2016 is available in Office 2016
• Word 2013 was available in Office 2013
• Word 2010 was available in Office 2010
• Word 2007 was included with Office 2007
• Word 2003 was included with Office 2003
• Word 2002 was included in Office XP

Of course, Microsoft Word has existed in some form since the early 1980s and has had versions for most platforms (even from before Microsoft Windows existed).

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