When it comes to word processors, Microsoft Word is still king. Even today, we keep discovering hidden Word features that make our lives easier. And just as amazing, we keep discovering new ways to get Microsoft Word for free.
These are all the ways to access Microsoft Word and almost all of them are free.
Platforms: Windows 8, 10
Price: Free
For a long time, Microsoft offered a free program called Word Viewer to open any DOCX file without paying for the full version of Office. But, this was removed a few years ago. What you have instead is the new Word Mobile..
Word Mobile can be installed on any Windows laptop, desktop, tablet, or phone. But if you install it on a desktop, laptop, or large tablet, you cannot create or edit files with the app. You can only open documents and read them.
To grab the app, head over to the Microsoft Store and search for Word Mobile. Otherwise, click the link below to open it in a browser tab, and then click the Download button to open it in the Microsoft Store on your Windows computer. Proceed to download it like any application.
Download: Word Mobile for Windows How to Open Microsoft Word 2007 DOCX Files How to Open Microsoft Word 2007 DOCX Files Have you ever received one of those files with the .docx extension and wondered what to do with it? It cannot be viewed in older versions of Word, so how can a .docx file be opened? ... Read more (free)
Platforms: Android-iOS
Price: Free
Microsoft is making great apps for Android. The Redmond giant has broken up its Office suite into individual apps on mobile operating systems, so you can download a full version of Microsoft Word without needing to get Excel, PowerPoint, and others. And yes, it's a completely free version of Microsoft Word.
Perhaps the best part of Microsoft Word on mobile devices is how well it renders documents full of charts and graphs. Historically, this has been a problem in most mobile office suites, but these files display perfectly in Word Mobile, scroll smoothly, and are optimized for mobile screens. In fact, the new Word Mobile apps show why Microsoft is the king of office suites and not Google Docs.
Download: Microsoft Word for Android | iOS (free)
This is also the best method to get Microsoft Word on Chrome OS. As long as you have a Chromebook that runs Android apps The Best Chromebooks That Run Android Apps The Best Chromebooks That Run Android Apps Looking for a Chromebook that runs Android apps like a champ? We've covered the best Chromebooks for running Android apps. Read More It will work as if you were using a tablet. The app works fine with a keyboard, and you can still use the normal keyboard shortcuts you're used to.
But in the end, that's a mobile version of Word, not the proper desktop one. For something closer to the desktop experience of Word on a Chromebook, you're better off using Office Online.
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
Price: Free
The first thing you need to know is that you don't have to pay for Microsoft Word. If you have an active Internet connection, you can use the free Office Online service.
We can think of a few reasons why you should use Office Online for free instead of paying Microsoft to use Word. To get started, you can access the documents through a web browser on any computer. The 8 Best Free Online Word Processors The 8 Best Free Online Word Processors Online word processors come in all shapes and sizes. Use these selection picks to choose the writing tool that's right for you. Read more . It also accurately preserves the formatting of Microsoft Word, unlike other applications. It's an easy step to cloud computing for anyone already connected to the Microsoft Office ecosystem.
However, you can't use Office Online without an Internet connection. When you need an offline office suite, fully installed on your own PC, then good old Office is still your best bet.
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Windows tablets
Price: Free trial and paid subscriptions (starting at $6.99 per month)
If you temporarily need the full version of Word installed on your PC or Mac, you should go with an Office 365 subscription. Until a few years ago, buying Microsoft Office was a one-time, but expensive, cost. Now, Microsoft has adopted the subscription model, which actually increases the price but makes a lot of sense if you're using Office on multiple computers for your whole family. Plus, there are some great gifts packed with it.
So why should you be willing to pay more? The new Office 365 subscription model An introduction to Office 365:Should you buy the new Office business model? An introduction to Office 365:Should you buy the new Office business model? Office 365 is a subscription-based suite that offers access to the latest Office desktop suite, Office Online, cloud storage, and premium mobile apps. Does Office 365 provide enough value to be worth the money? Read More
The Office 365 Home the package is available for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. If you plan to share your office with family members, this is the best value for money deal you can get. It basically applies to five users; so you can install Office offline on five computers (PC or Mac), five tablets, five phones, and get the aforementioned 1TB storage and 60 minutes of Skype for five users each. And you also get some extra features for Word Mobile on your smartphone:
The cheapest Office 365 Personal the package costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year but supports only one user for Skype storage and minutes, and offline installation on a computer, tablet, and phone.
If you don't like the new subscription model, you can purchase Office for a one-time cost that ranges from $139.99 to $399.99. Here's the difference between the Office packages.
Students can get Office 365 for free, if their school supports it. You can check the eligibility on the official site. Keep in mind, however, that the 1TB of OneDrive storage is associated with your school account, which means permissions and access can be changed by a school administrator.
Just like students, nonprofits can get Office 365 Nonprofits for free. Professionals can check out Office 365 for Business for more plans.
Microsoft Word has always been a fantastic word processor. Perhaps you have turned away from him because of his price. While these alternatives aren't the full Office suite you've come to expect for free, you can still rely on these methods and use them for your productivity.
Also, You Might Want To Consider These New Microsoft Office Alternatives 10 New Microsoft Word Alternatives You Should Try Today 10 New Microsoft Word Alternatives You Should Try Today Not everyone is a fan of Microsoft Word. Here are new alternatives to Microsoft Word that you may not know about. Read more . You never know which of those free or cheap alternatives will work for you.
