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- Microsoft 365 requires a subscription to unlock full features.
- You can still access apps like Word and Excel for free.
- Free options include using the web version or mobile app.
No matter what stage of your education or professional life you’re in, from time to time you’ll probably still need access Microsoft 365 (formerly known as Microsoft Office) Software such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook. But if you’re not using it regularly, you probably won’t want to do this. Pay $100+ per year For subscription.
Luckily, there are some ways to access Microsoft 365 apps completely free. Yes, there are some warnings – but for most people, they won’t matter.
Here are three ways to use Microsoft 365 for free.
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1. Go to Office.com (and stay connected to the Internet)
Microsoft allows free access to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in your Internet browser as long as you sign up for a free Microsoft account. Here’s how you do it:
1. Go Office.com.
2. Click Sign In. If you don’t have an account, click Create one.
3. Enter your email address, and go through the verification process.
4. Enter your country, date of birth and name.
That’s it! You can now sign in and open Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, Teams, or OneNote from the side panel. You just have to work while connected to the internet.
If you want to use more advanced features, including CoPilot chat, you’ll need to pay for a subscription. But if you’re just looking to work in a Word doc, this is all you need. You can still create, save, and download files as needed.
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The free version comes with 5GB of OneDrive storage, but if you’re not using it often, or you can download it and then delete the files as you go, that should be enough.
2. Download the mobile Microsoft 365 Copilot app
If you like to work from your phone on the go or sometimes need to quickly access a document while on the go, you can use Microsoft 365 for free through its mobile apps. (It used to be called Office apps, and is now the Microsoft 365 Copilot app.)
1. On your phone, open the App Store (on iOS) or Google Play Store (on Android).
2. Search for Microsoft 365 Copilot. it looks like this.
3. Hit download.
4. Sign in (you’ll need a free Microsoft account, which you can create by clicking Create).
5. When you first sign in, you’ll be asked to upgrade to a paid account, but you can continue to press “Try Later.”
6. You’ll find your existing documents under “Search.” You can open and view them in this app, but if you want to continue editing, you will have to download separate apps for Word, Excel, etc., which are also free.
3. Take advantage of student and teacher programs
Teachers and students with eligible school email addresses can Get Office 365 A1 for freeAnd use it as long as they work at or are enrolled in an eligible school. This version includes web-based versions of the main Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote).
Students who are interested in upgrading to Microsoft 365 Premium (which lets you use AI and Copilot features) can take advantage of 12 month free trialAfter which you will be charged $20 per month if you do not cancel.
