
You need to use Microsoft Workplace apps at no cost.Â
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You will seemingly want entry to a Microsoft Phrase doc, a PowerPoint presentation or the product of one other fundamental device from Microsoft 365 a minimum of as soon as in 2022 — for both work, faculty or private use. Though the software program might seem to be a necessity, its excessive worth makes some folks run the opposite means. In case you do not wish to spend your cash on Microsoft 365, do not stress. There are a couple of methods to get the service at no cost.

Microsoft’s suite of productiveness software program consists of Phrase, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Microsoft Groups, OneDrive and SharePoint. The gathering typically costs between $70 and $100 yearly for subscription entry throughout gadgets and relations (as Microsoft 365). Microsoft additionally launched a brand new stand-alone model of Microsoft Office for Windows and Mac, known as Workplace Dwelling and Scholar 2021 — for a flat worth, no subscription required — on Oct. 5, the identical day Windows 11 started its rollout.Â
Listed below are the variations of Workplace 365, Microsoft 365 and their apps that you could find on-line at no cost proper now.Â
Get Microsoft Workplace 365 free should you’re a pupil or a instructor
In case you’re a student, teacher or faculty member with an lively faculty e-mail handle, you are seemingly eligible to get entry to Workplace 365 at no cost by Microsoft, with Phrase, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Microsoft Groups and extra classroom instruments.Â
All you must do is enter your faculty e-mail handle on this web page on Microsoft’s web site: Get started with Office 365 for free. In lots of instances, you may be immediately granted entry because of an automatic verification course of. In case you attend an establishment that must be verified, it would take as much as a month to substantiate your eligibility.Â
Latest graduates who wish to persist with Workplace 365 also can get Microsoft 365 Personal for $12 for 12 months, with a sound faculty e-mail handle.Â
How to get Microsoft Office suite free if you’re anyone else
Anyone can get a one-month free trial of Microsoft 365 to try it out. However, it does require you to enter a credit card number, and if you don’t cancel before the month is up, you’ll be charged $100 for a one-year subscription to Microsoft 365 Family (formerly called Office 365 Home).Â
The good news is if you don’t need the full suite of Microsoft 365 tools, you can access a number of its apps online for free — including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Outlook, Calendar and Skype. Here’s how to get them:Â
1. Go to Office.com.
2. Log in to your Microsoft account or create one for free. If you already have a Windows, Skype or Xbox Live login, you have an active Microsoft account.
3. Select the app you want to use, and save your work in the cloud with OneDrive.

Use the browser-based version of the Microsoft Word app for free.
Screenshot by Alison DeNisco Rayome/CNET
So what’s the catch for the free version?
You may be saying, wait a minute — if I can get all of those apps for free, why pay for Microsoft 365 in the first place? The reason is that the functionality of these apps is limited: They only run in your web browser, and you can only use them when you’re online. They also have fewer features than the full Microsoft 365 versions.Â
There are still a number of benefits, however, including the ability to share links to your work and collaborate in real time, similar to what G Suite tools allow. If you’re looking for basic versions of each of these apps, the free version should work well for you.Â
For more, check out all of the best new features in Windows 11, what you need to know about upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 and how to download Windows 11 for free. You can also take a look at CNET’s list of the best Windows laptops.