Really, you may get Microsoft Workplace with Phrase, Excel and PowerPoint without cost

You will seemingly want entry to a Microsoft Phrase doc, a PowerPoint presentation or the product of one other primary software from Microsoft 365 no less than as soon as in 2022 — for both work, faculty or private use. Though the software program might look like a necessity, its excessive value makes some individuals run the opposite manner. In the event you do not need to spend your cash on Microsoft 365, do not stress. There are just a few methods to get the service without cost.

Microsoft’s suite of productiveness software program consists of Phrase, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Microsoft Groups, OneDrive and SharePoint. The gathering usually prices 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 Workplace for Home windows and Mac, known as Workplace Residence and Pupil 2021 — for a flat value, no subscription required — on Oct. 5, the identical day Home windows 11 started its rollout. 

Listed here are the variations of Workplace 365, Microsoft 365 and their apps that you’ll find on-line without cost proper now. 

Get Microsoft Workplace 365 free in the event you’re a pupil or a trainer

In the event you’re a pupil, trainer or school member with an energetic faculty e mail deal with, you are seemingly eligible to get entry to Workplace 365 without cost by way of Microsoft, with Phrase, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Microsoft Groups and extra classroom instruments. 

All you need to do is enter your faculty e mail deal with on this web page on Microsoft’s web site: Get began with Workplace 365 without cost. In lots of instances, you will be immediately granted entry due to an automatic verification course of. In the event you attend an establishment that must be verified, it’d take as much as a month to verify your eligibility. 

Current graduates who need to stick to Workplace 365 may get Microsoft 365 Private for $12 for 12 months, with a sound faculty e mail deal with. 

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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). 

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: 

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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