Is Microsoft Office Free? How to Get Office Apps Without Paying

Microsoft renamed most of what people call Office as Microsoft 365, which is why this question is so confusing. You'll still find the same apps. The real choice is between three routes: free in a browser, a one-time purchase, or a subscription.

I'll take each in turn, using Microsoft's own support pages, so you can see what you'd give up by staying free and what you'd get by paying. For most small businesses the free route goes further than expected.

The three ways to get Office, compared

Route	Free?	What you get
Microsoft 365 for the web	Yes	Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneDrive in a browser
Mobile apps, screens under 10.1 inches	Yes, basic editing	Office apps on phones and small tablets
Office 2024 (one-time purchase)	No	Desktop apps for one PC or Mac, security updates only
Microsoft 365 subscription	No	Desktop apps on all your devices, cloud storage and Copilot

How to get Microsoft Office for free

1. Create a free Microsoft account with any email address, or sign in with one you already have.
2. Go to Microsoft365.com in your browser.
3. Open Word, Excel or PowerPoint from the app launcher.
4. Save your files to OneDrive so they're available on any device.
5. Install the mobile apps on your phone and sign in with the same account.

Microsoft's free page says the web and mobile apps work across your browser, iOS and Android, and that you can share and collaborate in real time.

What the free Office apps leave out

Microsoft says some advanced features are only in the paid desktop apps. Two examples from its own support pages: password-protected Word documents open read-only in the browser, and Excel macros don't run in Excel for the web. If your work depends on either, the free version will frustrate you.

If your main concern is spreadsheets, my guide to Excel and Google Sheets shows where each free option is stronger.

Office 2024 vs Microsoft 365

Microsoft's support article spells out the difference. Office 2024 is sold as a one-time purchase for one computer. You get security updates, but no new features, and moving to the next major release means buying it again at full price.

Microsoft 365 is a subscription. You can install the apps on all your devices and be signed in on five at the same time. Microsoft says Microsoft 365 plans for home and business now include Copilot in apps like Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

There's also a storage change worth knowing. Microsoft says that from October 8, 2026, new Microsoft 365 Family and Premium subscribers get 2 TB of pooled OneDrive storage, and Microsoft 365 Pro subscribers get 5 TB pooled. Existing Family and Premium subscribers get the 2 TB pooled allowance when they renew from May 2, 2027. Pooled means the storage is shared across everyone on the plan.

The cheaper middle option most people miss

If what you really want is more storage and email rather than desktop apps, Microsoft points to Microsoft 365 Basic. Its support article says Basic is a subscription for one person with 100GB of cloud storage, secure ad-free email, photo and file storage, and Microsoft support. It doesn't include the desktop apps, so you'd still use the free web versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Microsoft also says Family, Premium and Pro plans let you share the subscription with up to five additional people. One catch: the AI benefits are only available to the subscription owner and can't be shared with the other members.

How to tell which version you have

Sign in at Microsoft365.com and check the badge. Microsoft says a Free badge means you have the free web apps and 5 GB of OneDrive storage, while a Subscribed badge means you can install the desktop apps. It's worth checking before you buy, especially on a second-hand or work laptop.

Free AI on top of the free apps

Copilot inside the desktop apps is a subscription feature, but Microsoft's free online page also promotes a free Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile app. It sits beside your documents rather than inside them, which is fine for drafting ideas but not the same as having Copilot rewrite a paragraph in Word.

Can students get Office free?

Often, yes, through their school. Eligibility depends on the institution, so check before you buy anything. My guide to Microsoft Office for students walks through how to check and sign up.

My verdict

Microsoft Office is free in the browser and on your phone, and for a lot of small businesses that's all they'll ever need. Start there. Buy Office 2024 only if you want desktop apps on one computer and don't care about new features. Pick Microsoft 365 if you work across several devices, want more cloud storage, or plan to use Copilot in your documents.

Frequently asked questions

Is Microsoft Office free to download?

The mobile apps are free to install, with basic editing on phones and tablets under 10.1 inches. The desktop apps need a Microsoft 365 subscription or an Office 2024 purchase.

Can I use Word, Excel and PowerPoint for free?

Yes, in a browser. Microsoft 365 for the web gives you Word, Excel and PowerPoint free with a Microsoft account.

Is Office 2024 a subscription?

No. Microsoft sells Office 2024 as a one-time purchase for one PC or Mac, with security updates but no new features.

Does free Office include Copilot?

Copilot built into Word, Excel and PowerPoint is part of Microsoft 365 plans, according to Microsoft's plan pages.

Can I share Microsoft 365 with my family?

Yes, on some plans. Microsoft says Family, Premium and Pro let you share with up to five additional people, though AI benefits stay with the subscription owner.

What is Microsoft 365 Basic?

Microsoft describes it as a one-person subscription with 100GB of cloud storage, ad-free email and support, without the desktop apps.

How much OneDrive storage do free accounts get?

Microsoft's Windows FAQ says a Microsoft account comes with 5GB of cloud storage alongside free online access to Microsoft 365 apps.