Is Microsoft Word Free? The Free Versions and Their Limits

Most people searching this want to write a CV, a proposal or a client letter without signing up for anything. Good news: you can. The free version handles everyday documents well. It's only when you open a locked file, need certain table tools or want Copilot inside Word that the free route runs out.

The free ways to use Microsoft Word

Version	Free?	What you need
Word for the web	Yes	A free Microsoft account and a browser
Word mobile app, screens under 10.1 inches	Yes, basic editing	A phone or small tablet
Word mobile app, larger screens	Extra features need a sign-in to a plan	A Microsoft 365 subscription
Word desktop app	No	Microsoft 365 or a one-time Office purchase

Microsoft describes Microsoft 365 for the web as a free version you use in a browser. All you need is a Microsoft account with a new or existing email address.

What free Word for the web can do

Microsoft's own comparison of Word for the web and the desktop app lists a lot of features on the free side, including styles, templates, spelling and grammar checks, headers and footers, numbered and bulleted lists, footnotes, a table of contents, comments, track changes and version history. You can also collaborate with other people on the same document in real time, and use dictation to write with your voice.

For a small business owner writing proposals, blog drafts or policies, that covers most of the job. Your files save to OneDrive, so you can pick them up on your phone later. My guide to how OneDrive works explains where those files live.

Where free Word stops

Microsoft's comparison page names a few places where you'll need the desktop app:

• Password-protected documents open read-only in Word for the web. To edit one, you have to open it in the desktop app.
• Word for the web supports table sorting, but table-to-text, text-to-table and embedded Excel tables are desktop features.
• Copilot built into Word, Excel and PowerPoint is part of Microsoft 365 plans, according to Microsoft's plan pages.

That first one catches people out. If a client sends you a password-protected contract to edit, the free version will let you read it but not change it.

How to tell if you're on free Word or a subscription

Microsoft gives you an easy check. Sign in at Microsoft365.com and look at the badge next to your account. A Free badge means you don't have an active Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription, but you do have the free web versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint plus 5 GB of OneDrive storage. A Subscribed badge means you can install the desktop apps on a PC or Mac.

This is handy if you've inherited a laptop or you're not sure whether an old subscription lapsed. It takes ten seconds and saves you buying something you already have.

Using free Word on a Mac, Chromebook or phone

Because Word for the web runs in a browser, it works on any computer that can open Microsoft365.com, including a Mac or a Chromebook. Microsoft says the free web and mobile apps work across your browser, iOS and Android devices, so a document you start on your laptop opens on your phone too.

If you'd rather not use a Microsoft account at all, there are other options. My roundup of free word processors covers the alternatives worth knowing.

How to use Microsoft Word for free

1. Go to Microsoft365.com and sign in, or create a free Microsoft account with your email address.
2. Open the app launcher and choose Word.
3. Start a blank document or pick a template.
4. Upload any existing Word file to OneDrive to open and edit it in the browser.
5. Install the Word app on your phone and sign in with the same account to carry on from there.

Free AI help alongside Word

Copilot inside the Word app is a paid feature, but Microsoft's free Microsoft 365 page also points people to the free Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile app. It's a separate app rather than Copilot built into your document, so think of it as a writing assistant on the side, not an editor working inside Word.

When paying for Word makes sense

Microsoft gives you two paid routes. Office 2024 is a one-time purchase for one PC or Mac, with security updates but no new features. Microsoft 365 is a subscription with the desktop apps on all your devices, more cloud storage and Copilot features. My page on whether Microsoft 365 is free compares the plans if you're weighing it up.

My verdict

Microsoft Word is free for everyday writing. Use Word for the web on a laptop and the app on your phone, and you can run a small business's documents without paying. Upgrade when you need to edit password-protected files, use the desktop-only table tools, or want Copilot working inside your documents.

What each subscription adds beyond free Word is covered in our guide to the Microsoft plans.

Frequently asked questions

Is Microsoft Word free to use?

Yes. Word for the web is free with a Microsoft account, and the mobile app gives basic editing for free on phones and tablets under 10.1 inches.

Is the Word desktop app free?

No. The desktop app comes with a Microsoft 365 subscription or a one-time Office 2024 purchase.

Can I edit a password-protected document in free Word?

No. Microsoft says protected documents open read-only in Word for the web, and you need the desktop app to edit them.

Do I need to install anything to use Word for free?

No. Word for the web runs in your browser. You only need a free Microsoft account.

Does free Word work on a Mac?

Yes. Word for the web runs in any browser, so it works on a Mac or Chromebook with a free Microsoft account.

How much storage comes with free Word?

Microsoft says free users get 5 GB of OneDrive cloud storage alongside the free web versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Can I collaborate in free Word?

Yes. Microsoft lists real-time collaboration, comments and track changes among the features in Word for the web.