Microsoft 365, the evolution of the old Microsoft Office suite, includes a variety of apps for work, school, and personal use. However, the cost of a subscription accumulates over time and may become an impediment to using Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or other programs. If you want Microsoft 365, fortunately, there are ways to get it for free.
Microsoft’s productivity software suite includes classics such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, as well as newer apps such as Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint. Microsoft 365 subscription access across devices and family members typically costs between $70 and $100 per year. Microsoft also released a new stand-alone version of Microsoft Office for Windows and Mac called Office Home and Student 2021, which costs $150 and does not require a subscription.
How to Get Microsoft 365 if you are a Student or Teacher
If you have an active school email address and are a student, teacher, or faculty member, you may be eligible for free Office 365 access from Microsoft, which also includes Excel, Word, OneNote, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Microsoft Teams, and other classroom tools.
Simply enter your school email address on this page of Microsoft’s website: Start using Office 365 for free. Because of an automated verification process, you may be granted access right away in many cases. If you attend a school that must be verified, this could take up to a month to confirm your eligibility. If you want to stick with Office 365, you can get Microsoft 365 Personal for $12 for a year if you have a valid school email address.
How to Get Microsoft Office Suite for Free If You’re Anyone Else
Anyone can sign up for a free one-month trial of Microsoft 365. However, you must enter your credit card information, and if you do not cancel before the end of the month, you will be charged $100 for a one-year subscription to Microsoft 365 Family which was formerly called Office 365 Home.
If you don’t need the entire Microsoft 365 suite, you could always use a number of its apps for free online, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Outlook, Calendar, and Skype. Here’s how you can get them:
- Explore Office.com.
- Under the “Sign in” button, click Sign up for the free version of Office.
- Sign in to your Microsoft account or sign up for a new one. If you have a Windows, Skype, or Xbox Live login, you already have an active Microsoft account.
- Choose the app you want to use and save your work to OneDrive.
What is the point with the free version?
You may think that if you are getting all those apps free why should you pay for Microsoft 365 in the first place? The free apps, however, have limited functionality: They only work in your web browser and can be accessed while you are connected to the internet. They also have limited functionality than full Microsoft 365 versions. However, there are some benefits, such as the ability to share links to your work and collaborate in real-time, which G Suite tools provide. If you’re looking for the most basic versions of these apps, the free version should be enough.
