With these steps, downloading and setting up Microsoft Office 365 apps on a Chromebook is quick and simple.

Many people still have misconceptions about what Chromebooks are capable of. The inability of Chromebooks to run Microsoft Office is among the oddest. Although it’s still true that Windows or Mac applications can’t be installed directly on a Chromebook, including the desktop versions of Microsoft Office products, there are other ways to use Microsoft’s collection of productivity tools.

I’m not referring to the ones for Android either. The Android versions of Microsoft Office, Outlook, OneNote, and OneDrive are no longer supported on Chromebooks, despite the fact that these devices can run any of the millions of Android apps available from the Google Play store. But when the Chromebooks’ support for Android apps ended, a different (and, in my opinion, superior) option replaced it.

Progressive web apps are similar to mobile apps for websites, but they include additional capabilities including offline use, taskbar pinning, support for push alerts and updates, and access to hardware functions. Microsoft Office 365 PWAs, such as Outlook and OneDrive, are available and excellent on Chromebooks. You may still use Office on a Chromebook by going to these locations and installing the necessary software.

Activate Office 365

Go to Office.com, the homepage for Microsoft Office 365 online, by opening the Chrome browser. Sign in as usual if you already have an Office 365 account. You must set up an Office account if you don’t already have one. Any personal email address is acceptable for the account, and creating one is simple: enter your email address, choose a password, validate your email address, and demonstrate that you are not a robot.

Get the Office 365 PWA installed.

After logging into Office 365 in Chrome, an Install icon will show up in the address bar’s upper right corner. It resembles a computer monitor and has an arrow pointing down. When you click on it, a prompt to install Office 365 will appear. Additionally, when you direct the browser to particular apps, such as Word or Outlook, the same install choice will show up in the address bar.

Installation proceeds quickly. A window that is perfect likes the online edition of Office 365 opens shortly after. It functions much like a browser window but with Microsoft Office mobile apps’ functionality.

able to work

You can simply resize the PWA because it functions like installed software and can be quickly pinned to the taskbar, get notifications, and work offline. Everything else is the same as when utilizing the web versions. For the majority of things, I actually like the PWA versions better than the full Office files.

You still can’t install desktop programs directly on a Chromebook if, after utilizing PWAs, you start to miss their look, feel, and tools. However, there are other ways to use a Chromebook to run Windows applications.