There is a caveat to this method for saving up to $100 a year without a subscription.
You most likely use the Microsoft 365 tools from the most recent version of the Microsoft Office suite at home, in school, and not at work. The most popular way to get these apps is by acquiring a Microsoft 365 membership, but the charges mount up over time and can discourage you from using Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or other tools. Thankfully, Microsoft 365 is free to use.
The productivity software from Microsoft includes time-tested programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook as well as more recent ones like Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint. Microsoft 365 subscription access normally ranges in price from $70 to $100 per year for access across devices and family members. Microsoft also introduced Office Home and Student 2021, a new standalone edition of Microsoft Office for Windows and Mac, for a one-time fee of $150.
Here is a list of the current free online versions of Office 365, Microsoft 365, and connected applications.
If you’re a teacher or student, get Microsoft Office 365 for free.
With Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Microsoft Teams, and many classroom tools, Office 365 is likely available to you for free through Microsoft if you’re a student, teacher, or faculty member with an active school email address.
On this page of the Microsoft website, all you have to do is type in your school email address: Start using Office 365 for nothing.Due to an automated verification process, access is typically granted immediately. If you attend a school that needs to be validated, it can take up to a month to verify your eligibility.
With a verified school email address, recent grads can also purchase Microsoft 365 Personal for $12 for a full year if they choose to stay with Office 365.
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How to obtain the Microsoft Office package for nothing if you are anyone else
Anyone can try Microsoft 365 for free for one month. You will be charged $100 if you don’t cancel Microsoft 365 Family by the end of the month, therefore you must submit your credit card information. (formerly called Office 365 Home).
You can use several of Microsoft 365’s products online for free if you don’t need the entire toolkit, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Outlook, Calendar, and Skype. This is how you obtain them:
Visit Office.com first.
- Under “Sign in,” click Sign up for the free version of Office.
- Open a Microsoft account or register for a free one. You already have an active Microsoft account if you already have a Windows, Skype, or Xbox Live login.
- After choosing the software you wish to use, use OneDrive to save your work on the cloud.
What then is the drawback of the free version?
Why would I pay for Microsoft 365 in the first place if I can access all of those apps for free, you might be asking. The free apps’ utility is nevertheless limited because they only work in your web browser and can only be used when you are actively connected to the internet. In terms of features, they fall short of the entire Microsoft 365 edition.
However, there are still a lot of advantages, like being able to interact in real time and share links to your work, much like G Suite products do. The free versions of each of these apps should work for you if you’re seeking the most basic versions.
Check out the top resume-building apps and all of Windows 11’s best features for additional information on productivity. You can also learn how to snap screenshots in Windows 10 or 11. Additionally, you can look at CNET’s ranking of the top Windows laptops.
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