They can include pictures, charts, and graphs, as well as plain or formatted text, and can also contain an editable template. DOC and DOCX are used for formatted text documents like reports, letters or resumes. Since 2007, Word has used DOCX as standard, although you can still open DOC files and can still save to the older format. DOC was primarily used by Microsoft for its Word program until 2003. Microsoft also has a basic free ‘Word for the web’ programme for online Microsoft account holders.ĭOC and DOCX are the most common word processing file formats. Microsoft Office was designed for Windows, but you can install Office apps on other operating systems. Word is part of Microsoft Office’s paid software application and is also available with an Office 365 online subscription. DOCX is an Office Open XML file, making it easier to open DOCX files in other programs like LibreOffice, Google Docs or Apple Pages, with fewer compatibility issues. The DOCX format has some advantages over DOC, including typically smaller file sizes and better security. As well as text, DOCX files can include pictures, tables, charts and embedded media, or can be an editable template. Microsoft Word is used widely in homes, workplaces and educational settings to create formatted text documents like reports, letters or resumes. If that's the case for you, you can try a free Office alternative check out our comparison of LibreOffice and OpenOffice to review two top choices.The DOCX format has been the standard format for Microsoft Word documents since 2007, replacing DOC. For those who often travel without internet access, Office Online won't be reliable enough. Those require traditional Microsoft Office (see some ways to get an Office license for free or pick up a cheap Office license if you need to upgrade).Īnother serious limitation of Office Online is right in the name-you need an internet connection to use it. You can't use the web versions to run a mail merge or execute macros, for example. Apps like Access, Visio, and Project don't have free web versions.Īfter trying the Office Online apps, you may also find that they lack a feature you need. If you require anything beyond the basics, you'll need the full version of Office or Microsoft 365. One of the biggest limitations of Office Online is its limited app selection. There are some situations where you're better off with another solution. We've looked at several reasons why Office Online is a great service you should take advantage of, particularly compared to desktop Office. Each app shows recently edited and pinned files of their type (spreadsheets, presentations, etc.) so you can open them from there instead of hunting around a bunch of folders. Storing all Office files in OneDrive also means they aren't mixed in with everything else on your system. Because it keeps all your files in OneDrive, they won't take up storage space on your machine (if you choose not to sync them). Office Online also provides organizational benefits. While the desktop Office apps are fairly bulky, the web app doesn't put such a strain on your system. If you have an old computer with a slow HDD and limited RAM, Office Online may work faster for you, too. If that's the case, perhaps you'll love the slimmed-down approach of Office Online. You might feel overwhelmed by the number of tools on the Ribbon and options to tweak in desktop Office. However, Office Online lacking features aimed at power users can actually be a benefit for some. While this can make Office Online unsuitable for professional purposes, these apps are still more than capable for personal use. Here you'll see everything that's available and can jump to any app you like. To try it, sign in to your Microsoft account on, then visit your Office apps page. There are no online versions for Access and Publisher, however. Other productivity apps like Microsoft Teams, Forms, and Sway are included in the list of Office Online offerings too. With Office Online, you gain access to online versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook at no cost. This is more affordable (starting around $7/month), but the subscription still adds up over time. Nowadays, Microsoft wants you to subscribe to a paid Microsoft 365 plan. Traditionally, you had to pay upfront for a standalone copy of the latest version of Office (like Office 2021 or Office 2019), which could cost $100 or more. This is the easiest way to get Microsoft Word for free and legally. The biggest benefit of Office Online is that you can use it without paying. Accordingly, the Office Online name is no longer used, in favor of "Microsoft 365 for the web." We've used the historical name of Office Online here since that's what most people currently know it by. Starting in 2023, Microsoft Office is now known as Microsoft 365, except for legacy versions.
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