Obtaining MS Word for free sounds fantastic. It’s an excellent program that is used in the majority of office, home, and school environments, but it is typically expensive to use each year. However, you are not required to pay for Microsoft Word because there are several ways to use it for free.
Whether you’re looking to open a Word document, edit one, or simply view one, these free Microsoft Word tools will suffice.
Even if these Microsoft Word free-use strategies aren’t what you need, there are additional ways to install with a Microsoft Word document without ever installing or purchasing Microsoft Word. More information on that can be found at the bottom of this page.
Microsoft Word Online: Free Browser Version
The best way to use Microsoft Word free is to access it via the online version. To get started, simply sign in with your Microsoft account or create one here.
You can edit Word documents for free stored in your OneDrive account, upload new documents from your computer, and create brand-new Word documents without ever needing to use the offline version of Microsoft Word.
Word Online automatically saves your work, so you never have to click the Save button. You can easily share your document online via a unique link, invite others to collaborate, embed the document on your website, and download your work in Word format, a PDF file, or an ODT file when you’re finished.
Word Mobile: Free Microsoft Word For Windows 10
Another way to obtain Microsoft Word free is through Word Mobile, a Microsoft-developed mobile application that runs on the following Windows 10 devices:
- Windows 10 Mobile v15063.0 or higher.
- Windows 10 v15063.0 or higher.
There is one critical caveat, however: full functionality (viewing, editing, and creating documents) is supported only on phones, specifically those with a screen size of 10.1 inches or less. On larger laptops, desktops, and tablets, you can continue to use Word Mobile, but you will only be able to view documents for free.
Microsoft Word Free App: Android & iOS
Install the official Microsoft Word app on your Android or iOS device to access Microsoft Word for free. The Android version of Word is available here, while the iOS version is available here. In addition, complete editing is supported, allowing you to use a fully-functional version of Word directly from your mobile device.
You can pin documents to your home screen for easy access, share files via a link or email attachment, search through documents, and open files from multiple locations such as OneDrive, Google Drive, Box, and Dropbox.
Anyone Can Apply For A Free Microsoft Word Trial
Another option for obtaining MS Word for free is to sign up for an Office 365 trial. Microsoft lets anyone use Office 365 for free for an entire month, allowing you to evaluate all of the features before deciding whether to pay for it.
During the trial period, you can use the trial to its full extent, which means you can read and edit Word documents as well as create your own from scratch or from a template.
Additionally, the free Microsoft Word trial includes the following Office applications: Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, and Publisher.
Free Microsoft Word For Students: EDU Email Required
If a trial is insufficient for you as a student who requires Microsoft Word on a year-round basis, Microsoft offers Office 365 at no cost to students and educators.
For more information, please visit their Office 365 Education page. First, you will be required to enter your school email address in order to verify that you are an educator. Next, you’ll need to open an email from Microsoft sent to that address and then entered the code required in the message into the form to create your free account.
If your school isn’t recognized, you will have the opportunity to request access, but it will not be immediate as it is for schools that are already on the list.
Additional Ways To Utilize Word Documents
If you’re looking for a non-commercial alternative to Microsoft Word, you’re not required to use a Microsoft-approved program. In other words, Word documents such as.docx and .doc can be opened, edited, and shared in programs other than Word.
Google Docs is a strong online competitor to Microsoft Word. You can use it as a free alternative to Microsoft Word because it lets you view and edit Word files directly from your browser or mobile app.
Installing OpenOffice Writer is another way to use Microsoft Word documents without needing to install Word. Some people looking to download MS Word for free are really looking for a free word processor, that is, something that lets them create documents and save them to their computer or other devices. Apart from the two mentioned previously, there are numerous applications for this, including LibreOffice, WPS Office, AbiWord, and FreeOffice.
