
You can also take a look at CNET's list of the best Windows laptops. If you're looking for basic versions of each of these apps, the free version should work well for you.įor more productivity coverage, check out what Microsoft 365 Basic offers customers, all of the best features in Windows 11 and how to take screenshots in Windows 10 or 11. There are still benefits to the free version, including the ability to share links to your work and collaborate in real time, similar to what the Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) productivity tools allow. You are basically opening yourself up to pirate versions as soon as you start searching for cheap licenses. You can get a free trial of Office 365 for 1 month and pay after that. They also have fewer features than the full Microsoft 365 versions. Look at the Microsoft prices for Office 365 (subscription) or Office 2021 (perpetual), any prices significantly lower are not genuine. You might be saying, "Wait a minute, if I can get all of those apps for free, why pay for Microsoft 365 in the first place?" The functionality of the free apps is limited, so they only run in your web browser and you can only use them while you're actively connected to the internet. Step 4: After the activation, you can see a Product Activated message along with the Office. Enter the Microsoft Office 2016 activation key. Click the Sign in button to sign in to Office.



Screenshot by Alison DeNisco Rayome/CNET So what's the catch for the free version? Step 1: Open one of the Office apps like Word, Excel, etc. Use the browser-based version of the Microsoft Word app for free.
