How much does it cost to install Microsoft Word?

How much does it cost to install Microsoft Word?

Q: My Microsoft Office 365 subscription will be expiring soon. Of the suite, I really only use Microsoft Word. Is there another way to download the suite so that I just have Word? I really don't want to pay for programs I don't use.

—Mary Oliver, Nettles Island 

A: Microsoft Office 365 is a productivity suite with a subscription rate of $99.99 per year.

For that cost, users can install and use full versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive (Microsoft's cloud-based storage system), OneNote and Outlook for one year and can install the suite on up to five different machines at once if needed. The subscription also includes all updates to these programs, which ensures you will always have the latest editions and capabilities of the programs available to you as long as your subscription remains current.

To continue using the suite from year to year, simply continue paying the subscription rate when prompted. Once you choose to stop paying the annual fee, then all programs included will stop being accessible to you at the time your subscription ends.

While previous versions of Microsoft Office allowed the user to perform “custom” installations of the program pack so he or she could pick and choose which programs and features to install from the suite, Office 365 does not offer this option. Rather, it’s an all-or-nothing scenario essentially. You must install the entire suite at once; if you don't want to use a title within the suite, then ignore it after installation and move onward.

Right now, Office 365 comes in three service-level editions: Home Edition, Personal Edition and Home and Student. The following link has information on what each contains and their respective pricing: products.office.com/en-US/compare-all-microsoft-office-products.

If you wish to use only Word and do not want to install the suite’s other components, then your best option would be just to purchase and install Word outright and not worry about getting the office suite at all. Word can be obtained online for a one-time installation fee of $129.

Keep in mind if you want to install Word only, you will need to take a few steps to ensure the program installs correctly. Rather than installing Word, you first must adjust your Office 365 account so that it does not automatically renew its annual subscription since this will not be done automatically by installing Word. Instructions for doing this can be found online.

After that, remove Office 365 from your computer so that your forthcoming Word download and installation will not conflict with the existing version of it already found in your installation of Office 365. You can do that by following the steps online.

Finally, go to the link above provided for Microsoft Word, purchase and download the program through that URL and install it as directed on the site. After that, you're good to go.

In terms of costs, in the end, you'll pay a little more for the latest version of Word than you would for another year of Office 365 ($129 vs. $99.99), but then you won't be charged again for Word after that. If you stay with Office 365, you'll be charged another $99.99 next year (and each subsequent year) to use continue using the program suite.

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As far as word processors go, Microsoft Word is still the king. But you don't have to pay for the expensive Microsoft Office suite to use it. Here are all the ways to get Microsoft Word free.

Of course, MS Word is more than a simple word processor. It has a wide selection of tools and applications. Whether it's on a computer or on a phone, it's the best software for creating, editing, and managing documents. And you can download Microsoft Word for free.

Word Mobile for Windows

Word Mobile for Windows

For a long time, Microsoft offered a free program called Word Viewer to open any DOCX file without paying for the full version of Office. But Word Viewer was retired a few years back. What you have instead is the new Word Mobile.

You can install Word Mobile on any Windows laptop, desktop, tablet, or phone. If your screen is larger than 10.1 inches, however, you can't create nor edit files with the free Microsoft Word Mobile. Unless you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can only open documents and read them on larger screens.

To grab the app, head to the Microsoft Store and search for Word Mobile. Otherwise, follow the link below and click the Get in Store app button to open it in the Microsoft Store on your Windows computer. Proceed to download it like any app.

Download: Word Mobile for Windows (Free)

Microsoft Office for Android and iOS

Microsoft's all-in-one Office suite for Android and iOS combines Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Forms, and a host of PDF options in a single app, and it's completely free.

Perhaps the best part about the free Microsoft Office mobile app is how well it represents documents filled with charts and graphics. This has historically been a problem on most mobile office suites, but such files show up perfectly on this app, scroll through smoothly without lagging, and are smartly optimized for mobile screens.

The app also features a strong dictation mode. Apart from turning your voice into text, you can make lists, add punctuation, change lines, and much more. Not bad considering you're getting Microsoft Word for free.

Download: Microsoft Office: Edit & Share for Android | iOS (Free)

Use the Android App on Chromebooks

Microsoft Office: Edit & Share is also the best method to get Microsoft Word free on Chrome OS. All Chromebooks now run Android apps, so go to the Play Store and download the same app for the Android linked above.

It will work as if you were using a tablet. The app works fine with a keyboard, and you can keep using the regular keyboard shortcuts you are accustomed to. But in the end, that's a mobile version of Word, not the proper desktop one. For something closer to the desktop Word experience on a Chromebook, you're better off using our next option; Office Online.

Office Online

Office Online document

If you have an active internet connection, you can use the free Office Online instead in your browser. All you need is a Microsoft account, which you can register for free, and then choose the Word app.

We can think of a few reasons why you should use Office Online instead of paying Microsoft to use Word. For starters, you can access documents anywhere through the 5GB of free OneDrive storage you get with a Microsoft account. It also accurately retains Microsoft Word formatting, unlike other apps. And it automatically saves your work, so you don't lose it.

Office Online also makes it easier to share documents and work with others. Like with Google Docs, you and your friends can collaborate on the same document in this free Microsoft Word online app. It's an easy step to cloud computing for anyone who is already hooked into the Microsoft Office ecosystem.

However, you can't use Office Online without an internet connection. When you need an offline office suite, fully installed on your own PC, then the good old Office is still your best bet.

Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365
for Home Use

If you temporarily need the full version of Microsoft Word for free on your PC or Mac, get a trial subscription to Microsoft 365. Until a few years ago, buying Microsoft Office was a one-time cost, but a hefty one.

Now, Microsoft has embraced the subscription model, which actually increases the price but makes a lot of sense if you are using Office on multiple computers for your whole family. Plus, there are some cool freebies packaged with it.

Once you have finished your trial period, you need to make a decision whether to stick with one of the aforementioned Microsoft Word free versions or pay for the full version. The new Microsoft 365 subscription model not only gets you Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, and Outlook, but if you opt for the Family package, it also adds 1TB of OneDrive storage per person, which is a total of up to 6TB.

The Microsoft 365 Family package is available for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. If you plan on sharing your Office with members of your family, this is the best value-for-money deal you can get.

It basically applies to six users; so you can install Office offline on six computers (PC or Mac), six tablets, or six phones, and get the aforementioned 1TB storage for six users each. And you also get some additional safety features for Word Mobile on your smartphone:

The cheaper Microsoft 365 Personal package costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year but supports only one user for 1TB of storage, offline installation on one computer, one tablet, and one phone.

BUY NOW

MICROSOFT 365If you don't like the new subscription model, you can purchase Office at a one-time cost varying from $149.99 to $399.99.

Before you make a decision, check out these methods to get cheap Microsoft Office and Word licenses.

For Students and Non-Profits

Students can get Office 365 for free or at major discounts through their school or university

Students can get Office 365 Education for free if your school supports it. You can check out eligibility on the official site. However, be warned that the 1TB of OneDrive storage is associated with your school's account, which means a school administrator can change permissions and access.

Like students, non-profit organizations can get Microsoft 365 Business Premium for free.

Still Nothing? Try Microsoft Word Alternatives

Microsoft Word has always been a fantastic word processor. Maybe you have moved away from it because of its price. Though these alternatives aren't the full-fledged Office suite that you expect to grab for free, you can still rely on these methods and use them for your productivity.

Otherwise, you might want to consider these fresh alternatives to Microsoft Office. You never know which of those free or cheap alternatives will work out for you.

Can I download Microsoft Word for free?

You can install Microsoft Word for Android and iOS, free of charge.

Can I just purchase Microsoft Word?

Yes. You can buy standalone versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Mac or PC. Go to the Microsoft Store and search for the app you want. You can also get a one-time purchase or a subscription version of Visio or Project, available for PCs only.

Is Microsoft Word free or paid?

In a world where most basic applications and services are available on a paid program, Microsoft keeps its Office suite free to use. As part of this free MS Office suite, you have access to Word, Powerpoint, Excel, OneDrive, Outlook and Teams – all without paying any money.