There is a diverse choice of applications and services available for Chromebooks, allowing you to do tasks while using Google-powered computers. But what if you want to work with Microsoft Office? Can I use Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on a Chromebook? Yes, it is, and we will demonstrate how to access the applications as well as describe other options that you may want to examine instead. You may install the Microsoft Office web app version on Chromebook, which works similarly to Office online but has extra capabilities. It offers an app-like experience without the arduous task of installing a large software package.
What will you see here?
How to use Office Online with Chromebooks?
Because Chromebooks are designed to utilize web-based programs, which are simply web pages that mimic the UI of an app, it should come as no surprise that you can use Microsoft Office in this manner.
As an aside, Chromebook models that support Android applications were able to run the Android versions of Office programs. However, Microsoft discontinued this support in September 2021. Microsoft Office is now exclusively available online.
While you won’t receive many of the complex capabilities accessible in Windows or macOS desktop apps, you can still work on Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, and Excel spreadsheets. You may modify these documents and add data to them; everything is stored online so you can start up wherever you left off when you return to your PC or Mac.
You may also store, download, and share Office documents on a Chromebook.
Steps to use Office Web
To use Microsoft Office web on Chromebook, go to the Microsoft Office on the Web page and sign in if you already have a Microsoft account, or sign up for free if you don’t.
Unlike in the past, you may now use the free versions of the applications without a membership. Documents may be created, edited, and shared.
After you’ve created an account, you’ll be sent to the Office homepage. This displays any existing files in the center pane.
On the left, you’ll also notice icons for each of the online programs you have access to. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, Teams, OneNote, and a few others are among them. To begin utilizing one, click on the appropriate icon.
From here, you may create new documents, upload old ones from cloud storage providers or your hard drive, and then edit them as you would with any other version of the Office programs.
Again, you’ll have a limited collection of tools at your disposal. However, it should be sufficient to create a rudimentary rendering of your document.
Use Crossover to run Microsoft Office on Chromebook
If you must use the full editions of Office on your Chromebook, there is a workaround. Crossover is a software emulation tool that allows Windows apps to run on macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS. It’s a cousin of WINE, which has been used for years to get Windows programs operating on Linux.
However, keep in mind that it is not free. You’ll pay £48 for a year of support and updates. However, the lifetime version will set you back £400. Obviously, the former is preferable if you are working on a single project for several months, but you’d be better off buying a low-cost Windows PC to run Office rather than paying over $500 for continuing emulation.
Alternatives to Microsoft Office on a Chromebook
While Microsoft Office is the industry standard, Google’s office suite is nearly as excellent, with tons of features and interoperability with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents, allowing you to save Google documents in Microsoft Office formats. The best thing is that it is absolutely free and has been designed to work with Chromebooks.
If your demands are simple, you’ll be OK using Google’s suite; nevertheless, when you try to employ complex functionalities, you’ll discover variances and limitations.
Conclusion
All you need to access Microsoft Office on your Chromebook is the web browser that came with it. You could previously utilize the Office Android applications, but that ship has gone. Support for Office Android applications has ceased, even if you have a Chromebook that supports Android apps and can still download them. That’s probably a good thing because the web version is simpler.
