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Microsoft is launching a subscription-free version of its Office suite that will be available as a commercial preview as soon as April, possibly relieving some enterprises of another paid subscription.
Beta News reported that Microsoft will offer Office 2024 via the Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) as a one-time purchase, including support for five years. Microsoft will also release a subscription-free consumer version of Office, also with five years of support.
Microsoft’s TJ Devine announced in a March 15 blog post that Office 2024 LTSC will ship without Publisher, which the company is retiring, or Teams, which is available to download elsewhere. The LTSC version’s five-year “perpetual license” will only include “a subset of the value found in Microsoft 365 Apps,” Devine wrote.
As TechSpot observed, Microsoft is reserving certain AI-powered capabilities for users going the subscription route. The Redmond-based giant has emphasized AI features as the biggest selling point of future releases of its enterprise productivity apps.
“While Office LTSC 2024 offers many significant improvements over the previous Office LTSC release, as an on-premises product it will not offer the cloud-based capabilities of Microsoft 365 Apps, like real-time collaboration; AI-driven automation in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; or cloud-backed security and compliance capabilities that give added confidence in a hybrid world,” Devine wrote.
Microsoft is also raising the prices of Office LTSC Professional Plus, Office LTSC Standard, Office LTSC Embedded, and individual apps by 10% as part of the arrangement. According to Devine, the company has also committed to another subscription-free Office LTSC release in the future.
FAQs
Microsoft will also release a subscription-free consumer version of Office, also with five years of support. Microsoft's TJ Devine announced in a March 15 blog post that Office 2024 LTSC will ship without Publisher, which the company is retiring, or Teams, which is available to download elsewhere.
Will Microsoft Office 2024 be available without subscription? ›
No subscription required, if you want it. The rumors have now become facts. Recent speculation suggested that Microsoft would offer the latest version of Office (officially Microsoft 365) not only as a subscription, but also as a one-off purchase again.
Can I still get Microsoft Office for free? ›
All you need is to sign up for a Microsoft account with a new or existing email address. Use Word, Excel, PowerPoint and more for free on the web.
What are the versions of Office 2024? ›
In launching this latest preview program, Microsoft has made numerous products available:
- Microsoft Office LTSC Professional Plus 2024 (includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Access)
- Microsoft Office LTSC Standard for Mac 2024 (includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote)
Office Home & Student 2021 is the latest version of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint that doesn't require a recurring subscription.
How long do you get Microsoft Office for free? ›
You'll be asked to provide a method of payment so there's no interruption in your service after 30 days. You won't be charged before your trial ends.
Is Microsoft announced that Office 2024 will be available as a standalone download? ›
Microsoft reconfirms the release of a standalone version of Office 2024 for Windows and Mac. This perpetual license option caters to users who prefer a one-time purchase over a subscription model. Office 2024 is expected to launch later in 2024 with new features and five years of support.
What version of Microsoft Office is completely free? ›
Free Microsoft 365 Online | Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
How to renew MS Office without paying? ›
You can also renew Microsoft Office for free! Try out the trial versions offered by Microsoft, usually lasting a month. Or take advantage of educational institutions that provide free subscriptions for students and staff. Link your academic email address with your Microsoft account to get a complimentary subscription.
Is there a free program like Microsoft Word? ›
Cost: If budget is a concern, look for free alternatives. ClickUp Docs, Google Docs, Apache OpenOffice, and LibreOffice offer robust functionality at no cost. User Interface: Look for an intuitive layout that makes navigating through different features and tools easy and efficient.
In a world increasingly dominated by subscription-based models, Microsoft has announced the forthcoming release of Office 2024, the latest standalone version of its popular office software.
How to use Office without product key? ›
How to Activate Microsoft Office without a Product Key:
- Go to Microsoft's website and sign in with your account.
- Look for “My Account” or “Services & subscriptions”.
- Click on the “Activate” button for Office.
- On the activation page, choose “Activate without a product key”.
Collapsible Headers in the Message List: Keep your inbox organized by collapsing headers. This feature will make it easier to navigate through your emails. Conditional Formatting (Expected in March 2024): Customize your email view with conditional formatting. Highlight important messages based on specific criteria.
What happens if I don't buy Microsoft Office? ›
If you decide not to buy Microsoft 365, you can turn off recurring billing and let your trial expire or cancel it. Before your trial ends, back up any data that you want to keep. After the 30-day Expired status ends, your trial account information and data are permanently deleted.
When did Microsoft Office require a subscription? ›
In 2013, Office 365 launched and became the premiere way for consumers to engage with the Microsoft Office suite via subscription-based access.
Is there a version of Microsoft Office that doesn t expire? ›
Office 2021: a perpetual license
You have to ante up the entire purchase price before you get the software. That purchase of a license to legally run the software gives you the right to use that version of Office 2021 in perpetuity.
