Having Microsoft Word for free sounds like a dream but it’s really not. There’s a lot of Microsoft Word variants out there and other alternatives that you can use. Of course nothing beats the licensed version of it, but it would not hurt to try or use these applications especially if you just want to use the features and do not want to buy the official product.
Here’s a list of free Microsoft Word versions and alternatives.
1. Microsoft Word for the Web
This version is really great if you just want to edit and use any Microsoft Word features on your browser. This version is really easy to access, you can just go to their official website and select the web version of the office lineup. This will need you to register a Microsoft account if you don’t have one but other than that, you don’t need anything else.
The UI and functions are pretty much the same. The great thing about the online version is that it will automatically save your document as a draft, so you don’t have to worry about your document not being saved when you accidentally close your browser or your internet gets disconnected. You can also save all your documents directly to your OneDrive.
Since its online, you pretty much now what feature it will include, yes, a sharing feature. You can share your documents if you invite people via email or their Microsoft username or you can share the document if you produce a link that is accessible to the other users.
View Details2. Microsoft Word: Write, Edit & Share Docs on the Go
A Microsoft Word portable! Yes, you guessed it, it’s for mobile devices and laptops that support android features. You can’t go wrong when using a portable version, the UI is clean, a user-friendly interface as a mobile port should have, and most of all some new features.
This fits really well if you ever want to edit documents on the go or if you are a student. You can edit or save lectures just by typing them into the document app. Android One devices and Pixel devices will have the new Google Audio Recorder which will record any audio and convert it into text, that way you can record your audio and paste the converted text to the word document and save it on your phone.
It’s also a good way to incorporate Google Lens with this application as you can easily scan text on a textbook or any articles you want to copy and integrate it into the document. All in all, having a mobile version port for Microsoft Word is a great free version we can have easily.
3. Google Docs
If you have been using Microsoft Word for a long time, chances are you have heard Google Docs. I mean, who has not heard of it. Let me give you a little introduction, Google Docs is the Word version of Google.
It pretty much has the same feature but some UI changes. The great thing to compliment about Google Docs is the extensions you can use on your browser that will automatically apply it to the docs itself. Of course, if you don’t want that, then you can install the add-ons that Google approved for use on their Google Docs lineup.
Worth mentioning that with the advancement in technology, Google Docs is being supported by add-ons that will improve the user experience, be it improving your writer knowledge or guiding you to write mathematical equations, Google Docs is being supported 24/7 so improvements will never end.
View DetailsOther Microsoft Word Alternative
If you really like Microsoft Word and prefer it from the other 3 alternatives above, then you can always register for a Trial for their Office 365. It will be a 1-month trial, and if you decide to really commit to Microsoft Word, then you can buy their Office 365 Home offer for $99.99 per year.
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