ChromeOS works best with Chrome Web Store and Android apps, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use Microsoft Office on a Chromebook for free. You may not be able to install it like you would on a Windows PC, but you still have options.
Content
- Via Microsoft Office Android Apps (No Longer Valid)
- Using Microsoft Office Online
- Using PWA Apps
- Using Office Chrome Extension
- Using Microsoft Teams
- Connect to Windows
Via Microsoft Office Android Apps (No Longer Valid)
Microsoft ended support for this method as of September 18, 2021. However, if you’ve already downloaded the app or sideload it now, you’re still free to use it, but there won’t be any more updates.
Sideloading means enabling Developer Mode, which invalidates your warranty and removes all data from your device. It also reduces the effectiveness of many security features. You can disable this mode after the app is installed. I’d recommend only doing this on Chromebooks that have reached their expiration date and no longer receive updates.
Using Microsoft Office Online
The easiest way to use Microsoft Office on a Chromebook for free is to use the online version. Microsoft Office Online. This online version allows you access to editing and can also share Office files directly within your browser. The only con is that you need to have an Internet connection before using MS Office on your Chromebook.
These are some of the apps you can enjoy using online with Microsoft Office:
- Excel online
- One Drive
- OneNote online
- Outlook.com
- PowerPoint online
- Microsoft Sway
- Word online
This is the completely free version of Office, so some features may not be available. You’d need to upgrade to Office 365 for all features.
Using PWA Apps
Microsoft may have ended support for the Android apps for Chromebook, but the company introduced PWAs (progressive web apps) instead. A PWA doesn’t technically install like a normal app. Instead, it’s essentially just a standalone browser window that opens directly to the app you want, so there is no worrying about local storage issues, updating an app, etc.
Log in to your Microsoft Office account online. If you don’t already have an online account, you’ll need to create one. This is just for the free version of Office, but it works with the premium version, too.
Click the download icon to the right of your address bar.
Allow Office to “install,” which should only take seconds. Also, if you want individual apps, open the individual app, then click the download icon.
You’ll find the apps listed with other installed software and can pin them to your taskbar for easier access. The apps work just like their Web version, as they technically are the Web version.
Using Office Chrome Extension
As of January 2024, Microsoft officially ended support for the Office browser extension. If it’s already installed, it may still work, but it won’t receive any updates and may cease to work at any time.
The extension lets you use Microsoft Office on a Chromebook for free by offering shortcuts to the free web version of Office. However, a few other extensions have popped up to replace this one, but they’re not official, so there could be a few glitches.
Simply add the extension to your Chromebook, and you’ll be able to quickly access Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, OneNote, and OneDrive straight from your browser.
I personally like the new extension (just released in February 2024), MS Office 365 Apps by OUBRECHT. Tap the extension icon, select your app, and you’re done. Keyboard Launcher for MS Office Online is also nice. It enables keyboard shortcuts to quickly access Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
You’ll need to log in to your Microsoft account the first time you launch an app.
Using Microsoft Teams
If you want to have a more collaborative environment, you may also want to use Microsoft Teams alongside Microsoft Office. While it used to only be a premium option, you can now install it for free for personal use.
The easiest method is the browser version. Go to teams.microsoft.com, and log in using your Microsoft account.
Add a shortcut to your home screen to easily open Teams whenever you want. To set up the shortcut, open the Chrome browser menu in the top right, select More Tools, and choose Create a shortcut. Add a name and place the shortcut where you want it.
While the Microsoft Teams app doesn’t work quite as well, especially on tablets, you can download Teams from the Google Play Store, if your Chromebook supports Android apps. Microsoft didn’t end support for this app like they did with the Office apps.
Refer to this list to see current Chromebook models that either support Android apps now or soon will.
Connect to Windows
This is a more complicated method that will allow you to use Microsoft Office on a Chromebook for free. You’ll use a remote desktop on your Chromebook to connect to your Windows PC, then any apps installed on Windows, including Office apps.
Connecting to Windows is best for users who have a Windows desktop at home but travel with a Chromebook. Your PC must be on at all times for anytime access from your Chromebook. Obviously, to use Microsoft Office on Chromebook using this method, it needs to be installed on your Windows PC.
On your Windows PC, open the Chrome browser and log in using the same Google account as your Chromebook. Visit Chrome Remote Desktop in your browser.
Select Access my computer, or click the install icon to the right of your address bar to install the PWA version of Chrome Remote Desktop. Both work the same. You’ll be installing the app anyway in the next step.
If you clicked Access my computer, download and install Chrome Remote Desktop as prompted.
You’ll be prompted to enter a name for your computer and select a PIN. The PIN is a security feature to ensure not just anyone can connect to your PC.
Perform the same process on your Chromebook to install Chrome Remote Desktop. You can also visit the Chrome Web Store to download Chrome Remote Desktop. For some reason, I couldn’t access it directly from the Chrome Web Store on my PC without going through the process above, but it worked flawlessly on my Chromebook.
Open Chrome Remote Desktop on your Chromebook. You should see your Windows PC under Remote Access.
Stay Productive on Chromebook
While a few methods of using Microsoft Office on a Chromebook for free no longer work, the web apps work great, and there’s nothing to install. If you love gaming, learn how to install Steam on a Chromebook. Or, stay connected by learning to use WhatsApp on your Chromebook.
Image credit: Unsplash. All screenshots by Crystal Crowder.
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Crystal Crowder –
Staff Writer
Crystal Crowder has spent over 15 years working in the tech industry, first as an IT technician and then as a writer. She works to help teach others how to get the most from their devices, systems, and apps. She stays on top of the latest trends and is always finding solutions to common tech problems.
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