Do You Need to Install Microsoft Office on Your New PC?

According to Statista, over a million companies use Microsoft Office globally. In addition to several million employees of those businesses, other people have chosen to install Microsoft Office for school, freelance work, and personal needs. The dominant productivity software suite provides premium tools for word processing, presentations, spreadsheets, database management, collaboration, and more.

Not everybody needs to install Microsoft Office on their PCs. However, this package of software applications offers a popular choice. As CNET pointed out, most people who work, attend school, or manage their households run a good chance of needing to read, edit, or create the type of documents that products like MS Word, Excel, or Powerpoint produce.

People who plan to use any of these products regularly will probably install them and pay the registration fee to have them on hand. At the same time, folks who may need to read or edit an Office document sporadically could consider a handful of reasonable alternatives to MS Word.

Microsoft offers limited versions of popular MS Office software in the app store. The company requires logging in with a Microsoft ID, but they don’t charge and even offer free cloud storage with OneDrive. Even though these free versions run inside browsers and don’t offer all of the premium software features, they will probably work well enough for casual users.

Since Microsoft also develops Windows, many people assume that they can only use MS Office products on Windows devices. Microsoft also provides MS Office apps for people who use Chromebooks and Apple devices.

Many people already use the Google ecosystem for office software. For example, Google Workspace charges affordable rates for business users. Google also has a free, feature-rich version that anybody can use with a free Google account.

A combination of Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail, and other browser-based products can replace the functionality of MS Office. Google’s office products all offer features to convert documents to MS Office versions and back again.

Mac users get Apple Office Suite included with their purchase. As with the Google software, Apple products can export or import MS files. Apple also develops and maintains web-based versions that will work with Safari, Chrome, and other browsers. As a result, Apple Office Suite works particularly well for people or organizations invested in the Apple ecosystem.

Open Office used to stand out as the most popular free alternative to MS Office software. Products like Writer, Calc, and Impress did not offer the same level of polish and features as Word, Excel, or Powerpoint, but they worked pretty well and did not cost anything.

In the past few years, Google Docs and other free apps have taken some attention away from Open Office software. However, they’re still decent products with regular support. Using OpenOffice does require installing it on a PC.

Most computer users need to use a word processor, email client, spreadsheet, or presentation software at some point. Indeed, people also use their computers for many other tasks, including online meetings, playing games, watching streaming movies, shopping, or browsing the web. Luckily, users can choose between plenty of good options, both free and paid.

Since most people rely on their PCs daily for work, school, entertainment, communication, and shopping, many prudent computer users also consider pairing their devices with solid protection plans. Upsie’s extended PC warranties provide 24-7 claims support, local or mail-in repairs, and a choice of two- or three-year protection plans.

No matter which productivity software works the best, Upsie will ensure that the PC keeps performing for years. These extended warranties cover wear, defects, and even accidents for laptops. Upsie also charges up to 70 percent less than competitors, ensuring that customers get the best protection at the best price.