Microsoft Office is a productivity staple that has been around for decades. Microsoft Office includes tools like Word, Excel PowerPoint and Outlook. Each of these has become synonymous with their respective function. A common question from users is “Does Windows 10 include MS Office?”
What is included in Windows 10?
Windows 10, Microsoft’s latest operating system, (as far as I know, the cutoff date is September 2021) comes with many features that are aimed at improving productivity, security and ease-of-use. Microsoft Edge is used for web browsing and Mail for email. OneNote is used for note taking. Does it include MS Office as well?
Office in Windows 10 – The Short Answer
Windows 10 doesn’t come with the full MS Office suite. It does have some applications built in that are part of the Office family. For example, OneNote, and the Mail app, which can be linked with Outlook accounts. However, this is not the complete MS Office suite. You’ll need to buy the full versions separately of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Office Online: An Alternative for Free
Microsoft Office Online (also known as Office for web) is a free suite of web-based versions Word, Excel PowerPoint and OneNote. These online versions have most of the same features as their desktop counterparts and are accessible from any web browser on any device as long as there is an internet connection.
Accessing Office Online
You can create a Microsoft Account for free to access Office Online. After signing in, you will be able to create, save and share online documents, spreadsheets and presentations. It’s important to note that these online versions may lack some advanced features.
Office 365: Full Office Experience
Microsoft Office 365 is a subscription service that includes the latest versions of all Office apps, as well as extra features such OneDrive cloud storage and Skype minutes. It is a monthly subscription service which includes all the Office apps and extra features like OneDrive cloud storage, Skype minutes and the latest versions.
Why isn’t Office included in Windows 10?
Microsoft Office is not included in Windows 10 because they are separate products that serve different purposes. Windows 10 is a platform that runs applications. Office is a productivity package, which is a collection applications to create and manage documents, spreadsheets and presentations.
Included Office in Windows 10 will increase the price of the operating system. This is not ideal for everyone, especially those users who do not require Office. Microsoft’s decision to move to a subscription-based model for Office will allow them to continually update and improve their suite, without needing to release new versions every few years.
Conclusion
Microsoft offers several ways to access Office tools, even though Windows 10 doesn’t include the full MS Office version. Depending on what you need, you might be happy with Office Online for free, or a Microsoft 365 subscription may make sense. Windows 10 and MS Office are separated, allowing each product to be flexible and affordable. It can also be adapted to meet the needs of users.
