Microsoft Office can be pretty expensive, especially if you're opting for the full version or a subscription plan. While there are some more affordable options, like student discounts or personal plans, they don’t always work for everyone. The good news is that if you're a Windows 11 user, there might be a way for you to get Microsoft Office free download for Windows 11, and in this article, I’ll walk you through exactly how you can access it.
Guide to Download Microsoft Office for Free on Windows 11
Who thought you'd never have to spend a penny to get Microsoft Office? Well, you can actually enjoy Microsoft Office on your desktop without breaking the bank! Here are three methods through which you can access Microsoft Office for free:
Method 1: Office Customization Tool
The first approach involves using the Office Customization Tool, designed to simplify the deployment of Microsoft Office across hundreds of computers, especially at the organizational level. This tool allows you to create a custom installation file tailored to your needs. You can select specific Microsoft products, add the required language packs, and configure system settings—all during the initial setup phase.
Once the customized installation file is ready, you can deploy Office suites on demand without the hassle of configuring each individual setup. Here’s how you can use the Office Customization Tool for MS Office free download for Windows 11.
Access the Office Customization Tool
To begin the Microsoft Office free download for Windows 11 using the Office Customization Tool, the first step is to create a configuration file. In this step, you will generate an .XML file that includes all your specific requirements, starting from your system architecture to Microsoft licensing details.
Step 1: Launch your web browser and search for "Office Customization Tool" on Google.
Step 2: Click on the top result, which will direct you to the Microsoft 365 Apps Admin Center.
Step 3: In the Admin Center, you’ll find options to adjust deployment settings.
The first section is Products and Releases, where you’ll configure key fields like architecture, product selection, update channels, and applications.
Step 4: Under Architecture, choose between 32-bit or 64-bit, depending on your system.
Note: To verify your system’s architecture, go to Control Panel > System and Security > System on Windows 11.
Step 5: Once you have selected the system architecture, the next step is to choose a Microsoft Office version, such as Office 2024, 2021, or 2019. Alternatively, you can select Microsoft Office 365.
Note: In this step, you can also choose to deploy additional Microsoft products like Visio, Project, or specific language packs to meet any special requirements within your organization.
Step 6: The next section is selecting an Update Channel. I recommend keeping the default selection, but if you have a specific preference, you can choose it in this field.
Step 7: Choose the “Office apps” you want to install. Toggle the switches to add or remove applications.
Step 8: With this, we have completed the "Products and Releases" section. Click on "Next" to proceed to the "Language" section.
Step 9: Select your preferred Primary Language to ensure the language pack is included.
Step 10: If needed, add additional proofing languages or local languages, then click “Next”.
Step 11: Now we have the Installation section, where you can select the source for your deployment. Choose one from the list, then click on "Next" to proceed to the next section.
Step 12: The Updates and Upgrades section is similar to the Installation section. Here, you’ll need to choose the “Source” for receiving regular updates.
Step 13: In this section, you can also decide whether to remove or update any existing Microsoft products on the system. Review each option based on your preferences, then click on "Next" to proceed to the next section.
Step 14: In the Licensing and Activation section, select “KMS” since no product key is provided.
Step 15: Leave the Product Activation settings as default, then click “Next”.
Step 16: In the General section, enter your organization’s name or your personal information. Optionally, you can add a description, and then click on “Next” to proceed.
Step 17: The final section is the Application Preferences settings. Here, you can select any customized preferences based on your organization’s requirements. Once done, click on "Finish" to complete the Office deployment configuration.
Step 18: Click “Export” to generate your configuration file and save it as configuration.xml in your preferred folder.
Step 19: When the export dialog appears, select “Office Open XML Formats” and click “OK”.
Step 20: Agree to the terms and conditions by checking the box, and then click “Export” to save the configuration file in XML format.
Downloading the Office Deployment Tool
The Office Customization Tool is essentially a setup that will be deployed on your system to download, install, and configure Office applications according to your preferences. With the configuration file now ready, you will need the Office Deployment Tool to deploy the configuration across different systems.
Step 1: To download the Office Deployment Tool, open a new browser tab and search for "Office Deployment Tool".
Step 2: Click the first result to access Microsoft’s official website and download the Office Deployment tool.
Step 3: On the download page, select your language and then click “Download”.
Extracting Deployment Files
Now that we have the complete setup to deploy the Office application, it’s a good practice to save both the Office Deployment Tool and the .XML file we prepared in a single folder. Let’s take a look at how these two files work together in deploying Office applications.
Step 1: Right-click the downloaded “Office Deployment Tool” file and choose “Run as Administrator”.
Step 2: The Office Deployment Tool installation wizard will now open. Start by ticking the "Microsoft License Terms" checkbox, then click "Continue" to proceed.
Step 3: Next, you need to select a folder where you wish to extract the Deployment Tool on your system, then click "OK".
Step 4: You will receive a confirmation message stating that the Deployment Tool has been extracted. Click "OK" to exit the setup.
Installing Microsoft Office Using Command Prompt
The Deployment Tool and the .XML file require a third element to make it work: Command Prompt. Let’s go through the necessary commands to successfully complete the setup.
Step 1: Search for “Command Prompt” in the taskbar and select “Run as Administrator”.
Step 2: In Command Prompt, begin by copying the file path of the folder where the Deployment Tool and .XML file were extracted. Navigate to the "Address bar" of the folder, then press “CTRL + C” to copy the path.
Step 3: Open Command Prompt, type "cd", then press the “Spacebar”. Afterward, paste the copied file path using “CTRL + V”. Press “Enter” to navigate to the folder.
Step 4: Now that you are in the correct directory, run the setup file by entering the following command to start the installation process:
setup.exe /configure configuration.xml
Note: "Configuration.xml" refers to the configuration file you exported earlier. If you renamed the file, be sure to use the correct name.
Step 5: After entering the command, press “Enter”, and the installation will begin. This process may take a few minutes to complete.
Once the installation is complete, your Office suite will be deployed on your Windows 11 system according to the preferences you initially selected while preparing the customization file (.XML file).
Method 2: WPS Office
WPS Office is practically a free, simplified, and better version of Microsoft Office. With no upfront costs, it allows you to access all essential office tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more without breaking the bank. While you can subscribe for premium features, the free version is more than enough for most users.
The interface is almost identical to Microsoft Office, which makes transitioning from MS Office seamless. Not to mention, WPS Office is fully compatible with Windows 11, ensuring a smooth experience.
Here's how you can get it:
Step 1: To begin the download, open your browser and visit the official WPS Office website.
Step 2: On the website, you will find the "Free Download" button. Click it to start the download process.
Step 3: Once the download is complete, locate the WPS Office installation file and double-click it to open the installation wizard.
Step 4: In the installation wizard, check the box to agree to the terms and conditions, then click "Install Now" to begin the installation.
Step 5: The installation may take a few moments, making it a great time to stretch and take a quick break.
Step 6: Once the installation is complete, you can start your next productivity project using any of the WPS Office applications.
Method 3: Office Deployment Tool
The final method we’ll cover is the Office Deployment Tool. As discussed, this tool allows you to deploy Office across multiple systems using a single configuration file, customized according to your preferences. However, preparing a configuration file to download and install Microsoft Office on a Windows 11 system can be time-consuming. Instead, you can use the Office Deployment Tool alone for a quicker setup.
Step 1: Let's head over to your browser and search for "Office Deployment Tool" on Google.
Step 2: Click on the first result to visit Microsoft’s official website and download the Office Deployment Tool.
Step 3: On the download page, choose your preferred language and click “Download”. The download will start shortly.
Once the download is complete, let's proceed by opening the Office Deployment Tool to extract the necessary files into a separate folder.
Step 4: Locate the Deployment Tool on your system, right-click on it, and select "Run as Administrator" from the context menu.
Step 5: This will open the Office Deployment Tool installation wizard. Tick the checkbox to agree to “Microsoft’s License terms”, then click "Continue."
Step 6: Next, select a folder where you want to extract the Deployment Tool along with the configuration file, then click "OK".
Step 7: Once the extraction is complete, a confirmation window will appear. Click "OK" to exit.
With the Deployment Tool now ready, let's go to the folder where we extracted it and run the setup.
Step 8: To make things simpler, rename "configuration-Office365-x64" to "configuration". This will make the command shorter and easier when using Command Prompt.
Step 9: Now, open Command Prompt by using the address bar shortcut. Type "CMD" in the address bar and press Enter to open Command Prompt.
Step 10: In Command Prompt, enter the following command and press Enter:
setup /configure configuration.xml
Step 11: The Microsoft 365 setup will begin shortly. This process is automated, where Microsoft will download the necessary files from a source and install them on your Windows 11 system.
Step 12: Once the installation is complete, click the "Close" button to exit. You can now start using Office applications on your system by simply opening any Office app.
WIndows 11 Friendly Office Suite: WPS Office
Windows 11 is a fantastic operating system, offering a smooth and modern user experience. To make the most of it, pairing it with a reliable office suite is essential. While Microsoft Office is undoubtedly a great choice, getting it for free can be tricky, especially since it's a subscription-based suite. Instead of dealing with potential risks, why not turn to WPS Office? It’s a powerful, feature-packed alternative that offers many of the same tools—word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations—all without the hassle of subscriptions or activation issues.
FAQs
1. Does Windows 10/11 Include Microsoft Office?
No, Windows 10 and 11 don’t come with Microsoft Office by default. While Windows is developed by Microsoft, Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) is a separate product that you’ll need to purchase or subscribe to. Some devices might include a trial version of Microsoft Office, but you’ll need a full license to continue using it after the trial ends.
2. Are there older versions of Microsoft Office available for free?
No, older versions of Microsoft Office are not free. While Microsoft does offer free trials of the latest versions, older versions usually require a purchase or subscription. Limited online versions may be available for free, but they don’t offer all the features of the desktop version.
3. How do I cancel my free trial of Microsoft 365?
To cancel your free trial:
Sign in to your Microsoft account.
Go to Services & Subscriptions.
Find Microsoft 365 and click Manage.
Select Cancel Subscription and confirm.
Your subscription will stay active until the end of the billing period, and you won’t be charged further.
4. Are there any other ways to get Microsoft Office for free?
While cracked versions exist, they are not recommended due to security risks. For a legitimate, free alternative, you can try LibreOffice or WPS Office. Both offer similar features to Microsoft Office, with WPS Office being particularly known for its high compatibility and user-friendly features. WPS also offers an AI-integrated pro version for just $2.99/month. 9
5. Which free alternative is most similar to Microsoft Office？
If you're looking for a free Microsoft Office alternative, LibreOffice and WPS Office are the top choices.
LibreOffice is open-source, free, and doesn’t require an account. It’s great for simple use and supports VBA macros, but it’s not always fully compatible with Microsoft Office files.
WPS Office, on the other hand, is more user-friendly and highly compatible with Microsoft Office. It offers unique features like one-click merging of spreadsheets and smarter column splitting. Plus, its Pro version, with AI-powered tools, costs only $2.99 per month.
6. How to download free Microsoft Office on a Mac computer?
While Microsoft Office is available for Mac, you may face some compatibility issues, especially with advanced features like PDF conversion. However, for Mac users seeking a Microsoft Office-like experience, WPS Office for Mac works excellently, providing similar functionalities and compatibility. You can download it from the official WPS website or the App Store for a seamless experience.
If you're looking for a smooth, cost-effective alternative to Microsoft Office, WPS Office is a highly recommended option, especially for Mac users who need a reliable and feature-rich office suite.
