A recent Analytics Insight explainer lays out the main options: free web apps, Microsoft 365 subscriptions, Office Home 2024 (one-time purchase) and Office LTSC 2024 for eligible commercial and government customers. It is general and has no plan-by-plan steps. Microsoft Support documentation fills in the procedure, and that is what this guide follows.
First, decide which "Office" you actually have
"Office download" can mean five different things. Which one applies determines where you start.
| What you have | Desktop apps? | Where it starts |
|---|---|---|
| Free web apps | No, browser only | Sign in to Microsoft365.com with a Microsoft account |
| Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, Premium or Pro | Yes | Apps portal, signed in with the account tied to the subscription |
| One-time purchase (Office Home, Home & Business, 2024 editions) | Yes, one computer | Redeem key if needed, then apps portal |
| Standalone app (Word, Visio, Project) | Yes, that app | Apps portal, select Install for the product |
| Work or school license | Only if the plan includes desktop apps and an admin assigned a license | Apps portal with work/school account; IT may use other deployment |
Free web apps
Microsoft's support documentation says a Free badge after sign-in at Microsoft365.com is not quoted here exactly, so in plain terms: the Free badge means you have no active Family or Personal subscription. You still get the web versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint, plus 5 GB of OneDrive storage. A Subscribed badge means you have a subscription and can use the desktop apps. The web apps are also a sensible fallback if your computer can't run the full desktop suite.
Subscription versus one-time purchase
Microsoft's comparison table says the Basic and free tiers get security updates but no new features. Personal, Family, Premium and Pro get ongoing feature updates, including Copilot features, and include desktop apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Access is PC-only and comes with the paid desktop plans. Microsoft removed Publisher from Microsoft 365 subscriptions in October 2026, so it is no longer included in new installs.
Microsoft also notes a storage change. Starting October 8, 2026, new, expired and repurchased Microsoft 365 Family and Premium subscribers get 2 TB of pooled OneDrive storage, and Pro subscribers get 5 TB pooled. Existing Family and Premium subscribers get 2 TB from May 2, 2027, when the subscription renews. Pooled means the allowance is shared across the people on the subscription, while each person's mailbox and files stay private.
Installing on a Windows PC
Before you start, make sure the PC meets Microsoft's system requirements, and that you are an administrator on the PC.
- Go to m365.cloud.microsoft/apps. If you aren't signed in, select Sign in, then the Install apps drop-down.
- Sign in with the account you associated with this version of Microsoft 365. It can be a Microsoft account or a work or school account.
- Follow the path for your account type:
- Microsoft account: From the Apps page, select Install apps, then Install.
- Work or school account: Select Install apps on the home page, or choose Apps in the left navigation first, then Install apps. Then select Microsoft 365 apps.
- Run the downloaded file. Microsoft says to choose Run in Edge, Setup in Chrome, or Save File in Firefox. Approve the User Account Control prompt with Yes.
- The install is done when you see the message "You're all set! Office is installed now." Select Close.
- Open an app from the Start menu, such as Word, and accept the license agreement. That activates Office. If activation has trouble, an Activation Wizard appears.
32-bit or 64-bit?
The 64-bit version installs by default unless Office detects an existing 32-bit Office, or a standalone app such as Project or Visio. In that case you get 32-bit. To switch, uninstall Microsoft 365 first, including standalone apps such as Project or Visio. Then sign in to the apps portal again, choose your language and the 64 or 32-bit version, and select Install. This matters if you rely on older add-ins.
Installing on a Mac
The sign-in steps are the same as on PC. After the download:
- Open Finder, go to Downloads, and double-click the Microsoft Office installer.pkg file. The name may vary slightly.
- If macOS says the file is from an unidentified developer, Microsoft's tip is to wait 10 seconds, move the file to your desktop, then Control-click it to launch.
- Select Continue, review the license agreement, then select Agree.
- Choose how to install, review disk space or change the location, and select Install. Use Customize if you only want some apps.
- Enter your Mac login password if prompted and select Install Software, then Close when it finishes.
- Open Word from Launchpad. In the What's New window, select Get Started to activate.
Mobile devices and Chromebooks
Phones and tablets use a different route. Microsoft's mobile setup page has separate instructions for Android devices and for iPhone and iPad. A Surface Pro tablet installs like a desktop computer. For a Chromebook, Microsoft says you can install the Microsoft 365 apps for Android if you have the Google Play Store, or use Microsoft365.com if you have the Google Web Store. Microsoft's comparison table also notes that mobile app availability varies by country or region, and that on tablets and phones under 10.1 inches, free and Basic users get basic editing only.
Product keys and first-time installs
If your copy came with a product key, redeem it before the first install. Go to microsoft365.com/setup, sign in with the Microsoft account that should own the license, and enter the key. Redeeming adds the license to your account, and you only do it once per key. If you are renewing with a new key, use the same Microsoft account as before. After that, reinstalls go straight to the apps portal with that account.
Some versions have no associated account. Microsoft names Office Professional Plus, Office Standard and standalone apps such as Word or Project as examples. Workplace Discount Program purchases and volume-license versions follow different steps, and volume-license users should ask their IT department.
No install button? Check these in order
- Wrong account. Sign out and back in with the account you used to redeem the key or buy the subscription. Having several Microsoft accounts is a common cause.
- Key not redeemed. If you bought at retail and never linked the purchase, go to microsoft365.com/setup (Microsoft's article also refers to setup.office.com) and finish linking it.
- Work or school account with no button on the home page. Microsoft says to go straight to the Microsoft 365 Software page, choose language and bit version, and select Install. Organizations on 21Vianet or Microsoft 365 Germany use their own regional portals.
- No license assigned. If the button still doesn't appear, the admin may not have assigned you a license. Admins should confirm the plan includes desktop apps and that the user has a license and permission to install.
- Sign-in blocked. If sign-in to office.com is blocked, an administrator security policy is the likely cause, and you should contact your IT admin.
- Students and teachers. If your institution didn't give you a license, check whether you are eligible for Microsoft 365 for free.
Common installation snags
- Slow or stalled install. Microsoft points to internet connection, firewall or antivirus problems, and suggests the offline installer on a poor connection. It also offers a Microsoft 365 setup troubleshooter for PCs.
- Unsupported operating system. Windows Vista and Windows XP can't run it. Another cause is trying to install the Mac version on a PC or the reverse. If the full desktop version can't be installed, the free browser apps are the fallback.
- Error with a Learn More link. Select the link, which goes to guidance for that specific error.
- OneNote missing. Microsoft has a separate article about getting the desktop OneNote after installing Microsoft 365.
How many devices can you use?
- Microsoft 365 subscriptions: You can install on all your devices and be signed in on five at once. With Family, you can share with up to five other people, and each of them gets the same device allowance.
- One-time purchases (Office Home, Home & Business, Professional): One computer only. Microsoft allows a transfer to another computer you own after hardware failure or when you buy a new computer, under its license terms.
- Offline use: After installation you don't need to be online to use the apps. Microsoft says you must connect at least every 31 days. Otherwise the apps go into reduced functionality mode and may show an unlicensed product error. Reconnecting and signing in fixes it.
Staying safe
Analytics Insight advises sticking to Microsoft's official sites, because cracked installers and very cheap keys can bring malware or licensing trouble. That is general guidance and sensible, and it fits the account-based design: legitimate Office downloads come from the signed-in apps portal, so a third-party installer site has no reason to be in the process.
Analytics Insight also says Office LTSC 2024 is aimed at eligible commercial and government customers who want a fixed-feature release, with volume licensing and IT handling deployment. If you have a personal Microsoft account, it is not the right route.
Bottom line
- Start at the apps portal and sign in with the account that owns the license.
- Redeem any product key once at microsoft365.com/setup first.
- Work and school users also need an admin-assigned license.
- Check 32-bit versus 64-bit before reinstalling over an old setup.
- If the full desktop suite isn't an option, the free web apps are a legitimate fallback.
Plan prices, features and requirements change, so check Microsoft's live plan page before buying.
Correction (October 21, 2026): Two factual errors in the original version of this article have been fixed. The offline-use section said Microsoft 365 apps must connect to the internet at least every 39 days; Microsoft's documentation states the limit is every 31 days. The article also said Publisher comes with the paid desktop plans; Microsoft removed Publisher from Microsoft 365 subscriptions on October 1, 2026, so it is no longer included.