What is Office 2013?
Office 2013 is the latest release of Microsoft Office. It is currently available in a customer preview edition (a public beta) intended for use with Windows 7 and Windows 8 on desktop PCs, notebooks, and tablets. The Office 2013 family includes a large number of desktop apps as well as server products (most notably Exchange and SharePoint).
What’s the difference between Office 365 and Office 2013?
Office 2013 is the name of the traditional software package that includes individual desktop programs. Office 365 delivers the Office 2013 programs as part of a subscription service that includes online storage, sharing, and syncing via Microsoft cloud services. Office 365 is available in business, consumer, education, and government editions.
When purchased as part of an Office 365 subscription, the Office 2013 programs and associated services are always available in the latest version.
Is Office 365 required to run Office 2013?
No. You will still be able to purchase any Office 2013 edition with a perpetual license that doesn’t require any ongoing subscription fees. This version can be combined with a free Microsoft Account (aka Windows Live account) to allow online document storage and sharing.
What are the system requirements for Office 2013?
Office 2013 will run only on Windows 7 or Windows 8 (which is currently in Release Preview), or on Windows Server 2008 R2 or later. You'll need at least 3.5 GB of free disk space.
Where can I download the Consumer Preview?
You can sign up for any Office 365 plan at Office.com/preview. Download links for individual apps, including an installer-based copy of the Office 2013 package, are at this page. If you have a TechNet Plus or MSDN subscription, you can also find downloads via those services.
How does the Office 2013 installer work?
When you sign in to the Microsoft Online portal, you’re given the option to download a Click-to-Run installer that handles the entire installation online. You must remain connected to the Internet until the installation is complete.
You can install Office 2013 on up to five PCs. The management portal allows you to deactivate the installed copy of Office from one or more devices so that you can install it on a new device.
