Buying Office 2016

 

Introduction

The Microsoft Office suite is a collection of applications that includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and much more. Office 2016 is similar to the previous version (Office 2013). However, if you've been using an older version of Office, such as Office 2010 or 2007, there are some important changes you should know about.

In additional to the regular boxed version, Microsoft now offers Office through a yearly subscription plan, known as Office 365. It has also been integrated with Microsoft's cloud services, including OneDrive. That's why it's important to understand the different services and available purchasing options before you buy.

Click the arrows in the slideshow below to learn about some of the Office 2016 services and features.

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  • A Microsoft account is a free account that gives you access to Microsoft’s online services, including OneDrive, Outlook.com, Skype, and more. You can also use a Microsoft account to sign in to any Office 2016 application, allowing you to sync your documents, personal settings, and more across different devices.
  • With a Microsoft account, you’ll get access to OneDrive, which is Microsoft’s online storage service. You can use it to save documents, photos, and other files. You can then access your files from anywhere and even share them with other people. Office 2016 is closely integrated with OneDrive, so saving a document to your OneDrive is just as easy as saving it to your computer.
  • In the past, if you wanted to use Microsoft Office, you would need to buy a boxed version. But now, you have several different ways to access Office: Office Online--the free version. Office 2016--the classic desktop suite; Office 365--the subscription service.
  • Office Online is a free, online version of Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. It doesn’t include every feature found in Office, but it offers most of the basic editing features. Office Online runs in your browser, so it can be used on almost any computer that has an Internet connection. If you can’t afford the full version of Office, or if you just want to edit a document on a friend’s computer, Office Online is a good alternative.
  • Office 2016 is a version of the well-known Microsoft Office suite. The suite is offered with a variety of pricing options, depending on which applications you’ll need to use most. While it’s possible to use Office 2016 without a Microsoft account, you won't be able to use all of its new features, like OneDrive integration and online collaboration.
  • You now have the option of buying a monthly or yearly subscription to Office 365. This has a lot of different advantages: Includes all of the programs in the Microsoft Office suite. Gives you access to the most recent version of Office whenever a new version is released.Office 365 Home allows you to install Office on up to 5 different computers. Office 365 Personal only allows for 1 installation.
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Visit our Microsoft Account and OneDrive and Office Online tutorials to learn about these services in more detail.

Which version of Office is right for me?

If you're still not sure which version of Office you want, take some time to think about the features that are most important to you and how they fit into your budget. Below are some questions you may want to ask yourself.

  • Do I just need Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, or do I need the entire Office suite? If you only need the core Office applications, it may be best to buy Office Home & Student. While the initial price is more expensive, it may be the cheapest option over the long term if you plan to use this version for more than a few years. However, if you need other Office programs like Outlook or Access, you'll need to purchase either Office Home & Business, Office Professional, or a subscription to Office 365.
  • Do I want to install Office on more than one computer? If your household has several computers, you may want to get an Office 365 Home subscription. Office 365 Personal and the nonsubscription versions can only be installed on one computer.
  • Will I do a lot of editing on the go? If you want to edit Office documents on the go, Office 365 may be your best option because it will give you access to advanced features for free Office mobile apps. However, keep in mind that you can do basic editing within the mobile apps or in a web browser with Office Online, even if you don't own a copy of Office.

    Student and business pricing

    Microsoft offers discounts for the Office 2016 suite to college students and businesses. Check out Office 365 University and Office 365 for Business to learn more.

    How to buy Office 2016

    • Office 2016 and Office 365 are available directly from the Microsoft Store, as well as through retailers like Amazon.
    • Office 365 is also available for a free trial, which can help you decide if it's right for your needs.

    For more help making a decision, you can always ask an associate at your local Microsoft Store for advice. Alternatively, you can call 1-800-MY-MS-STORE for more information on the product you're interested in.

    Office for other devices

    Office for Mac

    Office 2016 for Mac is the newest version of the Office suite for Mac computers, and it's a big upgrade from previous versions, including Office for Mac 2011 and Office for Mac 2008. While Office 2016 for Mac is more similar to the Windows version than previous versions of Office for Mac, keep in mind that it doesn't include all of the features you'll find in the Windows version.

    Office for mobile devices

    If you have a Microsoft account, you can use Office mobile apps to create and edit Office documents from various devices, including iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. The basic editing features are available for free, but you'll need an Office 365 subscription to use more advanced features like real-time co-authoring.

    Keep in mind that none of the Office mobile apps include all of the features found in the desktop version. They will likely be most helpful for making minor edits when you're on the go.