Microsoft's Secret Free Office: Ads for Access

Microsoft has quietly released a free version of Microsoft Office for Windows, allowing document editing without a Microsoft 365 subscription or license key. This free version, based on the full desktop apps, locks most features behind a Microsoft 365 paywall. It includes persistent in-document ads in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, and only saves files to OneDrive. To access it, skip the sign-in prompt. While you can open, view, and edit documents, advanced features like add-ins, dictation, and advanced formatting are unavailable. This free Office appears to be in limited testing.