Microsoft set the Internet ablaze yesterday with the announcement that all of the Office mobile apps would be free to download on iOS and Android phones and tablets, but there are a few provisions worth noting. PCWorld got in touch with Microsoft in order to find out exactly which features would be free for all mobile users and which would require a subscription to Office 365.
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Thankfully, most of the basic functions you’d expect from Word, Excel and PowerPoint will still be accessible to everyone. You can create, edit and share documents in all three programs, although some of the more advanced editing tools are only available to Office 365 subscribers.
For the full list, be sure to check out the article on PCWorld, but these are a few of the restricted features:
- Free users can only create new Word documents in portrait mode. Landscape documents can be opened, but the orientation cannot be altered.
- Free users can’t turn on the Track Changes feature in new Word documents (or turn it off in existing documents).
- Word Art is for paid users only.
- Many advanced presentation tool in PowerPoint are only for paid users, including Presenter View.
For casual users, most of these restrictions won’t be deal breakers. It’s free to download, after all.
