Office 2021/Microsoft 365 for Mac

[Macguy1014]

Hi everyone,

Been searching for an answer (even went to Apple Store) but not having much luck.

I've had a subscription for Office/Microsoft 365 for a couple years and have no need for the OneDrive capabilities. I've used it, but I'm already paying for iCloud via Apple One and have been happy with the performance of iCloud Drive (all personal use) across my Mac, iPhone, and iPad. I'm just not really seeing the need to pay $100+/year for Microsoft 365.

If I were to ditch Office/Microsoft 365 and move to the standalone Office 2021 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint only), will I have any issues opening an Excel file on my iPad in iCloud Drive and editing it? Anyone seeing any limitations?

Thanks!
Brian

 

[eltoslightfoot]

Hi everyone,

Been searching for an answer (even went to Apple Store) but not having much luck.

I've had a subscription for Office/Microsoft 365 for a couple years and have no need for the OneDrive capabilities. I've used it, but I'm already paying for iCloud via Apple One and have been happy with the performance of iCloud Drive (all personal use) across my Mac, iPhone, and iPad. I'm just not really seeing the need to pay $100+/year for Microsoft 365.

If I were to ditch Office/Microsoft 365 and move to the standalone Office 2021 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint only), will I have any issues opening an Excel file on my iPad in iCloud Drive and editing it? Anyone seeing any limitations?

Thanks!
Brian

It used to depend on the size of the iPad. MS required one of your installs to be used on the iPad if the screen was bigger than 11". Not sure if this is still the case.

 

[chrfr]

If I were to ditch Office/Microsoft 365 and move to the standalone Office 2021 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint only), will I have any issues opening an Excel file on my iPad in iCloud Drive and editing it? Anyone seeing any limitations?

The iPad version of Excel, and the other Office apps, can only be licensed via 365. There's no standalone licensing for the Office apps on iPad, so unless you have an iPad mini or one of the older 9.7" iPads, you won't be able edit those files on the iPad without the 365 subscription. The personal license that's $70 in the US will work for this, you don't need the $100 subscription.
Edit: you could also use the Office web apps for free, and you might also find Pages and Numbers to be suitable. Those apps will read and also export Microsoft Word and Excel documents.

 

[Macguy1014]

So if I use it just for Mac and iPhone (not iPad) I would be fine with standalone version with editing, etc?

 

[bogdanw]

Microsoft: "To create or edit documents, sign in with a free Microsoft account on devices with a screen size smaller than 10.1 inches."
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-word/id586447913

 

[edubfromktown]

Microsoft: "To create or edit documents, sign in with a free Microsoft account on devices with a screen size smaller than 10.1 inches."
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-word/id586447913

iPad Pro 9.7" FTW

 

[DeepIn2U]

The iPad version of Excel, and the other Office apps, can only be licensed via 365. There's no standalone licensing for the Office apps on iPad, so unless you have an iPad mini or one of the older 9.7" iPads, you won't be able edit those files on the iPad without the 365 subscription. The personal license that's $70 in the US will work for this, you don't need the $100 subscription.
Edit: you could also use the Office web apps for free, and you might also find Pages and Numbers to be suitable. Those apps will read and also export Microsoft Word and Excel documents.

Just to add to this - I know, a few months too late, but

First check with your employer to see if there is a Home Use Program (or similar for licensing M365, formerly Office 365) as it'll save you hundreds of dollars for a year license. That is if your employer is a Microsoft shop or licenses Microsoft's Azure, Office suite and email tenant, etc. Alternatively you could just pay monthly or yearly online and you do NOT have to bump up beyond 5GB free space - some is needed when viewing documents via the browser.

NOTE: using the free Microsoft 365 services you CANNOT edit your Microsoft documents - consider this, heavily.

Lastly check in with your children if they're in high school or university they may have a license already for which you can add onto that for less as well.