Microsoft is launching a new standalone version of Office this week, tailored for those who prefer not to subscribe to Microsoft 365. The newly released Microsoft Office 2024 is now available for both consumers and small businesses, featuring static versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook for both Mac and PC.
Office 2024 incorporates many of the updates Microsoft has rolled out to Microsoft 365 subscribers in recent years. The previous standalone version was released in 2021, and the new Office 2024 includes enhancements to core applications, as well as improvements in accessibility and user interface.
The new edition of Office comes with a refreshed default theme aligned with Microsoft’s Fluent Design principles, in sync with the visual changes of Windows 11. Additionally, Microsoft has introduced several accessibility improvements to help users identify potential accessibility issues in documents, presentations, workbooks, and emails.
Significant updates can be found in Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Excel now includes new functions for utilizing text and arrays in worksheets, along with an IMAGE function that can pull pictures from the web. Excel 2024 also supports referencing Dynamic Arrays in charts for automatic updates, enhancing both speed and stability.
In PowerPoint, Microsoft has introduced the cameo feature, which allows users to insert live camera feeds into slides. The new recording studio feature provides tools for narrations, animations, transitions, and inking. Additionally, closed captions or subtitles can now be added to videos and audio files in slides, enhancing accessibility.
Outlook 2024 has seen improvements in search functionality, yielding more relevant results for messages, attachments, contacts, and calendar entries. The latest Outlook version also offers more options for meetings, such as the ability to automatically shorten them. Mac users can now customize swipe gestures in Outlook.
Office 2024 also allows easy insertion of pictures from an Android mobile device in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Microsoft has added support for version 1.4 of the OpenDocument format (ODF), which includes several enhancements. Both Word and PowerPoint now have features to like and react to comments within documents.
Further enhancements in Word 2024 include an improved file recovery feature that enables users to restore their sessions if their PC crashes. Word will reopen all documents that were open before an unexpected shutdown or power loss. OneNote 2024 also benefits from a new inking and drawing experience.
Microsoft has stated that Office 2024 will require a Microsoft account and an internet connection for installation, activation, and receiving security updates. The suite will be operational on Windows 10 and 11, as well as the three latest macOS versions.
Office 2024 will be offered in two editions. Office Home 2024, priced at $149.99, includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote for either PC or Mac. The $249.99 Office Home and Business 2024 version includes Outlook and grants commercial use rights for the included applications.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25653987/cf8de989_67fa_4e7a_b6d4_7d9b853d4287.png&description=Microsoft+Office+2024%3A+Now+Available+for+Mac+and+PC){kind=link}