Microsoft is testing a free ad-supported version of Office that only saves files to the cloud

What just happened? Microsoft has quietly released a free, ad-supported version of Office, granting access to Word, PowerPoint, and Excel with limited functionality. Unlike the online version of Office, however, users can install it locally and create new files. Until now, Microsoft 365 Online has been the only official way to access the software for free, albeit with limited functionality. However, Microsoft appears to be exploring alternative offerings. While the company has not announced plans to fully support a free, downloadable version of its productivity suite, a test build remains available as of this writing. This mysterious version of Office is part of a limited test, according to PCWorld, which explains why it is absent from Microsoft's main website and support pages. The download page went unnoticed until Beebom discovered it. Each Office app displays a large advertisement banner on the right side of the window, which plays a muted 15-second video every few hours. Furthe ... Read full article.