Microsoft is testing a free desktop version of Office - but there's a catch

ZDNET Microsoft is testing a free, ad-supported desktop edition of Office, but it comes with a host of limitations. On Monday, tech news site Beebom described the new version, saying that Microsoft quietly launched it and no one noticed. That's an apt description, as Microsoft seems to be limiting the test to a small audience. Persistent ad banner and video Based on Beebom's description, the free desktop suite includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and is available only on Windows. To help pay the bills, a banner ad persistently appears on the right side of each application and won't disappear unless you opt for a Microsoft 365 subscription. Plus, a 15-second video ad with muted sound pops up in each app every few hours. The freebie offers only basic writing and editing skills, with virtually all the advanced features and add-ins grayed out and unavailable. That means no ability to adjust line spacing, columns, drawing tools, or mailing options in Word. Excel users can't insert objec ... Read full article.