Microsoft is testing a free, ad-supported version of Office for Windows. Normally, accessing the full desktop suite of Office apps requires a paid Microsoft 365 subscription, but Microsoft is quietly running trials of an ad-funded version in select countries.
Beebom recently discovered that this ad-supported version of Office was rolled out in India, allowing Windows users to use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Office apps without the need for a Microsoft 365 subscription.
In this test version, ads are displayed in a sidebar, and users are shown 15-second video ads every few hours. Additionally, users are required to store their files on OneDrive, as local file storage is disabled.
A Microsoft spokesperson stated, “Microsoft has been conducting some limited testing. Currently, there are no plans to launch a free, ad-supported version of Microsoft Office desktop apps.” While Microsoft claims the testing is limited, the fact that the Office apps are being adapted to support ads on Windows suggests that this version may eventually expand to more regions.
Currently, Microsoft only offers free versions of Office via the web, which offer a more limited set of features. This test version for Windows also lacks several advanced features, such as drawing tools and line spacing in Word, add-ins and pivot tables in Excel, and dictation and custom slide shows in PowerPoint.
Microsoft initially began testing AI-powered features in its Microsoft 365 subscriptions in select countries before rolling out these changes globally, along with price hikes.
