Some would assume that there really is no way to get Microsoft Office on your device for free without stealing a copy from a file-sharing website or reusing a disc and license key that a friend used. on his own PC. Depending on the device you are using, this is not entirely accurate.

There are ways to get Microsoft Office for free, either short-term or permanently.

How to Get Microsoft Office for Free on Windows 10

Perhaps the best operating system to get Microsoft Office for free is the company's Windows 10 operating system. It was launched last year. Office Mobile apps for Windows 10 are completely free to download directly to devices running Windows 10.

Of course, there is a catch with this version. Only those with devices with screen sizes smaller than 10 inches can use Office Mobile for free. Thus, most laptops are excluded from the offer. Also excluded are most Windows 2-in-1s, such as Microsoft Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book. Office Mobile for Windows 10 isn't as feature-rich as regular versions of Office.

Besides Microsoft Office Mobile, Windows 10 users should also check their Windows 10 PCs for Microsoft Office free trials and promotions. Some PC vendors include an entire year of Microsoft Office 365 Personal with their devices. Others include a limited-time free trial that will at least get you out of any immediate problem or need you have.

Microsoft offers a 30-day free trial from Microsoft here . This free trial is for full desktop versions of Microsoft Office 2016 apps, not mobile apps. Note that at the end of this free trial, you will need to purchase a monthly or yearly subscription to Office 365 to continue editing and creating with them. Office 365 costs as little as $6.99 per month.

For Windows 7 and Windows Vista, your options for free Microsoft Office are very, very limited. Microsoft Office Mobile is only available through the Windows Store. This means that you will need to upgrade your device's operating system to access these apps. For Windows 7 users, it's simple, the Windows 10 free upgrade offer allows free installations of Windows 10 from Windows 7.

Windows 7 and Windows Vista users also have another option available to Windows 10 users. This free version of Microsoft Office lives on the web, allowing users to skip software downloads altogether. This is Microsoft Office Online. Excel, PowerPoint, and Word are all available for free in almost any web browser. The only thing you need is a working Microsoft account, which is also free.

Again, this version of Microsoft Office isn't as feature-rich as the versions you're used to working with on your desktop or laptop. Also, they won't help you if you frequently create and edit documents without an internet connection.

Windows 7 users should be able to install the same 30-day free trial of Microsoft Office 365 that Windows 10 users can use here .

How to Get Microsoft OneNote for Free

Although Microsoft still ships OneNote with Office 365 and traditional versions of Office, you don't necessarily have to buy it. This is because the company has completely stopped charging for it. Microsoft OneNote for Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7 and MacOS and other platforms is completely free. You can download it from here .

How to get Microsoft Office for free on iPhone, iPad and Android

Finally, there are variants of Microsoft Office Mobile for all the devices you use outside of your computer. OneNote, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint can be downloaded for free from the iTunes Store on Apple devices. The same screen restrictions apply, a device with a screen size smaller than 10 inches can read and edit documents. If you have a device with a screen larger than 10 inches, Microsoft wants you to buy an Office 365 subscription for as low as $6.99 per year.

The same restrictions apply to Office Mobile for Android devices. Anyone can read documents, but editing them requires an Office 365 subscription when the device screen is larger than 10 inches. These versions of Microsoft Office have the same functionality as Microsoft's mobile versions for Windows 10, but lack some of the more advanced features you'd expect from Microsoft Office 2016.

Good luck getting your hands on Microsoft Office. They're not free, but Microsoft still allows users to purchase Microsoft Office in the more traditional way for their PC or Mac. These versions of Office 2016 start at $149.99 at the Microsoft Store .