How to Get Started with Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, and More)

Microsoft 365 includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook — tools for writing, spreadsheets, and email. Here's how to access and start using them.

In this guide (5 steps):

1.Try the free web versions first
2.Understand subscription options if you need more
3.Create your first document in Word
4.Save and find your documents
5.Get help inside any Office app

Try the free web versions first

~27s

Go to office.com in your browser and sign in with your free Microsoft account (or create one). From there, you can open Word, Excel, and PowerPoint online — directly in your browser, with no download or payment needed. These online versions are great for basic tasks and save your work automatically to OneDrive.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: If you already use Windows, you likely have a Microsoft account. Sign into office.com with the same email and password you use for your PC.

Understand subscription options if you need more

~19s

The free web versions have some limitations — fewer formatting options, no macros, etc. If you need the full desktop apps, Microsoft 365 Personal costs about $70/year (or $6.99/month) and includes the full versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and 1 TB of OneDrive storage. Microsoft 365 Family covers up to 6 people for $100/year.

Create your first document in Word

~26s

At office.com, click "Word." Click "New blank document." You'll see a white page with a blinking cursor — start typing. Use the toolbar at the top to change font size (make it larger if you prefer bigger text — 14 or 16 is more comfortable than the default 11), bold or italic text, and alignment.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: Press Ctrl+S (or ⌘+S on Mac) to save your document. If you're using the online version, it saves automatically to OneDrive.

Save and find your documents

~17s

In the online version, your documents save automatically to OneDrive. Click the document title at the top to rename it. To find documents later, go to office.com, click "Word," and look at the "Recent" list on the left side. Or go to onedrive.live.com to see all saved files.

Get help inside any Office app

~18s

Every Microsoft 365 app has a built-in Help feature. Press the F1 key, or go to Help > Show Help (in the menu bar). You can type any question in plain English — "How do I make text bigger?" or "How do I print this?" — and get step-by-step instructions.

You Did It!

You've completed: How to Get Started with Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, and More)

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Microsoft 365 (formerly called Microsoft Office) is a collection of apps that Microsoft has offered for decades — Word for writing documents, Excel for spreadsheets, PowerPoint for presentations, and Outlook for email. Millions of people use these at work and at home. You've almost certainly encountered a Word document or an Excel spreadsheet at some point.

Microsoft 365 used to require buying a boxed disc for $150 or more, but now it's a subscription service. There are also free options — Microsoft offers free web-based versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint at office.com that you can use in any browser with no payment required.

This guide explains your options, how to access the free versions online, and how to get started using the most important tools — especially Word for writing letters and documents.

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