You can then make changes right in the browser. When it’s time to send the edited file back, you can share the file using OneDrive, which works well for ongoing collaboration. Alternatively, if the person you’re collaborating with insists on emailing files back and forth, you can click File > Create a Copy > Download a copy—this will save your edited file to your computer.
Yes, this might seem a touch more convoluted than using the desktop version of Microsoft Office, especially if you’re used to the desktop version. For the occasional file, though, it lets you open Office documents without any formatting issues that might be introduced by the non-Microsoft editors available online.
The Downsides
Now, the web version of Office isn’t perfect. You get only 5 GB of free storage, for one thing, though it would be hard to fill that up if you’re using it only for the occasional file. You also can’t use this version of Office without an internet connection.
There are features that aren’t offered in the free web version, though they number fewer than you’d think. Macros aren’t supported, for one thing, and password-protected files are read-only. If you’re interested in which features are missing from different applications, Microsoft offers feature comparison sheets for Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. You can check for the features that matter most to you.
The Free Alternatives to Microsoft Office
If you don’t like Microsoft’s free version of Office for whatever reason, there are a few free alternatives. Google Drive can import Office files and even edit them without converting them, which is nice, though there can be subtle formatting changes. If you’d rather run something directly on your computer, outside the browser, there are also open source options including LibreOffice, but they also have some slight compatibility issues.
Still, they can both work well in a pinch. It’s nice having this many alternatives.