Microsoft Launching Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for iPad Today

In his first major public event as Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella today headlined a media event to introduce Office for iPad, in line with earlier rumors. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for iPad are now live in the App Store as of 11:00 AM Pacific Time.

word_ipad

Word for iPad

All three apps will be free downloads and will include viewing and presenting capabilities free of charge. Users wishing to edit or create documents with the apps will need an Office 365 subscription, which is priced at $9.99/month or $99.99/year for a Home Premium package allowing access from multiple computers and mobile devices.

Starting Thursday, Office 365 subscribers can simply add an iPad as one of their chosen devices included in their subscription benefits, and can create and edit documents with Word for iPad, PowerPoint for iPad and Excel for iPad. These apps are available as free downloads from the App Store, enabling people to read and present documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Office for iPad brings full file fidelity across Office on PC, Mac, tablet and phone, and along with cloud storage from OneDrive or OneDrive for Business your files are up to date, wherever you need them on whatever device you want to use.

excel_ipad

Excel for iPad (via The Verge)

Microsoft acknowledged soon after the introduction of the original iPad back in 2010 that it was looking at the possibility of bringing its Office suite to the tablet, and by early 2012 a reported prototype shown by The Daily. Microsoft's plans remained in flux, however, with the company reportedly reluctant to embrace the iPad as it sought to push forward with its own Windows tablet initiative with Surface.

With Nadella now running Microsoft, the company has finally committed to releasing Office for iPad, although some argue that it is too late given that an entire generation of users have already moved on to embrace other mobile-friendly productivity solutions.

Update 10:50 AM: The event is over and Microsoft has published its press release. The press conference is also available for on-demand replay, while the company has published a blog post covering the release.

Re/code also has a review and video overview of the new suite:


Update 11:00 AM: All three apps are now available for download from the App Store:

- Microsoft Word for iPad [Direct Link]
- Microsoft Excel for iPad [Direct Link]
- Microsoft PowerPoint for iPad [Direct Link]

Popular Stories

App Store vs EU Feature 2

Apple Says It Doesn't Approve of EU Porn App

Monday February 3, 2025 1:15 pm PST by
Apple does not approve of the "Hot Tub" pornography app that was released for the iPhone in the EU using alternative app distribution, Apple said in a statement to MacRumors. Further, Apple is concerned about the potential user safety risks with a pornography app, and says that it undermines consumer trust in the Apple ecosystem. We are deeply concerned about the safety risks that hardcore...
General Apple Invites Feature

Apple Launches New 'Invites' App

Tuesday February 4, 2025 8:00 am PST by
Apple today announced the launch of a new app called "Invites," which is designed to allow users to plan events like birthday parties, graduations, vacations, baby showers, and more. "With Apple Invites, an event comes to life from the moment the invitation is created, and users can share lasting memories even after they get together," said Brent Chiu-Watson, Apple's senior director of...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Will Include These New Features for Your iPhone

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:15 am PST by
iOS 18.3 was released last month, so the first iOS 18.4 beta should be coming soon. iOS 18.4 is expected to be a more substantial update for the iPhone, with several new features and changes related to Apple Intelligence and beyond. Apple's website suggests that iOS 18.4 will be released in April, following beta testing. Below, we outline what to expect from the update so far. Apple...
maxresdefault

An Apple TV Refresh is Coming in 2025 - Here's What You Should Know

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:17 am PST by
Apple hasn't refreshed the Apple TV since 2022, but rumors suggest that we're finally going to get an update in 2025. We don't have a full picture of what to expect yet, but we have some hints on what's coming. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Updated A-Series Chip The current Apple TV 4K uses the A15 Bionic chip that was in the iPhone 13 lineup, and it's time for...
applecare apple care banner

Apple Raises Monthly AppleCare+ Subscription Price for All iPhones

Tuesday February 4, 2025 9:35 am PST by
Apple this week increased the prices for its monthly AppleCare+ subscription prices for the iPhone, raising the cost by 50 cents for all models in the United States. Standard AppleCare+ for the iPhone 16 models is now priced at $10.49 per month, for example, up from the prior $9.99 per month price. The 50 cent price increase applies to all available AppleCare+ plans for Apple's current...
iCloud General Feature Redux

'Apple Invites' Leaked on iCloud Website

Tuesday February 4, 2025 7:11 am PST by
Update: The new Apple Invites app has officially been announced. The main iCloud.com page has seemingly confirmed Apple's rumored invites tool, which has yet to be officially announced by the company. The page says "Apple Invites" will be an iCloud+ feature:Upgrade to iCloud+ to get more storage, plan events with Apple Invites, and have peace of mind with privacy features like iCloud...
apple power beats pro 2

Apple Expected to Announce Powerbeats Pro 2 on February 11 With These New Features

Sunday February 2, 2025 6:15 am PST by
Apple previously teased that Powerbeats Pro 2 would be released in 2025, and now an announcement date has leaked. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said Apple plans to unveil the wireless earbuds on Tuesday, February 11. Powerbeats Pro 2 will be priced at $250 in the U.S., he said. Powerbeats Pro are a sportier, fitness-focused alternative to AirPods Pro with built-in, adjustable ear hooks...
hot tub app eu

EU's AltStore Gets First Native iOS Pornography App

Monday February 3, 2025 11:13 am PST by
In the European Union, the Digital Markets Act allows developers to distribute iOS apps through alternate app stores. While Apple checks those apps for malware and other malicious content, there are few restrictions on subject matter, unlike Apple's own App Store. As a result, EU users can now download the first dedicated native pornography app created for the iPhone. Called Hot Tub, the app ...

Top Rated Comments

cymerc Avatar
142 months ago
Yay! I'm sick of not paying a subscription for Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.

</sarcasm>
Score: 70 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jedibugs Avatar
142 months ago
Now let's see if he's smart enough to do this without requiring an Office 365 subscription...
Score: 48 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacFather Avatar
142 months ago
Deleted.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OSMac Avatar
142 months ago
Read Only for free... Goodnight.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
camnchar Avatar
142 months ago
I would have said hooray to this 3 years ago.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cambookpro Avatar
142 months ago
Subscription needed to edit? :o

Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)