Instead of emailing files back and forth, or syncing changes via OneDrive or Dropbox then sending messages to colleagues when something’s finished, changes happen automatically in Office Online. The big difference is that the apps are online. They include instead a focused set of editing tools that, for most documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, are all you need. Office Online apps don’t include all of their Windows features. Each Office Online app includes an Office-style toolbar with Home, Insert, Design, and other tabs to organize core editing tools.
If you’ve ever used the iPad or Android tablet versions of Office, Office Online will feel instantly familiar. Launched in 2010 as Office Web Apps, Office Online today includes simplified, free versions of Microsoft Office’s most popular apps: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.
