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Thunderbird

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Dec 25, 2005
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Is it possible to have a full version (not a mobile version) of Microsoft Office, or at least just Microsoft Word, on an iPad, without doing it remotely?
 
Is it possible to have a full version (not a mobile version) of Microsoft Office, or at least just Microsoft Word, on an iPad, without doing it remotely?
The Microsoft Office apps for iOS are very reasonably featured, but the Windows and macOS versions do have more features.

Microsoft Office for Windows (full features)
Microsoft Office for macOS (most of the features)
Microsoft Office for iOS with Office 365 subscription (commonly-used features)
Microsoft Office for iOS without Office 365 subscription (read-only and fewer features)

I use an iPad Pro as my main device, and there's only two features I miss in iOS where I need the macOS or Windows versions: editing PowerPoint templates and multi-selection of objects. Everything else I need seems to be there, especially Word and Excel.
 
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Microsoft Office for iOS without Office 365 subscription (read-only and fewer features)
Not read only anymore. Just fewer features. Microsoft even have "word online" which everyone can use it with a free Microsoft account. Limited feature though.
 
Not read only anymore. Just fewer features. Microsoft even have "word online" which everyone can use it with a free Microsoft account. Limited feature though.
Doesn't it depend on screen size? Above 10" requires a subscription account?
 
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The Microsoft Office apps for iOS are very reasonably featured, but the Windows and macOS versions do have more features.

Microsoft Office for Windows (full features)
Microsoft Office for macOS (most of the features)
Microsoft Office for iOS with Office 365 subscription (commonly-used features)
Microsoft Office for iOS without Office 365 subscription (read-only and fewer features)

I use an iPad Pro as my main device, and there's only two features I miss in iOS where I need the macOS or Windows versions: editing PowerPoint templates and multi-selection of objects. Everything else I need seems to be there, especially Word and Excel.
Please, no. Microsoft Office for iPad is little more than "Google Docs with MS Office file compatibility". It's primary focus is in being able to view and make minor edits to existing Office documents. It is not possible to CREATE documents that contain anything beyond the very, very basic functions (merely a step or two up from WordPad).

For example: In iOS Word, you can edit a document that contains styles, but you can't define new styles. If you create a document from scratch, you won't be able to use styles other than the default ones. Creating/modifying styles is a very basic function.

The primary benefit of MS Office for iPad is the ability to have near-perfect file compatibility for viewing and minor edits. Function-wise, it isn't significantly different from iWork for iPad. If one doesn't need file compatibility with MS Office, iWork is just fine (and perhaps has a better designed UI for tablet use)
 
Ah, right. I've got a subscription through university and so far I've got 2 iPad Pro's 12.9, one 9.7 Pro, a MacBook Pro, MacMini and an iMac on that subscription.
About once every month it asks me to login and confirm that I'm still eligible, but other than that it works nicely. (although it would be a LOOOOOT cheaper to just buy a 365 subscription, and not pay the university fees :D )

I have to say the word version on my iPad Pro is really nice and has almost any feature I've needed.
One thing I haven't found yet is how to draw lines in a table.
 
Ah, right. I've got a subscription through university and so far I've got 2 iPad Pro's 12.9, one 9.7 Pro, a MacBook Pro, MacMini and an iMac on that subscription.
About once every month it asks me to login and confirm that I'm still eligible, but other than that it works nicely. (although it would be a LOOOOOT cheaper to just buy a 365 subscription, and not pay the university fees :D )

I have to say the word version on my iPad Pro is really nice and has almost any feature I've needed.
One thing I haven't found yet is how to draw lines in a table.
But iPad version can't add equations. You can only do some sort of editing on existing ones. Also you can't add/modify styles. This makes things like modifying an IEEE standard document on the go very difficult, or documents with lots of equations.
 
But iPad version can't add equations. You can only do some sort of editing on existing ones. Also you can't add/modify styles. This makes things like modifying an IEEE standard document on the go very difficult, or documents with lots of equations.
Noted. I suspect Word documents (with equations) in your world are quite different than Word documents in my world. :)

That's why I generally described Office for iOS with Office 365 as having "commonly-used features".

For Office, I think of it as Windows > macOS > iOS (with Office 365) > iOS (without Office 365) for features.

For example, on PowerPoint macOS I can't create new theme fonts, only select from existing ones. I can do that in Windows.

And on PowerPoint iOS I can't edit slide masters. I can do that in macOS or Windows.

I do almost all my work on a 12.9" iPad Pro, and when needed for a specific function unavailable in Office for iOS, an ancient 2006 Mac Pro. Every now and again, I load up Office in Windows in VMware Fusion to tweak theme fonts in PowerPoint.

Office for iOS is really quite good, I'd even call it elegant. I wish for a few more features, but overall it's quite capable.

I don't use Office Online, curious where it falls on that spectrum? Maybe it's a good answer for that occasional feature missing in iOS?
 
Noted. I suspect Word documents (with equations) in your world are quite different than Word documents in my world. :)

That's why I generally described Office for iOS with Office 365 as having "commonly-used features".

For Office, I think of it as Windows > macOS > iOS (with Office 365) > iOS (without Office 365) for features.

For example, on PowerPoint macOS I can't create new theme fonts, only select from existing ones. I can do that in Windows.

And on PowerPoint iOS I can't edit slide masters. I can do that in macOS or Windows.

I do almost all my work on a 12.9" iPad Pro, and when needed for a specific function unavailable in Office for iOS, an ancient 2006 Mac Pro. Every now and again, I load up Office in Windows in VMware Fusion to tweak theme fonts in PowerPoint.

Office for iOS is really quite good, I'd even call it elegant. I wish for a few more features, but overall it's quite capable.

I don't use Office Online, curious where it falls on that spectrum? Maybe it's a good answer for that occasional feature missing in iOS?

I have gone through some of this myself. I believe the Office 365 online has the full features of Office for Windows. It is available as a monthly or yearly subscription with perks like online storage and Skype. In fact, you cannot get Microsoft Access or Microsoft Publisher any other way. I am unclear if it allows Visual Basic Macros.

If you always had internet access, you could use an iPad Pro for your only machine and have full Microsoft Office.
 
I have gone through some of this myself. I believe the Office 365 online has the full features of Office for Windows. It is available as a monthly or yearly subscription with perks like online storage and Skype. In fact, you cannot get Microsoft Access or Microsoft Publisher any other way. I am unclear if it allows Visual Basic Macros. I have read you can edit VBA macros in Excel but not create them. I don't know about the others.

If you always had internet access, you could use an iPad Pro for your only machine and have full Microsoft Office.
 
I have gone through some of this myself. I believe the Office 365 online has the full features of Office for Windows. It is available as a monthly or yearly subscription with perks like online storage and Skype. In fact, you cannot get Microsoft Access or Microsoft Publisher any other way. I am unclear if it allows Visual Basic Macros.

If you always had internet access, you could use an iPad Pro for your only machine and have full Microsoft Office.
Microsoft office online is only a highly limited version of office software. Only very basic feature is provided. Microsoft won't load a full version office online. :p
Also, it is available for all Microsoft account holders. No need for a subscription. Subscription is for full feature windows version of office.
 
I need some of the advanced features in Word, and I need strict compatibility (to email documents). It's not as critical for the rest of Office, e.g. Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, One Note, etc.

Too bad Parallels or VMware don't offer Windows desktop capability on iOS, since I do like the iOS app ecosystem.

I guess I'll need to get a Surface Pro tablet.
 
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I need some of the advanced features in Word, and I need strict compatibility (to email documents). It's not as critical for the rest of Office, e.g. Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, One Note, etc.

Too bad Parallels or VMware don't offer Windows desktop capability on iOS, since I do like the iOS app ecosystem.

I guess I'll need to get a Surface Pro tablet.
That is a wise decision IMO. Tablets, notebooks, and desktop are tools... means of accomplishing an end. Life is too short to go jumping through hoops to make "pet" hardware try to do something it isn't capable of. As much as I use and enjoy my 12.9 iPad Pro, (and my Apple notebook and desktop) there are times when I need full MS Office on Windows.
 
That is a wise decision IMO. Tablets, notebooks, and desktop are tools... means of accomplishing an end. Life is too short to go jumping through hoops to make "pet" hardware try to do something it isn't capable of. As much as I use and enjoy my 12.9 iPad Pro, (and my Apple notebook and desktop) there are times when I need full MS Office on Windows.

Exactly for me. My Windows desktop is for heavy-lifting work - lots of RAW photo editing, processing, sorting and storage and "office-type" work (Office 365); my laptop is for initial similar work while on travel but also includes portable video watching; my Air 2 is primarily for consumption use everywhere (most usage is for reading various formats). I use what works best where it works best for me and don't spend time trying to pound square pegs into round holes. Someone else may be able to do all of the same on a tablet but I don't feel any real need or desire to.
 
Microsoft office online is only a highly limited version of office software. Only very basic feature is provided. Microsoft won't load a full version office online. :p
Also, it is available for all Microsoft account holders. No need for a subscription. Subscription is for full feature windows version of office.

When I login to the website version of office 365, I have every function that the windows word version has as well.
Excel is the same, all the odd and rarely used make up, formulas and data things can be done online with my subscription version.
 
When I login to the website version of office 365, I have every function that the windows word version has as well.
Sorry, but you don't. You might have every function that YOU use but not every function that exists in the Windows version of Word.


Excel is the same, all the odd and rarely used make up, formulas and data things can be done online with my subscription version.
This is not correct either.
 
Office 365:
  • 1-year auto-renewal subscription
  • For 1 PC or Mac, 1 tablet including iPad, Android, or Windows, plus 1 phone
  • Fully installed versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and more
  • Also includes Publisher and Access for PC (not available for Mac).
  • 1TB cloud storage
  • Ongoing access to updates
https://www.microsoftstore.com/stor...ID.297833200?ICID=Office_365_ModF_365Personal

I'll be checking into this more...
 
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Office 365:
  • 1-year auto-renewal subscription
  • For 1 PC or Mac, 1 tablet including iPad, Android, or Windows, plus 1 phone
  • Fully installed versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and more
  • Also includes Publisher and Access for PC (not available for Mac).
  • 1TB cloud storage
  • Ongoing access to updates
https://www.microsoftstore.com/stor...ID.297833200?ICID=Office_365_ModF_365Personal

I'll be checking into this more...
Yes, Office 365 allows you to install the full version of Office on your systems. (I have a subscription and install it on my mac and windows systems) Office Online is different.
 
Ah, I see. It's confusing with so many versions.

Yes, it seems Office online is a cut-down tablet version. I think Office 365 is the full desktop version, but I don't know if it looks the same and has all the same features on an iPad.
 
When I got 12.9 iPad Pro from 9.7 Air 2 few months ago only to find I'm required to pay subscription if I want to use Word. I went back to Pages. Save my money from greedy Microsoft!!
 
Sorry, but you don't. You might have every function that YOU use but not every function that exists in the Windows version of Word.
This is not correct either.

Finally have been looking at this, looks like you're right.
But good news is iOS got an update and I can now draw lines around cells, like my mac version. I think some other new features as well,!?!
 
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