Can I Work Offline With Office 365?
While Microsoft's Office 365 subscription-based plans require Internet access to sign up, you can still use Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other Office applications while you're offline. Microsoft installs the desktop versions of the latest Office apps on your computer when you first activate Office 365, just as if you had purchased the programs off the shelf. You will, however, need to go online every 30 days to maintain your subscription and prevent the apps from de-activating.
Accessing Online Documents
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One feature of Office 365 you may miss while offline is the ability to access documents in the cloud. Normally, Office 365 automatically saves your Office documents to OneDrive, Microsoft's cloud storage service. You can overcome this obstacle by syncing your computer with OneDrive before you take it offline. When you sync the computer, documents stored on OneDrive get saved to your hard drive so you can access them while offline. The next time you connect to the Internet, any documents you edited while offline automatically upload to OneDrive.
References
- Microsoft Office: Office 365 for Business FAQ
- Microsoft Windows: Online-only Files and Files Available Offline
Resources
Writer Bio
Alan Sembera began writing for local newspapers in Texas and Louisiana. His professional career includes stints as a computer tech, information editor and income tax preparer. Sembera now writes full time about business and technology. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Texas A&M University.