Excel Download — Free Web Version, Mobile Apps & Desktop (Every Legit Way, 2026)
Straight answer first: there is no standalone free desktop Excel download — anything claiming otherwise is a crack or malware. But there ARE three genuinely free official ways to use Excel, and two paid paths for the full desktop app. All of them below, official links only.
Every legit way to get Excel
| Version | Cost | What you get | Get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excel for the web | Free forever | Real Excel in your browser — most formulas, charts, tables. No PivotTable power features or VBA. | excel.new |
| Excel Android app | Free (view/edit on screens ≤10.1") | Full mobile editing, camera-to-table import. | Google Play |
| Excel iPhone/iPad app | Free (same size rule) | Full mobile editing on iPhone; iPad ≤10.1" free. | App Store |
| Desktop Excel (Windows/Mac) | Microsoft 365 subscription | The full app: PivotTables, Power Query, VBA, offline. Comes with Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, 1 TB OneDrive. | 30-day free trial → |
| Excel standalone (one-time) | One-time purchase (Office Home/Business 2024) | Desktop Excel without subscription; no updates beyond security. | Microsoft Store |
Installing desktop Excel (with a Microsoft 365 account)
- Sign in at office.com with your Microsoft 365 account.
- Click Install apps → Microsoft 365 apps — the installer includes Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote.
- Run it, sign in inside Excel to activate. Done — no product keys involved (keys are for the old one-time Office; see our Office product keys guide if you're on that path).
Excel web vs desktop — what's actually missing
- Web has: core formulas, charts, tables, conditional formatting, co-authoring (better than desktop for live collaboration), AutoSave.
- Web lacks: Power Query, full PivotTable features, VBA/macros, Solver, external data connections, offline work.
- Rule of thumb: viewing/editing shared sheets → web is fine. Building models, dashboards, or anything with macros → you need desktop, i.e. Microsoft 365.
FAQ
Can I download Excel for free?
The desktop app: no — never legitimately free. The web version at excel.new and the mobile apps: yes, genuinely free with a Microsoft account.
Is Excel free on Windows 11?
Not pre-installed as a full app. Use excel.new free in a browser, or install desktop Excel with a Microsoft 365 subscription/trial.
How do I get Excel without a subscription?
Office Home & Business 2024 — one-time purchase, includes Excel permanently (no feature updates). For most businesses, Microsoft 365 Business Basic costs less per year than the one-time buy amortizes.
Does the Excel free trial need a credit card?
Microsoft's own trial: yes, card required and auto-bills. Partner-provisioned trials (like ours): no card, no auto-billing.
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Founder & CEO • 15+ years
Sreenivasa Reddy is the Founder and CEO of Medha Cloud, recognized as "Startup of the Year 2024" by The CEO Magazine. With over 15 years of experience in cloud infrastructure and IT services, he leads the company's vision to deliver enterprise-grade cloud solutions to businesses worldwide.
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