Here is how to be productive on the go with the free Microsoft Office app

Here is how to be productive on the go with the free Microsoft Office app

The Microsoft Office app is a mobile app that lets you view, create, and edit documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more with Office apps designed for mobile devices and tablets. It serves as a hub to access Microsoft 365 apps in one place including Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, and OneNote. The app works seamlessly with office 365 to connect you to your documents and content.

Image showing iOS and android  Microsoft Office app

The app helps you to be productive by allowing you to work from anywhere, anytime, with anyone using Office apps for Android and iOS. You can use the Office app for free and download it from Google Play or App Store and access Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other features without a subscription. However, some advanced features may require a Microsoft 365 subscription.

You can scan and save documents with OneDrive document scanning using your phone. Letting you skip the bulky scanner and turn your paper documents, receipts, and whiteboards into PDFs. Another feature that helps you to be productive on the go is co-authoring. You can collaborate with others on Word and PowerPoint documents stored in OneDrive or SharePoint. You can see who else is working on the document and their changes as they happen. We share more on scanning to pdf and co-authoring below.

Here are five things that you might not know about the Microsoft Office mobile app

  • You can scan a document or a whiteboard in Outlook by tapping on the camera icon while composing a mail. The app will automatically trim and enhance the image for you.
  • You can use voice commands to create emails or dictate text in Word or PowerPoint. Just tap on the microphone icon on your keyboard and start speaking.
  • You can use Lens mode to capture text from images or documents. The app will convert it into editable text that you can copy or paste into other apps.
  • You can use Quick Notes to jot down ideas or reminders without opening a new document. Just tap on the note icon at the bottom of your screen and start writing.
  • You can use Smart Lookup to get definitions, synonyms, or related information for any word or phrase. Just select it and tap on Smart Lookup from the menu.

To scan a document with your camera using the Microsoft Office app, follow these steps:

  1. Lay out your paper on a flat surface
  2. Open the Microsoft Office app
  3. Tap Scan to PDF
  4. Adjust corner points if needed
  5. Tap Confirm
  6. Save as PDF
  7. You can also scan multiple pages into one PDF file by tapping Add Page after each scan.

Co-authoring on the go

Co-authoring features allow you to work together with others on Word and PowerPoint files stored online. To co-author with others, you need:

  • A shared storage area such as OneDrive or SharePoint
  • Apps that support co-authoring such as Word or PowerPoint for office mobile

When you open a file that someone else is editing you will see their name at the top of your screen. You will also see their cursor position and changes as they happen. You can also chat with them using Skype for Business by tapping on their name. To invite others to co-author with you just share your file link via email or other apps.

Other exciting features

  • Action pane: A quick way to access common tasks such as signing PDFs converting images into text creating QR codes etc.
  • Lens mode: A powerful tool that lets you capture text from images documents whiteboards etc.
  • Quick Notes: A simple way to jot down ideas and reminders without opening a new document
  • Voice commands: A convenient way to create emails dictate text etc.
  • Smart Lookup: A handy way to get definitions synonyms related information etc.

If you want to learn more about these features please visit this link.

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