Technologies

Get Microsoft Office with Word, Excel and PowerPoint for free. Yep, that’s $0

We’ll show you how to get access to every tool in Microsoft 365 without spending a dime, but there are some caveats.

It’s likely you’ve needed access to a Microsoft Word document, a PowerPoint presentation or other basic tools from Microsoft 365 at least once — for either work, school or personal use. Although the software may seem like a necessity, its high price tag makes some people run the other way. If you don’t want to spend your money on Microsoft 365, don’t stress. There are a few ways to get the service for free.

Microsoft’s suite of productivity software contains Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Microsoft Teams, OneDrive and SharePoint. The collection typically costs between $70 and $100 every year for subscription access across devices and family members (as Microsoft 365). Microsoft also released a new stand-alone version of Microsoft Office for Windows and Mac, called Office Home and Student 2021 — for a flat price, no subscription required — on Oct. 5, the same day Windows 11 began its rollout.

Here are the versions of Office 365, Microsoft 365 and their apps that you can find online for free right now.

How to get Microsoft Office 365 free if you’re a student or a teacher

If you’re a student, teacher or faculty member with an active school email address, you are likely eligible to get access to Office 365 for free through Microsoft, with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Microsoft Teams and additional classroom tools.

All you have to do is enter your school email address on this page on Microsoft’s website: Get started with Office 365 for free. In many cases, you’ll be instantly granted access thanks to an automated verification process. If you attend an institution that needs to be verified, it might take up to a month to confirm your eligibility.

Recent graduates who want to stick with Office 365 can also get Microsoft 365 Personal for $12 for 12 months, with a valid school email address.

How to get Microsoft Office suite free if you’re anyone else

Anyone can get a one-month free trial of Microsoft 365 to try it out. However, it does require you to enter a credit card, and if you don’t cancel before the month is up, you’ll be charged $100 for a one-year subscription to Microsoft 365 Family (formerly called Office 365 Home).

The good news is if you don’t need the full suite of Microsoft 365 tools, you can access a number of its apps online for free — including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Outlook, Calendar and Skype. Here’s how to get them:

1. Go to Office.com.

2. Log in to your Microsoft account or create one for free. If you already have a Windows, Skype or Xbox Live login, you have an active Microsoft account.

3. Select the app you want to use, and save your work in the cloud with OneDrive.

So what’s the catch for the free version?

You may be saying, wait a minute — if I can get all of those apps for free, why pay for Microsoft 365 in the first place? The reason is that the functionality of these apps is limited: They only run in your web browser, and you can only use them when you’re online. They also have fewer features than the full Microsoft 365 versions.

There are still a number of benefits, however, including the ability to share links to your work and collaborate in real time, similar to what G Suite tools allow. If you’re looking for basic versions of each of these apps, the free version should work well for you.

For more, check out all of the best new features in Windows 11 and what you need to know about upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 30, #903

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Nov. 30, #903.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle has one of those purple categories where you need to look inside of the words for hidden words that relate to each other. If you need help sorting them into groups, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Put up with.

Green group hint: Bad ending.

Blue group hint: Yo-ho-ho!

Purple group hint: Think rainbow.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Tolerate.

Green group: Flop.

Blue group: Fictional pirates.

Purple group: Ending in color homophones.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is tolerate. The four answers are bear, stand, stomach and swallow.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is flop. The four answers are bust, lemon, miss and turkey.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is fictional pirates. The four answers are Hook, Luffy, Silver and Sparrow.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ending in color homophones. The four answers are Cameroon (maroon), cockatiel (teal), unread (red) and whistleblew (blue).

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Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for Nov. 30, #1625

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for Nov. 30, No. 1,625.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Wordle puzzle is a tough one. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has one repeated letter.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

Today’s Wordle answer has one vowel and one sometimes vowel.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with M.

Wordle hint No. 4: Last letter

Today’s Wordle answer ends with Y.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to weather that is unpleasantly warm and humid.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is MUGGY.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, Nov. 29, No. 1624 was GRUFF.

Recent Wordle answers

Nov. 25, No. 1620: PLEAD

Nov. 26, No. 1621: HOVEL

Nov. 27, No. 1622: REMIT

Nov. 28, No. 1623: COLIC

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Technologies

Anker’s Best MagSafe Car Charger Is Still $27 Off Before Cyber Monday Even Starts

Get wired-like charging speeds and MagSafe compatibility with Anker’s newest wireless car charging bundle, currently just $63.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are some of the best shopping days of the year. You can find huge discounts on big ticket items like TVs and laptops. But it’s also a great time of year to snap up essential tech, like the kind designed to make life a little easier. This Anker MagSafe wireless car charging bundle is currently 30% off at Amazon, which means it’s down to just $63. That saves you $27 on a handy device you’ll use every day.

The Anker MagSafe wireless car charging gives your iPhone a fast and steady way to power up while you navigate. It delivers up to 25-watt wireless charging speeds and with onboard active cooling, your phone stays comfortable to the touch.

Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.

What sets this charger apart is that its performance and cooling tech is built into a surprisingly compact package. The stand uses an ultra-strong Qi2 magnetic lock to keep your phone secure through bumps and turns. You can even tilt the mount and switch between portrait and landscape modes for navigation without blocking the view. The bundle has everything you need to get started including a 60-watt dual-USB-C charger, an adequately long USB-C cable, and cable organizers for a clean setup. Anker also includes a two-year warranty for peace of mind.

If you are getting your car prepped up for driving to a holiday vacation or just need a faster charging mount for your daily commute, this deal makes a lot of sense. CNET’s experts are also tracking more Black Friday and Cyber Monday picks across Apple products, headphones, and more, so you can score more savings before the sales season wraps up. We’ve also got a list of our favorite Anker products currently on sale.

Why this deal matters

A high-quality charger is a great addition to any car, allowing you to quickly top up your phone on the go. You will especially want to look out for options from a top-tier brand like Anker for its fast charging speeds and reliability. This Black Friday deal is an excellent opportunity to save big on a staple car accessory. With holiday shopping heating up and tech accessories being one of the most popular categories, we expect the deal to sell out quick. So don’t wait too long before jumping on it.

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