Install Microsoft Office on Linux | A Step-By-Step Guide

Using PlayOnLinux to Install Office on Linux!

Microsoft Office is a Windows-Based program with limited support for Linux systems. Being a Linux user, it must be known that a Linux system cannot run Windows-based programs. However, Linux systems offer support of “Wine” to get Windows-specific programs, i.e., Microsoft Office, Visio, Sketchup, on your Linux system.

In today’s guide, we will list the easiest steps to install Microsoft Office on Linux.

Microsoft Office on Linux
Install Microsoft Office on Linux

Prerequisites:

Before getting into the core part, let’s list down the prerequisites required to be installed on the system:

  • PlayOnLinux: Front-end support of Wine (an emulator used to run Windows Applications on Linux).
    $ sudo apt install playonlinux #For Debian/Ubuntu-based Distros
    $ sudo yum install playonlinux #For CentOS/RHEL
    $ sudo dnf install playonlinux #For Fedora/CentOS-8
  • Winbind: Utility to accept Windows-based applications on the Linux system. Winbind can be installed on Linux as follows:
    $ sudo apt install winbind #For Debian/Ubuntu-based Distros
    $ sudo yum install samba4-winbind #For CentOS/RHEL
    $ sudo dnf install samba-winbind-2 #For Fedora/CentOS-8
  • Winetricks: A script that helps Wine to get additional features of Windows programs on Linux, i.e., fonts and updated libraries. Use the commands to install it on Linux:
    $ sudo apt install winetricks #For Debian/Ubuntu-based Distros
    $ sudo yum install winetricks #For CentOS/RHEL
    $ sudo dnf install winetricks #For Fedora/CentOS-8

The last prerequisite is to keep the installation files of Microsoft Office ready. Either in a folder or burnt on CD.

How to Install Microsoft Office on Linux?

Once you are done with the prerequisites, get into the steps to install Microsoft Office on Linux:

Step 1: Launch PlayOnLinux

  1. Launch PlayOnLinux from the Applications Menu, or you can do this from the terminal:
    $ playonlinux
  2. Now, click “Install a program”:
    Installing program on Linux
    Install program

Step 2: Search Microsoft Office and Choose the Version

In the next wizard, do the following:

  1. Uncheck the “Testing” option to get only the stable/commercial releases.
  2. Search for “Microsoft Office”, which will list the available versions as shown below.
  3. Choose the appropriate version and click on “Install”.
    select file from installation menu
    Choose Office Version
  4. Read the general instructions on PlayOnLinux and click on “Next”:
    playonlinux installation wizard
    Agree by clicking Next
  5. After that, a wizard showing the “Installation Directory” will appear click “Next”:
    installation directory
    Select installation directory

Step 3: Choose the Setup File/Choose CD

  1. Next, you have to choose the setup file or the CD option as below. In our case, we have the setup file at the local computer’s location:
    select setup method
    Select setup file
  2. Click on “Browse” to choose the setup location:
    to browse files computer
    Browse files in the computer
  3. Choose the “.exe” file of the setup and proceed further:
    select file
    Select setup file

Step 4: Configure Wine Essentials

  1. The setup file will be loaded, and click “Next” to move further:
    file loading
    File loading
  2. The essentials, i.e., the wine will be configured at the specific installation path:
    installing file
    Downloading in process
  3. Up next, a “wine mono” package will be installed (which is required to smooth the working of .NET applications):
    wine mono installer
    Downlading the wine mono installer
  4. Next is “Wine Gecko Installer” (which assists in dealing with HTML content):
    install wine gecko
    Click to install wine gecko
  5. It will keep on installing the further essentials:
    installing essential file
    Installing essentials

Step 5: Install Wine

  1. Once done, the office setup wizard will appear as below:
    office setting up
    Office setting up
  2. And the installation will be started automatically:
    auto installation
    Auto installation in background
  3. As soon as the installation is completed, the wizard will close and the Microsoft Office Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and all the apps will be listed on the PlayOnLinux:
    list of office products
    List of office products to be selected
  4. You can also launch the applications by searching them in the applications menu of your system:
    searching microsoft office
    Search to launch Microsoft office products

Alternative Way to Use Microsoft Office on Linux

Although you have installed Microsoft Office on your Linux system by following the above method, it is not the latest. To use the latest Microsoft Office, i.e., 365, you can access it online.
Follow the steps to see how it works:

Step 1: Visit Office Website

  1. Go to the Link, and click on the Sign in:
    Microsoft website
    Microsoft official website

Step 2: Sign in or Sign up for Microsoft Account

  1. Enter your Microsoft email, and if you are new to Microsoft then choose the “Create one!” option:
    sign in page
    Sign-in page
  2. Then, enter your password and click on “Sign in”:
    enter password
    Enter password

Step 3: Use Microsoft Office

  1. After login, you will see a dock panel on the left side containing various Microsoft Office applications:
    Microsoft 365 office dock panel
    Office dock panel
  2. Microsoft Word: Click on the Microsoft App icon, and you will get the same interface as in the offline version:
    opening Microsoft word doc
    Microsoft word doc
  3. A blank document in Microsoft Online version:
    blank word doc
    Blank Word Document

Similarly, you can use other office applications such as Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Teams, and much more.

In Office365 online support, the documents are saved online by default. However, the users can download a copy in “.docx” format to use it locally.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kevin Arrows


Kevin Arrows is a highly experienced and knowledgeable technology specialist with over a decade of industry experience. He holds a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certification and has a deep passion for staying up-to-date on the latest tech developments. Kevin has written extensively on a wide range of tech-related topics, showcasing his expertise and knowledge in areas such as software development, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. His contributions to the tech field have been widely recognized and respected by his peers, and he is highly regarded for his ability to explain complex technical concepts in a clear and concise manner.