Microsoft Office 2021 with Video Installation Guide

Microsoft takes its productivity software in a new direction. For the first time, the likes of Word, PowerPoint, and Excel are available as part of a subscription service. The big attraction of this was regular updates, unlike Office apps previously receiving one big update every few years.

Less than five years after launching, Office 365 was named as… It’s since been rebranded to Microsoft 365 but still offers the same core service many people rely on. This includes Outlook, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams.

Despite this success, Microsoft still releases standalone versions of all its powerful Office apps every few years. These are known as “Office” followed by the year of release, with a 2021 edition launched alongside Windows 11. Here’s everything you need to know.

Microsoft Office 2021 Release Date

In an official blog post from February 2021, Microsoft 365’s Corporate Vice President Jared Spataro revealed that Office 2021 would be available to consumers and small businesses “later this year.” A subsequent post from September 2021 confirmed its release dates:

• 16 September for business users

• 5 October for consumers

It’s no surprise to see a consumer version launch on the same date as Windows 11. Office 2021 will be optimized for the new operating system, although a version is also available for macOS. The release date aligns with previous standalone Office versions from 2019 and 2016, both released in September.

Microsoft Office 2021 Price

In the same February 2021 blog post, Spataro confirmed that Office 2021’s price would remain unchanged at release. It is priced identically to Office 2019:

• Office Home & Student 2021 – £119.99 / US$149.99

• Office Home & Business 2021 – £249.99 / US$249.99

Both licenses are valid for one PC or Mac and include the standalone versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. They also come with 60 days of Microsoft support.

Microsoft Office 2021 New Features

Microsoft revealed several new features for Office 2021, including:

Dark Mode in Word

One of the most interesting new features is dark mode in Word, first revealed in February 2021. While Microsoft 365 users already have this feature, it’s the first time it’s available in the standalone version. The new dark mode offers even darker hues, with text and interface elements adjusted for better contrast. A “Switch Modes” button will be added to the View menu above the document.

Additional Features and Improvements

Other expected updates, based on the commercial LTSC version, include:

• Accessibility improvements

• Performance enhancements across multiple apps

• Advanced Excel functions like Dynamic Arrays and XLOOKUP

Microsoft has promised to announce more details about Office 2021 features closer to the release date. This article will be updated as new information becomes available.

Difference Between Microsoft Office 2021 and Microsoft 365

Payment Model

The key difference is the payment model:

• Office 2021: One-time purchase, yours to keep indefinitely (supported typically for five years).

• Microsoft 365: Subscription-based service starting at £59.99 / US$69.99 per year.

Included Services

Office 2021 includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote as standalone apps.

Microsoft 365 offers additional services:

• Skype

• 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage

• Web-based access to Office apps through Microsoft Teams subscriptions

Updates

Microsoft 365 subscribers receive regular updates, at least once a month, which often include new features. Office 2021 will still receive updates but mainly for security patches rather than new functionality.