You can use the OneDrive integration in Windows 8.1 or the OneDrive desktop application on previous versions of Windows to sync the documents you create to your computer, getting local copies in Microsoft Office format. Office Online saves your documents to your Microsoft OneDrive (formerly known as SkyDrive) storage online. RELATED: How to Collaborate on Documents Over the Internet It doesn’t require any special plug-in and works in any popular browser, including Firefox, Chrome, and Safari - not just Internet Explorer. You can use it on all the PCs you want without paying for additional boxed copies or subscribing to Office 365, Microsoft’s subscription service for Office.īecausee it’s a web application that runs in your browser, Office Online will run on everything, from Linux PCs and Chromebooks to iPads and Android tablets. This is Office Online’s biggest advantage over desktop versions of Microsoft Office. Unlike all of Microsoft’s other Office products, Office Online at is completely free. RELATED: What's the Difference Between Office 365 and Office 2016?