Microsoft Office 2024 Now Available for Consumers and Small Businesses

Microsoft has announced the availability of Office 2024 for consumers and small businesses, marking a significant update for those preferring a non-subscription model over the cloud-based Microsoft 365. This release follows the recent launch of Office LTSC 2024, which is tailored for commercial and government customers.

Key Features and Updates

Office 2024 includes updated, locked-in-time versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook for both PC and Mac. One of the notable features is the new default Office theme, which aligns with the aesthetic updates seen in Windows 11. Additionally, Office 2024 supports OpenDocument Format 1.4, enhancing compatibility with other office suites.

Excel 2024 introduces several new functions, including dynamic arrays and more than a dozen new text and array functions. Users can now easily manipulate text and arrays within worksheets and utilize the IMAGE function to retrieve images from the internet. Dynamic arrays in charts can also refresh automatically, improving data visualization.

PowerPoint 2024 features a new cameo feature that allows users to embed a live camera feed directly into their slides. The recording studio in PowerPoint supports recording narration, animations, transitions, and inking. Closed-caption support has also been added to improve the accessibility of presentations.

Outlook 2024 boasts improved search capabilities, yielding more pertinent results for messages, attachments, and events. Mac users can now customize swipe gestures in Outlook using a multi-touch trackpad or magic mouse. An accessibility checker in Outlook automatically checks emails for accessibility issues.

Word 2024 includes a session recovery feature that automatically restores all documents that were open prior to a PC crash or unexpected closure. OneNote 2024 offers an enhanced inking experience with a full-screen pen-focused view.

Editions and Pricing

Office 2024 is available in two editions: Office Home 2024 and Office Home & Business 2024. The Office Home edition, priced at $149.99, includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote for one PC or Mac. The Office Home & Business edition, priced at $249.99, includes everything in the Office Home edition plus Outlook and the right to use the apps for commercial purposes.

Both editions are licensed for use on one PC or Mac only and are compatible with Windows 10 and 11, as well as the three most recent versions of macOS (Sequoia, Sonoma, and Ventura). Office 2024 requires both a Microsoft account and an internet connection for installation, activation, and security updates.

Support and Compatibility

Office 2024 has a five-year support lifecycle, with Microsoft promising to update the applications with fixes and security patches from October 1, 2024, through October 9, 2029. This ensures that users will have ongoing support and security updates throughout the lifecycle of the product.

It is worth noting that Office 2024 is the first Office release without Microsoft Publisher, which was discontinued earlier this year.

For businesses with specific needs, Office LTSC 2024 offers a locked-in-time version of the productivity tools, which can be deployed alongside Microsoft 365 using a common set of tools to manage hybrid environments.

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