Downloading Excel depends on which version you want and which device you're using. The simplest free option is Excel for the Web — no download required at all. Just go to office.com, sign in with a free Microsoft account, and open Excel directly in your browser. For the full-featured desktop app, you need a Microsoft 365 subscription or a one-time purchase of Microsoft Office, and the download process takes about 5–20 minutes depending on your internet speed.
Excel isn't available as a standalone install — you download the full Microsoft Office (or Microsoft 365) suite, and Excel is included within it. Microsoft doesn't offer a download that installs only Excel while skipping Word and PowerPoint. The full suite takes about 8 GB of disk space on Windows and Mac. On mobile devices (iOS and Android), the Excel app is a separate, free download from the App Store or Google Play that installs independently from any other Office apps.
The version you download depends on your plan. Microsoft 365 subscribers always get the most current version of Excel — updates install automatically. One-time purchase buyers get the version available at their purchase date (currently Excel 2021 or Excel 2024 depending on when purchased) and receive security patches but not feature updates. Excel for the Web is always the current version for all users regardless of subscription status.
Before downloading, confirm your system meets Excel's requirements: Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit recommended), or macOS 12 (Monterey) or later for Mac. Older operating systems aren't supported by the current Microsoft 365 suite. If you're running an older OS, you may be limited to an older version of Office or the browser-based Excel for the Web. The full Microsoft Excel download guide at microsoft-excel-download covers plan comparisons and subscription vs one-time purchase decision-making in detail.
It's worth noting that once you download and install Excel through Microsoft 365, the same installation covers all Office apps — you're not just getting Excel. Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote all install at the same time. You don't need to run separate downloads for each app. This means your per-app cost with Microsoft 365 is quite low relative to getting professional desktop productivity software across all five apps simultaneously, which is part of why the subscription model has largely replaced per-app standalone purchases.
Go to office.com and sign in with your Microsoft account. This is the account linked to your Microsoft 365 subscription or the Microsoft account you used to redeem an Office product key. If you don't have an account yet, create one free at microsoft.com — you'll need it to download and activate Excel regardless of which plan you're using.
After signing in, look for the 'Install apps' button in the upper-right area of the office.com homepage. Clicking it gives you two options: 'Microsoft 365 apps' (the full desktop install) or 'Other install options' (for language packs, 32-bit version, or Office 2021). For standard installation on a Windows 10 or 11 PC, click 'Microsoft 365 apps.'
Your browser downloads a small file called OfficeSetup.exe (about 5 MB). Open this file — it's not the full installer, but a download manager that handles the actual installation. When you run it, a small Office installation window appears in your taskbar. The installation continues in the background, downloading approximately 4–8 GB from Microsoft's servers.
The Office installer shows a progress indicator. Don't close the installer window until installation is complete — closing it mid-install can leave Office in a broken state requiring repair or reinstall. Installation typically takes 10–25 minutes depending on your internet speed. Excel and all other Office apps install together during this process.
After installation, find Excel in your Start menu or open it from a desktop shortcut if you chose to create one. On first launch, Excel prompts you to sign in to activate. Sign in with the same Microsoft account you used to download Office. Activation is automatic once signed in — you'll see 'Licensed product' in File → Account if activation succeeded.
Downloading Excel on Mac follows a nearly identical process. Sign in at office.com with your Microsoft account, click 'Install apps,' and the site downloads a .pkg installer file (the Mac package format, equivalent to the Windows .exe). Open the downloaded file — it usually appears in your Downloads folder as 'Microsoft_365_and_Office_installer.pkg' or a similar name — and follow the installation prompts.
Mac installation requires macOS 12 (Monterey) or later for the current Microsoft 365. If your Mac runs an older macOS version, Microsoft 365 won't install. You have two options in that case: upgrade macOS if your Mac hardware supports the newer OS, or use Excel for the Web through Safari or Chrome, which doesn't require any macOS version beyond what most Macs already run. If upgrading macOS isn't an option (older Mac hardware that doesn't support current macOS), Excel for the Web is the practical free alternative.
After the Mac installer runs, Excel appears in your Applications folder. Open it from there or use Spotlight (Cmd+Space, then type 'Excel'). Sign in on first launch to activate. Mac Excel's ribbon and interface are slightly different from Windows Excel — the menu bar at the top of the screen contains some options that Windows Excel puts in the ribbon, and a few Windows-exclusive features (like certain ActiveX controls) aren't available on Mac. Core Excel functionality — formulas, pivot tables, charts, conditional formatting — is identical across platforms.
Mac users who need to collaborate on Excel files with Windows colleagues generally don't encounter compatibility problems with standard .xlsx files. Workbooks with complex macros (VBA) occasionally behave differently between Mac and Windows versions due to platform-specific VBA implementation differences, but for standard spreadsheet work including the use of Excel formulas and charting, Mac Excel handles the same tasks seamlessly.
One Mac-specific convenience: if you use Excel heavily alongside other Mac apps, you can enable Excel's Split View or use Stage Manager (macOS Ventura and later) to work with Excel and another app side by side without manual window resizing.
Excel for Mac supports the same keyboard shortcuts as Windows Excel for most navigation and formatting operations, though a handful of Windows shortcuts use different modifier keys on Mac — Ctrl on Windows often becomes Cmd on Mac, while Alt becomes Option. A few minutes with the Mac Excel keyboard shortcut list after your first launch prevents frustration with commands that don't work the way you expect.
No download. Open in any browser at office.com. Free Microsoft account required. Most features available except macros, Power Query, and some advanced chart types. Saves to OneDrive automatically.
Full desktop Excel for Windows or Mac. Always current version. ~$70/yr Personal (1 user), ~$100/yr Family (up to 6 users). 1TB OneDrive included. Download from office.com after purchase.
Desktop Excel + Word + PowerPoint. ~$150 for Microsoft Office Home & Student. Perpetual license for current version — no feature updates, security patches only. One PC or Mac license.
iOS App Store or Android Google Play. Free download, free to use on phones. Full editing on tablets requires Microsoft 365. Syncs with OneDrive. Best for viewing and light editing on the go.
Download Microsoft Excel free from the App Store — search 'Microsoft Excel' and install. The app is about 270–400 MB. After installing, open the app and sign in with your Microsoft account. On iPhone and other smartphones (screen smaller than 10.1 inches), all Excel editing features are free, including formatting, formula editing, and chart creation.
On iPad (screen 10.1 inches or larger), viewing and light editing are free, but full editing — including formula editing in complex workbooks and advanced formatting — requires a Microsoft 365 subscription. The app will show which features need a subscription when you try to use them. Files sync automatically with OneDrive, so workbooks you create on your iPad are immediately accessible from your desktop Excel when signed in to the same Microsoft account.
Download Microsoft Excel from the Google Play Store — search 'Microsoft Excel' and install (about 200–350 MB). Sign in with your Microsoft account after installing. Android phone users (screen under 10.1 inches) get full editing features free. Android tablet users (screen 10.1 inches or larger) need Microsoft 365 for full editing features.
Android Excel supports OneDrive sync, local file access, and SharePoint file access. If you work with files stored on a company SharePoint or have OneDrive for Business through a workplace Microsoft 365 account, you can access those files directly from the Android app by signing in with your work account. The Android version of Excel handles standard .xlsx files and most common Excel functions without issues on current Android versions.
Chromebooks run ChromeOS and don't support Windows or Mac Office installers. Your options are: (1) Excel for the Web in Chrome browser — free, works well on Chromebooks, no install needed. (2) Microsoft Excel Android app — if your Chromebook supports Android apps (most newer Chromebooks do), install it from the Google Play Store in ChromeOS.
Excel for the Web is the most reliable Excel experience on Chromebooks since it's designed for browser use. The Android app on Chromebook works for most tasks but occasionally has interface quirks on larger Chromebook screens since the app is designed for phone and tablet displays, not full desktop screens. For most Chromebook users doing standard spreadsheet work, the browser version is the better choice.
The most common download problem is a stalled installation — the Office installer starts but stops progressing. First check your internet connection. The installer downloads several gigabytes from Microsoft's servers during installation, so a slow or intermittent connection extends install time or causes failures. If the installer stalls completely, close it, restart your computer, and run OfficeSetup.exe again — the installer can resume where it left off if the partial download is cached.
If the installer fails with an error code, Microsoft's Support and Recovery Assistant (available at aka.ms/SaRA) is the best tool for diagnosing installation failures. It runs a series of checks on your Office installation state, identifies conflicting software or registry issues, and can repair or reinstall Office automatically. It's particularly helpful for resolving issues left over from a previous Office version that wasn't fully uninstalled before installing the new version.
Activation errors after successful installation usually mean the Microsoft account you signed in with doesn't match the one associated with your subscription. Sign out via File → Account → Sign Out, close Excel, reopen it, and sign in with the correct account. If you're unsure which account holds your subscription, sign in at account.microsoft.com and check 'Services and subscriptions' — your active Microsoft 365 plan is listed there along with the account it's associated with.
'Office is taking too long to install' is a common complaint when the download speed is limited by your ISP or network congestion. The full Office suite download is 4–8 GB — at 10 Mbps download speed, that's 90–120 minutes of download time under ideal conditions. If you need Excel urgently while the desktop installation completes, use Excel for the Web at office.com in your browser as a temporary workaround. The Excel Online guide covers what's available in the browser version so you know what you can and can't do while waiting for the desktop install to finish.
If you're reinstalling Excel after a failed install or after switching to a new computer, remember to sign in to account.microsoft.com and deactivate the old device from your subscription's device list if you're at the five-device limit. This frees up an activation slot for your new device without requiring you to call support or purchase an additional license.
If you want Excel without paying for a subscription or one-time purchase, you have three legitimate free options. First, Excel for the Web at office.com — a full-featured browser-based spreadsheet app tied to a free Microsoft account. It handles most common tasks including formulas, formatting, sorting, filtering, charts, and basic pivot tables. Files save to OneDrive automatically and are accessible from any device with a browser.
Second, the Excel mobile app on iOS and Android is free to download and free to use with full editing on smartphones. If you primarily work with Excel on your phone, the mobile app gives you a genuine editing experience without any subscription requirement. You can create, edit, and share Excel workbooks from your phone using common formulas, formatting tools, and templates — all free.
Third, Microsoft offers free Excel access to students and educators through the Microsoft 365 Education program. If your school or university is enrolled, sign up at microsoft.com/education/products/office with your school email to access Excel for the Web and potentially the full desktop suite at no personal cost. Many universities also provide Microsoft 365 directly through student IT portals — worth checking before purchasing a personal subscription.
A fourth option that's less discussed: some public library systems in the US offer free Microsoft 365 access to cardholders as part of their digital services. This varies significantly by library district, but it's worth checking your local library's digital resources page before purchasing a subscription. Library-provided Microsoft 365 access typically includes the full desktop apps including Excel, not just the web version, making it a genuinely valuable free resource for job seekers, students between school terms, or anyone with short-term Excel needs.
For building spreadsheets that work across the free and desktop versions, focusing on standard functions and avoiding macro-dependent features keeps your work portable. The core formula set — SUM, IF, VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP, COUNTIF, SUMIF, and their relatives — works identically in Excel for the Web and the desktop version.
Building spreadsheets using these functions with clear organization like an Excel budget template means your work is fully accessible whether you open it in a browser, on your phone, or in the desktop app. For shortcuts that work across versions, check the Excel shortcuts guide to see which keyboard shortcuts carry over to the web version.
Once Excel is installed and activated, a few setup steps make your day-to-day use much smoother. First, pin Excel to your taskbar (Windows) or Dock (Mac) so you can open it quickly without searching the Start menu. Right-click the Excel icon in the taskbar after opening it and select 'Pin to taskbar.' On Mac, drag the Excel icon from Applications to your Dock.
Connect OneDrive before you start saving files. Excel is designed to save to OneDrive by default when signed in to your Microsoft account, and OneDrive sync is what enables automatic backup, cross-device access, and real-time co-authoring with others. If you haven't set up OneDrive, the installer usually prompts you to do so — if not, open OneDrive from the Start menu (Windows) or Applications (Mac) and sign in with your Microsoft account to start syncing.
Enable automatic updates if they aren't on by default. Open Excel → File → Account → Update Options → Enable Updates. Automatic updates ensure you have the latest security patches and feature improvements without needing to manually check for and install updates. For Microsoft 365 subscribers, updates are included in the subscription — there's no additional cost for keeping Excel current.
Check your default file save format after activation. Excel defaults to .xlsx, but if you frequently share files with users on older Excel versions (2003 or earlier), you might consider saving in .xls format for those specific files. For anyone using Excel 2007 or later — which covers virtually everyone — .xlsx is fully compatible and should be your default format. You can check and change the default format at File → Options → Save → Save files in this format.
Finally, take a few minutes to explore the Excel home screen after your first launch. The template gallery on the start screen offers pre-built templates for budgets, calendars, invoices, project trackers, and more — starting from a template is much faster than building common spreadsheet types from scratch. If you're new to Excel or returning after a break, the how to use Excel guide walks through the interface and core tools to get you productive quickly. For standard formulas you'll use immediately, the Excel formulas guide covers the most essential functions from day one.
Many users end up with access to multiple Excel versions — desktop on their work computer, Excel for the Web for personal use, and the mobile app on their phone. These versions all use the same .xlsx file format and the same OneDrive storage when signed in to the same Microsoft account, so switching between them is seamless for standard files. Open a file you created in desktop Excel on your phone or in the browser without any conversion step — it just opens.
Feature availability differs across versions, and you'll notice this when opening a file in a version that doesn't support a feature used in another version. Macros don't run in Excel for the Web — when you open a macro-enabled workbook in the browser, the macros are preserved in the file but don't execute. Power Query connections show as data tables in the browser version without the live query functionality. These limitations are display and functionality restrictions, not file format issues — reopen the file in desktop Excel and all features work normally.
If you work with colleagues who use Google Sheets or other spreadsheet apps, Excel files open in Google Sheets with reasonable compatibility for basic spreadsheets, but complex formulas, some chart types, and Excel-specific features may not translate perfectly. For pure cross-platform collaboration with non-Excel users, Excel for the Web is often a better choice than the desktop version — its web-native format handles export to Google Sheets more cleanly than a complex desktop workbook. The Excel download overview covers additional format compatibility considerations and when to use which version for sharing purposes.