Microsoft launches Office 2024: standalone suite for Mac and PC with new features

Microsoft has introduced Office 2024, a standalone version for both Mac and PC users, providing an alternative to the Microsoft 365 subscription service. Priced at $149.99 for the Home version, it includes Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft OneNote. The Home and Business edition, costing $249.99, adds Microsoft Outlook and commercial usage rights.

Unlike Microsoft 365, Office 2024 provides fixed versions of its core applications, meaning they won't receive ongoing feature updates but do incorporate recent enhancements from previous updates. Key features of Office 2024 include new Excel functions for handling text and arrays, a new IMAGE function, and Dynamic Arrays for chart updates. PowerPoint introduces the Cameo feature for live camera feeds and a recording studio for enhanced presentations. Word now offers crash recovery to safeguard documents during unexpected shutdowns.

The suite also boasts a new default theme aligned with Windows 11's Fluent Design and improved accessibility features. Outlook 2024 includes options to automatically shorten meetings and customizable swipe gestures for Mac users. Additionally, Office 2024 supports OpenDocument format (ODF) version 1.4 for better document compatibility.