How do I use Microsoft Office on my smartphone or tablet?

Earlier there was a time when you could only imagine viewing and editing documents on your phone. But now it’s a possibility. More like a convenience, I would say. Some may object that it's not as seamless as on a laptop (which I won't discuss, as it's a matter of personal preference), but MS Office 365 makes it easy to work on the go with an Android phone or tablet. In other words, you can start work on a laptop, edit it on a mobile device, and finish off the job on a tablet just like the Microsoft 365 video claims. This makes work so seamless. 

Meanwhile, you can read about the features of the Office 2019 release here. 

Office 365 App on Android

Now, if you own an Android device( phone or a tablet), you can get all the Microsoft office suite apps from the Google Play Store. Choice is yours if you want to install the new all integrated office app or you want to go with the separate apps for Word, Excel, Powerpoint and OneNote. In case your device's screen size is larger than 10.1 inches, you may need to purchase an Office 365 subscription. While on the smartphone or tablet, you may not have access to all the features of the product as on a PC. These are basically just simplified smartphone apps, designed for handheld devices. Now, to use it you would need the subscription obviously. But, what you need to understand is that there is no way to use the full featured version on a phone or tablet like on a laptop. 

Now, below you can see the screenshot of the Office 365 app on the Google play store: 

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On a tablet, Microsoft recommends using Office Online in a web browser to have a desktop-like experience. These were earlier known as the Office WebApps and is a browser-based version of Office that is available in OneDrive.

If you have a subscription, you can login into the account from any of the office apps and access your OneDrive storage and the current office documents. You also get access to some advanced features such as the track changes in Word, customizable pivot tables in Excel and the ability to read speaker notes while presenting in PowerPoint. Now, with the free app, the use though may be limited to viewing the document and some basic editing. 

Would you like to know about the difference between Office 365 and Office 2019? 

Office Suite on the Iphone 

Here now, you can download the integrated app or each one separately from the App store. If you are downloading them separately, you need to be aware that most of these apps need an account and if it’s not paid for, you will not be able to use it. The complete app may work, but like with the Android one to access the advanced features, you will need to login. 

Step 1: Open any Office app

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Set up Office App for the First Time

Step 1: Open any Office App 

Step 2: Sign in with your Microsoft account, or Microsoft 365 work or school account 

Step 3: If you sign in with an account associated with Office 2016 or 2019, you have the option to upgrade to office 365

Step 4: Follow instructions to purchase a plan or choose maybe later to use the apps without a subscription 

Step 5: If you have other Office apps installed on your Android device, your account and OneDrive files will be automatically added

How to Use MS Office App on Android? 

Saving a  File 

On your Android device, you can choose where to save a file, how to rename a file, and if you prefer, turn off the Auto Save feature. When you first create your file, you'll see options for where you can save it. You can tap file save as and save the file in the new location. Changes are automatically saved as you work in the file. An auto save option will not display a Save button in the header. The setting can be turned off if you don't want Office to automatically save for you. While a name may be given for the file when it's autosaved, you can change it later. You can change the title of your file at any time by tapping the file title and typing in a new name.

Sharing a file 

If you want to share your file, you can:

• Save it to the cloud and provide a link so that people can view or edit it.
• Send a copy of your file as an email attachment.

The advantage of saving your file in the cloud and then inviting people to access it or sharing a link to it in email is that you can update the file content at any time and everyone you share it with will have the latest version. If you don't want to save your file in the cloud, you can send it as an email attachment.

Deleting a file 

1. Tap Open and tap the service in which you saved the file (OneDrive, Dropbox, a team site, or your device)
2. Find the file you want to delete and tap More > Delete‍

‍Conclusion
These are just very basic functions of using MS office on a smartphone or a tablet. There are numerous other functions/ shortcuts as well you can use across various applications and devices. Learning these uses and functions can help you do your work seamlessly wherever you go. Meanwhile, keySkillset launches interactive and simulation based interesting courses. These courses help people to expand their skills and be more productive.