Microsoft Office rolls out on Chromebooks

Chromebook logo on a laptop

Chromebook owners rejoice -- Microsoft Office for Android is finally available for all Play Store-compatible devices.

According to Chrome Unboxed, the rollout appears to be universal.

"We've not received any grand announcement or explanation ..., but we've seen all over the place reports of Chromebooks finally getting Microsoft Office apps running," said Chrome Unboxed.

"We checked every Chrome OS device we have and can confirm they all show every Office app in the Play Store ready for download. Again, we don't have an exhaustive list at this point, but we've tried the Samsung Chromebook Pro, Pixelbook, Acer Chromebook 15 (two different models of it) and the Acer C771 and can confirm all these devices are seeing Microsoft's Office in the Play Store," it added.

Cloud Pro has contacted Microsoft for confirmation of the rollout but hadn't received a response at the time of publication.

The arrival of Microsoft on Chromebooks has been a patchy affair. The Asus Chromebook Flip supported the whole Office suite from the moment the Play Store arrived on the Google-powered devices a year but failed to appear anywhere else. When the Pixelbook arrived, once again the apps worked straight away, but there was still no broader roll-out until now.

Of course, Chromebook users haven't been completely devoid of productivity apps until now. Signing up for a Google account, as you must when setting up a Chromebook, gives access to Google's own G Suite, which includes Docs, Sheets and Slides. However, for those who prefer to use Microsoft's tools as apps, not just through the browser, this will prove good news.

Jane McCallion
Deputy Editor

Jane McCallion is ITPro's deputy editor, specializing in cloud computing, cyber security, data centers and enterprise IT infrastructure. Before becoming Deputy Editor, she held the role of Features Editor, managing a pool of freelance and internal writers, while continuing to specialise in enterprise IT infrastructure, and business strategy.

Prior to joining ITPro, Jane was a freelance business journalist writing as both Jane McCallion and Jane Bordenave for titles such as European CEO, World Finance, and Business Excellence Magazine.