Earlier on, we noted in our Chromebook vs Laptop comparison that Chrome OS is improving and making its way to become a desktop-class operating system. That said, users hold back from permanently moving to a Chromebook because it does not support many of their favorite apps, especially the Office programs. Sure, there are Android and web versions of MS Office available on Chromebooks, but they don’t cut it for pro users. So if you want to run the full-fledged version of Microsoft Office then you have come to the right place. Here, we detail a complete guide on how to install Microsoft Office on a Chromebook. So without further delay, let’s go through the guide.

Here, you can get an overview of how we are going to install MS Office on a Chromebook. I would suggest you stick to the guide so you don’t get any errors during the installation process. On that note, let’s begin.

Download Microsoft Office on Your Chromebook

Install Microsoft Office on Your Chromebook

  1. Now that you have got a copy of MS Office 2007 let us proceed with the installation. You need to enable Linux and set up Wine 5.0 on your Chromebook (just follow the first part). For your information, Wine is a compatibility layer that allows Windows apps to run on a Chromebook through the Linux container.

  2. You are now inside the office directory. Here, execute the below command to start the MS Office installation process on your Chromebook.

  3. Now, let’s go ahead and fix the shortcuts so you can quickly open Office programs from the App Drawer in a click. Open the Files app and move to the Linux files section. Here, click on the 3-dot menu and enable “Hidden files”.

  4. Next, navigate to the following file path: .local -> share -> applications -> wine -> Programs -> Microsoft Office. Here, you will find all the shortcuts (.desktop files).

wine “/home/yourusername/.wine/drive_c/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Office/Office12/POWERPNT.EXE”

  • Excel

wine “/home/yourusername/.wine/drive_c/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Office/Office12/EXCEL.EXE”

  • OneNote

wine “/home/yourusername/.wine/drive_c/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Office/Office12/ONENOTE.EXE”

Enjoy MS Word, Excel, and Other Office Apps on a Chromebook

So that is how you can install Microsoft Office on a Chromebook. On my i5-powered Chromebook, the Office experience has been flawless, especially while using the 2007 version of the MS Office. You just need to follow the instructions step-by-step and you will be able to run all your favorite Office apps on your Chromebook.