Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac users is now available for download. After a month of previewing the suite, the software giant is making the apps available free to Office 365 subscribers. This is a big release for Mac users as the company hasn’t upgrade its Office suite of apps since 2011.

Office 2016 for Mac includes a new user interface that aligns with the modern design for the same apps on Windows, however Office 2011 users will still find the apps very familiar. Mac users will notice a familiar Ribbon menu that matches OS X theme and apps are optimized for retina display.

The software maker is also integrating OneDrive into Office 2016 for Mac. This functionality will allow users to quickly access documents that they may have created on their tablet, phone, or even from a Windows device. In addition, co-authoring is baked into the suite to allow multiple users to edit a document simultaneously.  

Another interesting addition is the shortcuts included with Office 2016 for Mac. Now OS X users can use the same Windows shortcuts on Office 2016. For example, you can use ctrl + shift to navigate apps instead of cmd + shift. Although, this is a minor feature, it’s a useful feature for users that have to work with Office on different platforms.

Office 2016 for Mac bundles five apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook.

This is a big release for the company as the apps finally look and feel familiar across devices and platforms, bringing a more unified experience. Office 365 Home and Office 365 Personal members can download Office 2016 for Mac immediately, and Microsoft will make available a standalone version in September of the year.

Here are a few different ways to get Office 2016 for Mac today:

  • Already an Office 365 customer? On your Mac, just browse to your account page (office.com/myaccount), sign in and follow the installation instructions. If you have Office 365 through your organization, go to portal.office.com/OLS/MySoftware.aspx.
  • Are you a student? You may get Office 2016 for Mac for free or at a substantial discount. It takes only 30 seconds to find out at office.com/student.
  • Otherwise, go to office.com/mac or buy an Office 365 subscription at your local retailer.

Source Microsoft