Get a Free or Cheaper Copy of Microsoft PowerPoint
Author: Geetesh Bajaj
Product/Version: Microsoft PowerPoint (All Versions)
OS: Microsoft Windows XP / Vista / 7 or Mac OS X
Date Created: November 30th 2011
Last Updated: November 30th 2011
Excerpt/Capsule: Learn how you can acquire a free or cheaper PowerPoint copy from Microsoft.
We all realize that nothing is really free in today's world, yet we all look for free stuff all the time. Well, maybe we were partially wrong when we said "nothing is free", because you can get a free, or at least a cheaper copy of PowerPoint and Microsoft Office. When we say free or cheap, we do not refer to bootlegged copies -- but genuine, original software. Here are some options for you to get a free or cheaper copy of PowerPoint:
- Get a trial copy of Microsoft Office: You can install and run this for 60 days almost like a full copy. If you are doing a project that's going to be over in a small duration, such as a month or two -- then this is a great option. Of course, that is not the intent behind a free trial -- Microsoft rightfully assumes that you will like the product after the trial period is over, and will buy a licensed copy. There are trials available for both the Windows and Mac versions of Microsoft, although the trial period of the Mac version is 30 days only. Fortunately, trial versions on both Windows and Mac include PowerPoint:
Office 2010 for Windows 60 Days Trial
Office 2011 for Mac 30 Days Trial
Apparently, Microsoft has provided an option to extend the trial periof of Office 2010 to 180 days -- the utility to extend the license is included within the Office 2010 trial installation -- this does require bringing up the Command Prompt window, but you can also do it through third party tools. Note that is not a crack but a legal option provided by Microsoft to extend your trial period.
- Explore Microsoft Web Apps: Microsoft provides a free copy of the PowerPoint Web App to anyone who has a Live account. If you have a Hotmail, Live, Passport, or XBox account -- then you already have a Live account -- just head to the SkyDrive site -- and you can use this free, online version of PowerPoint and other Microsoft programs. These online versions are fairly limited in their capabilities than their full desktop counterparts, but for most people, they work well. One caveat though -- you need to be online all the time.
The PowerPoint Web App has some extra features up its sleeve that you may want to use even if you have a desktop version of the program -- it lets you collaborate on a presentation so that more than one person can edit the same presentation at a time. Also, you can embed your PowerPoint presentations online at any web site using Skydrive embed options.
Best of all, the online version uses the same file formats as the desktop version -- so the same presentation can be edited on both platforms.
- Consider Home and Student versions: Microsoft provides Office in a Home and Student version that's really cheap (although not free). Fairly often, you can get a copy of this version for around $120, and the license allows installation on three household PCs. Microsoft does limit the use of the Home and Student version to non-commercial activities. According to Microsoft, the Home and Student version "cannot be used for any commercial, nonprofit, or revenue-generating activities, by schools or academic institutions, or by any government organization."
Office 2010 for Windows -- Home and Student
Office 2011 for Mac -- Home and Student
- Get an Academic Version: In addition to the Home and Student version, Microsoft offers an Academic version for the education sector -- this costs around the same as the Home and Student version. To buy this version, you will need to provide verification of your student status prior to purchase. There is a limit of 1 copy of this product within each 12-month period.
Office 2010 for Windows -- Academic
Office 2011 for Mac -- Academic
- Free Software from Microsoft: Microsoft offers free software as part of its BizSpark, WebsiteSpark, and DreamSpark initiatives -- in addition, they also have a Microsoft Faculty Connection program. You can check if you are eligible from this site:
Microsoft -- Free Development Resources
- Previous Version from eBay or Garage Sales: Auction sites such as eBay often sell older, used copies of Microsoft Office at a substantial discount. We suggest that you try and get a copy that is newer than Office XP (2002) -- also if you can, there are good deals available for Office 2007 for Windows, and Office 2008 for Mac. Do check if any of these older versions are compatible with newer operating systems like Windows 7 or Mac OS X Lion.
Also if you buy from a garage sale, make sure that the product has not been activated -- although even activated products can usually be reactivated after a year or so. If activation fails, you can always call up Microsoft's activation phone support. Even better, try and get a shrink wrapped copy of an older version -- many users buy software that they never open -- these ends up in auction sites and garage sales after a few years!