How to Use Microsoft Excel Completely Free in 2026
The Simple Legal Way Everyone Can Do!

Hey everyone!

If you're like most people, you love Microsoft Excel for making budgets, tracking expenses, or organizing data.
But paying for a subscription every month?
Not fun, especially with prices going up.

The great news is there's a totally legal way to use real Microsoft Excel for free right now – and it will still work in 2026.

✔ No tricks
✔ No downloads from shady sites
✔ Just an official option from Microsoft itself

🌐 Excel for the Web (The Free Version)

This is called Excel for the web.
It's the online version of Excel that runs directly in your browser.
Anyone can use it for free with a simple Microsoft account (which is also free to create).

Microsoft says it's available at no cost, and you get many of the best features.

📘 What This Guide Covers

In this easy guide, I'll explain everything step by step in simple words.
We’ll cover:

• how to start
• what you can do
• the one small downside (yes, there's a little catch)
• tips to make it even better
• why it's perfect for most people

For even more free Excel templates, tips, and ready-to-use spreadsheets, check out
👉 SpreadsheetsHub.com
A great resource full of helpful files you can download and open directly in the free Excel web version!

🤔 Why Bother with Excel in 2026?

Excel is still the go-to tool for spreadsheets.
You can:

• add up numbers
• make charts
• sort lists
• and much more

In 2026, it has cool new things like smarter AI help (called Copilot) for suggestions on formulas or spotting trends in your data.

The full desktop version (the one you install on your computer) usually needs a paid Microsoft 365 plan.
But the free web version gives you a lot without spending anything.
Microsoft offers this to let everyone try their tools.

⚡ Super Easy Steps to Get Started with Free Excel

It’s quick — takes just a few minutes!

1️⃣ Make a Free Microsoft Account

If you don't have one, go to
👉 account.microsoft.com
You can use any email, even Gmail.
It's free and gives you 5 GB of online storage too.

2️⃣ Go to the Free Excel Site

Head straight to
👉 office.com
Sign in and you'll see icons for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more.
Click Excel — it's free to use right there in your browser!

Or use this direct link to
👉 launch Excel

3️⃣ Create or Open a File

Click "New blank workbook" to start fresh.
Or upload an old Excel file from your computer.
Everything saves automatically to your free OneDrive cloud storage.

4️⃣ Work on Any Device

It works on:

• phone
• tablet
• computer

Just open a web browser like Chrome or Edge.
There’s even a free Microsoft 365 app for phones that connects to it.

5️⃣ Share with Friends or Family

Want others to help edit?
Click Share and send a link.
They can join for free too — and you all edit at the same time.
Changes show up instantly!

🧠 What Can You Do with Free Excel? (A Lot!)

Don't think it's basic — it has tons of powerful stuff:

• Basic Tools
  Add formulas like SUM or AVERAGE, sort data, filter lists, and use conditional formatting.
• Charts and Graphs
  Make pie charts, bar graphs, or line charts super easily.
• Pivot Tables
  Group and summarize big lists of data — great for reports.
• AI Help
  Ask Copilot for ideas like “highlight high sales” or “find trends”.
• Real-Time Team Work
  Multiple people edit together and see changes live.
• Save and Download
  Download as Excel file, PDF, or CSV anytime.

For everyday things like home budgets, school projects, or small business tracking, this covers almost everything.
Many people say it's enough for 80% or more of what they need.

Looking for ready-made templates?
👉 SpreadsheetsHub.com has tons of free downloadable files perfect for the web version.

⚠️ The One Small Catch (And How to Handle It)

Nothing’s perfect.
The free version works online, so you need internet to edit.
No offline mode like the paid desktop app.

Some advanced features are missing:

• No macros
• No Power Query
• Limited add-ins

Microsoft explains these differences here.

The lifehack?
Most users won’t miss them.
If you need advanced features once in a while, try the one-month free trial. Just cancel before it ends.

💡 Easy Tips to Get the Most Out of Free Excel

• Use keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl+C
• Save space with the free 5 GB OneDrive
• Use the mobile app for touch editing
• Learn with Microsoft Learn tutorials
• Use a good computer for large files

In 2026, Microsoft keeps adding more to the free version, including better AI.

💼 When Might You Need the Paid Version?

If you:

• work offline a lot
• use heavy automation
• need every pro feature

Then Microsoft 365 is worth it.
But for students, families, and casual users?
Free is awesome.
You can also try alternatives like Google Sheets.