How to Choose a Microsoft 365 Plan for Local Word and Office Apps

If you are the only user, select Microsoft 365 Personal. This allows one person to install and use the desktop apps on up to five devices simultaneously.

If multiple people need access, select Microsoft 365 Family. This plan supports up to six distinct users, each getting their own local app installations and up to five simultaneous devices per person.

Navigate to the official Microsoft 365 website, select your chosen plan, complete the checkout process, and download the desktop installer to your Windows 11 PC.

Launch Microsoft Word. Click on 'File' in the top-left corner, look at the bottom of the left sidebar, and click on 'Options'.

In the Word Options dialog box, click on the 'Save' tab located in the left pane.

Check the box next to 'Save to Computer by default'. This stops the app from suggesting OneDrive when you hit Save.

In the 'Default local file location' field, browse or type the path to your preferred local folder (e.g., C:\Users\YourName\Documents) and click 'OK'.

Click the blue or white OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows taskbar system tray. Click the gear icon in the top right of the pop-up, then select 'Settings'.

In the OneDrive Settings window, click on the 'Account' tab on the left side.

Click the link that says 'Unlink this PC'. Confirm the prompt to stop OneDrive from syncing files.

If your files were previously inside the OneDrive folder path, open File Explorer and manually drag your documents out of the OneDrive folder into your local C:\Users\[YourUsername]\Documents folder.