Office Compatibility Issues

Can Microsoft 365 Desktop Apps Run on Linux? Workarounds & Alternatives

Elise Williams Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to know if Microsoft 365 desktop applications can be installed and run natively on Ubuntu or other Linux distributions.

Can Microsoft 365 Desktop Apps Run on Linux?

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: Linux
Scenario: Attempting to install or use Microsoft Office desktop applications on a Linux operating system.
Observed behavior: Microsoft 365 desktop applications do not have native support or installers available for Linux environments.

Before you start

Before exploring workarounds, ensure you have a stable internet connection if you plan to use web applications, or sufficient hardware resources (RAM and CPU) if you intend to run a virtual machine.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Microsoft 365 Web Applications

The most straightforward way to use Office on Linux without impacting system performance.

Since native desktop applications are not available, Microsoft provides feature-rich web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint that work perfectly in Linux web browsers.

Open your web browser

Launch your preferred web browser (such as Firefox, Chrome, or Edge) on your Linux distribution.

Navigate to Microsoft 365

Go to the official Microsoft 365 website (office.com) and sign in using your Microsoft account credentials.

Launch the web apps

Click on the specific app icon (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) from the left sidebar to start creating or editing your documents.

Convenience: Web apps automatically save your documents to OneDrive, ensuring you don't lose progress.

Solution 2

Run Windows via a Virtual Machine (VM)

Run the full desktop version of Microsoft 365 by hosting a Windows operating system inside your Linux environment.

Solution 3

Set up a Dual Boot Environment

Install Windows alongside Linux to allocate full hardware resources to Windows when using Office applications.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Edit Microsoft Office Files Natively on Linux with WPS Office

Since Microsoft 365 desktop apps aren't supported natively on Linux, WPS Office provides a perfect native alternative. It offers a fully-featured desktop application for Linux that is highly compatible with Microsoft formats, lightweight, and completely free.

1. Download the Linux package: Visit the official WPS Office website and navigate to the Linux download section to get the .deb or .rpm package.
2. Install the software: Double-click the downloaded package or use your Linux terminal package manager (e.g., sudo dpkg -i) to install WPS Office.
3. Open and edit files: Launch WPS Writer, Presentation, or Spreadsheets from your Linux application menu and open your Microsoft Office documents.

Native Linux support for Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora, CentOS, and other popular distributions.High compatibility with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx).Lightweight design that runs smoothly even on older hardware without needing a Virtual Machine.Familiar tabbed user interface, ensuring a seamless migration from Microsoft Office.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any plans for Microsoft to release a native Linux version of Microsoft 365?

Currently, Microsoft has not announced any official plans to release native Microsoft 365 desktop applications for Linux. Users are encouraged to submit feature requests via the Microsoft Feedback portal or use the web versions.

Can I use Wine to run Microsoft 365 desktop apps on Linux?

While older versions of Office (like Office 2010 or 2013) might run with limited functionality using compatibility layers like Wine or CrossOver, modern Microsoft 365 desktop apps generally do not work well and are not officially supported.

Does Microsoft Teams have a Linux desktop app?

Microsoft previously offered a native Teams app for Linux, but it has been retired in favor of the newer Progressive Web App (PWA) version, which is fully accessible via Edge or Chrome browsers on Linux.

What is a persistent live Windows USB, and will it run Microsoft 365?

A persistent live USB allows you to run an operating system directly from a USB drive while saving changes and files. However, creating a functional persistent Windows USB for heavy tasks like Microsoft 365 can be complex, and you may experience slow performance due to USB read/write speed limitations.

Office App Problems