What you need to know
- The Microsoft Office Android apps are redirecting some Chromebook owners to the Office web apps.
- Only a subset of Chromebook users are being redirected at this time.
- Android apps don't always provide a smooth experience on Chromebooks, so Microsoft may prefer that people use Office on the web.
Microsoft Office now redirects some people with Chromebooks to the Office web apps. As reported by WindowsUnited, when some users attempt to open an Android version of an Office app on a Chromebook, they're redirected to the web version of the same app. Only some people with Chromebooks are being redirected at this time. It's unclear if Microsoft plans to migrate everyone over or if this is just in testing.
The best Chromebooks allow people to access the Microsoft Office suite in two ways. On Chromebooks that support Android apps, people can download any of Microsoft's Office apps through the Google Play Store. Alternatively, any Chromebook can access Office through the web.
Android apps on Chromebooks don't always provide a smooth experience. They can also use more system resources than web apps. If Microsoft is happy with its Office web apps, it may prefer to push people onto the web rather than let people have a suboptimal experience with Android apps.
When redirected, the Office app says that the web apps deliver the best and most up-to-date experience for Office.
Richard Devine explains in our guide on how to use Office on Chromebooks that the web apps are "just as good as the Android apps." They also come with the benefit of not taking up any space on your device.
Have you been redirected to the Office web apps? Let us know in the comments.
