LibreOffice Download: Get the Free Office Suite Safely

LibreOffice is made by a worldwide community and backed by The Document Foundation, a non-profit organisation. Its official site is libreoffice.org, and the download page shows the right installer for your system at the top, with options for other systems, languages and versions below. Files can also be fetched by torrent or from the project's list of mirrors, all linked from the same page.

At the time of writing the newest release is LibreOffice 26.8.1, from the 26.8 line that the site calls its latest stable release. The download page also still offers 26.2.6 from the previous line. If you want the newest features, choose 26.8; if you manage several PCs and prefer a release that has had longer to mature, the older line is the cautious option while it is still offered.

The suite costs nothing. The homepage says LibreOffice gives access to its tools at no cost, and the source code is licensed under the Mozilla Public License 2.0. You never need a product key.

The main download options on the official page are:

• Windows (x86-64): the right build for almost all Windows 11 and Windows 10 PCs.
• Windows (ARM64): for Windows on ARM laptops.
• macOS (Apple Silicon) and macOS (Intel): pick the one that matches your Mac's processor.
• Linux (deb or rpm): although the site recommends installing LibreOffice through your distribution's own software centre where possible, because it is usually better integrated.

The interface and offline help come in many languages. If the language you want is not included in the main installer, the page offers matching language packs and an offline help package. For Android, the site points to the LibreOffice Viewer app rather than a full suite.

The official system requirements page lists modest needs:

• Windows: Windows 10 or 11 (fully supported on Windows 11) or Windows Server 2012 through 2022; a Pentium-compatible PC; 256 MB of RAM (512 MB recommended); up to 1.5 GB of disk space; a 1280x800 display.
• macOS: macOS 11 or newer on an Intel or Apple silicon processor; 512 MB of RAM; up to 800 MB of disk space.
• Linux: kernel 4.18 or higher and glibc 2.27 or higher; builds from The Document Foundation need an x86-64-v2 level CPU.

Two notes on that page are worth knowing. Installing on Windows requires administrator rights. And a few features, notably the Base database program, need Java; the other programs work without it. Our guide to reading system requirements explains how to check your own PC.

1. Open libreoffice.org yourself and choose Download, or use the official source box on this page.
2. Check that the version and "Windows (x86-64)" are shown, then download the main installer (an .msi file).
3. Run the installer with an administrator account and pick Typical unless you need specific components.
4. When asked, you can choose to make LibreOffice the default program for Office file types, or keep Microsoft Office as the default if you have both.
5. Start LibreOffice from the Start menu. The Start Center opens Writer, Calc, Impress and the other programs.

If Windows warns about the file, confirm that it came from libreoffice.org or one of its listed mirrors. The installer does not bundle third-party offers; if you see any, delete the file and download it again from the official page.

The suite contains six programs: Writer (documents), Calc (spreadsheets), Impress (presentations), Draw (diagrams and simple layouts), Base (databases) and Math (formula editing). The 26.8 release added Markdown import and export, connectors in Calc and Writer, and performance improvements, according to the official download page.

LibreOffice saves in the OpenDocument format (.odt, .ods, .odp) by default, but it opens and saves Microsoft formats such as .docx, .xlsx and .pptx. Everyday documents, spreadsheets and slides usually come through well. Files with complex layouts, unusual fonts, macros written for Excel, or advanced features may need small fixes after opening. If you exchange files with Office users regularly, you can set Word, Excel and PowerPoint formats as the default save format under Tools, Options, Load/Save. For PDF work, Writer and Draw can export PDFs directly; for editing existing PDFs, see our PDF reader guide.

Yes, anyone can download and use LibreOffice without paying, including companies. The official business page adds a practical point: The Document Foundation does not provide technical support itself. Home and small office users get help from the community, while larger organisations, schools and public bodies are encouraged to use LibreOffice Enterprise versions from the project's ecosystem partners, which add paid support and service agreements.

LibreOffice vs OpenOffice is another common question. LibreOffice was originally based on OpenOffice.org, and the two share a common history. The LibreOffice site has its own comparison page; in short, LibreOffice is the more actively developed suite with frequent releases. Both are free, but you should pick one and keep it updated rather than installing both.

Whatever you choose, watch out for sites selling "LibreOffice Pro" or asking for payment. Our guides on open source vs freeware and fake download buttons explain how to spot those traps.

LibreOffice releases bug-fix updates regularly within each version line, and new major versions twice a year under its year-and-month numbering, such as 26.2 and 26.8. On Windows and macOS the suite can check for updates itself under Help, Check for Updates; when a new version is available it points you to the official download page, where you download and run the new installer over the old one.

A few practical tips help the switch go smoothly:

• Your documents are separate from the program, so updating does not touch them. Your user profile (settings, custom dictionaries, templates) is also kept.
• If you previously used Apache OpenOffice or an old LibreOffice that you no longer need, uninstall it from Settings, Apps so that file associations point to one suite only.
• If LibreOffice starts behaving oddly after an update, resetting the user profile from Help, Restart in Safe Mode often fixes it.

For removing old programs cleanly, including leftover folders, see our guide on uninstalling software completely.