LibreOffice
The Document Foundation • Office Suite
Office productivity is essential for everyone. LibreOffice provides a powerful, free, and open-source alternative to proprietary suites, offering a complete set of applications for documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and databases.
Built and maintained by The Document Foundation, this comprehensive package ensures users retain full control over their data and creative output without the burden of subscription fees or vendor lock-in. This latest version, 26.2.0, introduces significant enhancements to the Calc spreadsheet software and improves compatibility with various document formats.
Despite its size, the office productivity suite is a robust, community-driven project that supports the international OpenDocument Format (ODF) standard, making it a reliable choice for digital sovereignty.
In This Post
LibreOffice Quick Start
Fine-Tuning Advanced Configuration
- Go to Tools in the main menu.
- Select Options (or Preferences on macOS).
- Navigate to LibreOffice > Advanced.
- Click the Open Expert Configuration button to access hundreds of hidden, granular settings.
Why: This deep menu path allows power users to directly modify internal application settings, such as memory usage, UI scaling factors, and specific file format handling parameters, which is crucial for optimizing performance on specialized hardware or for niche document workflows.
Download LibreOffice
Size – 355 MB
Windows
Download LibreOffice for Windows – x64
Download LibreOffice for Windows – x86
Download LibreOffice for Windows – ARM64
Download LibreOffice for Windows – Portable
Mac
Linux
Download LibreOffice for Linux
Android
Download LibreOffice from Google Play Store
All Other Platforms
Technical Requirements
Minimum
- OS: Windows 7 SP1 or newer, macOS 10.15 or newer, Linux (glibc2 version 2.27+)
- Processor: Pentium-compatible PC (Pentium III, Athlon, or newer)
- RAM: 256 MB
- Disk Space: Up to 1.5 GB
- Graphics: 1024×768 resolution (1280×800 recommended) with 256 colors
Recommended
- RAM: 512 MB
Product Specifications
| Software Name | LibreOffice |
|---|---|
| Version | 26.2.0 |
| License | Free (MPL-2.0 and others) |
| File Size | 355 MB |
| OS Support | Windows 10+, macOS 10.15+, Linux (various distributions) |
| Language | English, Spanish, French (multi-language) |
| Developer | The Document Foundation |
| Homepage | https://www.libreoffice.org |
| Last Updated | February 2026 |
Strengths & Weaknesses
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Completely free and open-source with no feature limitations or ads. | Lacks native, real-time cloud collaboration features found in competitors. |
| Excellent cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, and Linux. | The user interface can feel dated compared to modern, proprietary suites. |
| Strong compatibility with Microsoft Office formats (DOCX, XLSX, PPTX). | |
| Includes a full suite of applications: Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, and Math. |
LibreOffice Features
- Full Office Suite Components: The LibreOffice package includes six core applications: Writer (word processor), Calc (spreadsheet software), Impress (presentations), Draw (vector graphics), Base (database management), and Math (formula editor), covering all essential office productivity suite needs.
- Advanced File Format Compatibility: It natively supports the OpenDocument Format (ODF), the international ISO standard, while also offering robust import and export filters for Microsoft Office’s OOXML formats (DOCX, XLSX, PPTX) to ensure seamless document exchange.
- Markdown Support in Writer: The Writer component now includes native support for the Markdown format, allowing users to open and save files using the lightweight markup language, which is highly beneficial for technical writers and developers.
- ScriptForge Shared Memory Service: For power users and developers, the new ScriptForge.Sharedmemory service enables persistent memory storage across Basic and Python scripts, facilitating complex, event-driven automation within the suite.
- Non-Opening Calc Data Access: A new ScriptForge method, session.GetRangeFromCalc(), allows external scripts to read cell values from a Calc file without requiring the file to be opened, significantly improving data integration workflows.
Installation Guide
Installation Steps
- Step 1: Click the download button above to get the installer for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
- Step 2: Locate the downloaded file (e.g., .msi on Windows or .dmg on macOS) and double-click to run the installer.
- Step 3: Follow the on-screen installation wizard, accepting the default installation type for most users.
- Step 4: Once installation is complete, launch the LibreOffice Start Center to access Writer, Calc, and other components.
Compatibility: Administrator rights are required for the installation process on Windows and macOS. For some features, such as the Base database component, a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) is required.
Problem Solving
- Issue: Installation fails due to permissions → Solution: Right-click the installer file and select Run as administrator to ensure necessary system access.
- Issue: Missing database functionality → Solution: Ensure a compatible Java Runtime Environment (JRE) is installed on your system, as it is required for the Base component.
FAQ
Is LibreOffice 26.2.0 compatible with Microsoft Office files?
Yes, LibreOffice offers robust import and export filters for Microsoft Office’s OOXML formats, including DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX, ensuring high compatibility for most documents.
What is the difference between the Fresh and Still versions?
The Fresh version (26.2.0) is the latest release, recommended for early adopters and power users, as it contains the newest features. The Still version is an older, more mature release recommended for corporate deployments and cautious users.
Does LibreOffice have a mobile version for Android or iOS?
The Document Foundation does not officially provide a mobile version of the core LibreOffice suite. Ecosystem partners, such as Collabora, offer mobile apps based on the LibreOffice Technology platform.
Is the LibreOffice download free to use?
Yes. The software is free and open-source, licensed under the MPL-2.0 and other licenses, meaning it can be downloaded, used, and distributed at no cost.
Similar Software
| Feature | LibreOffice | Microsoft Office (365) | Apache OpenOffice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | ✅ Free | 💰 Paid (Subscription or Perpetual License) | ✅ Free |
| Platform | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Web, Mobile | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Open Source | ✅ true | ❌ false | ✅ true |
| Cloud Integration | Via ecosystem partners (Collabora Online) | Full (OneDrive, SharePoint, Real-time Co-authoring) | ❌ No |
| File Format Compatibility (OOXML/ODF) | Native ODF, Strong OOXML support | Native OOXML, Partial ODF support | Native ODF, Older OOXML support |
| Active Development | High (Bi-annual major releases) | High (Continuous updates) | Low (Infrequent updates, security concerns noted) |
| Our Pick | Best overall | Best for enterprise environments requiring full cloud integration and native OOXML fidelity. | Best for users on older systems or those needing a basic, stable, and completely free office suite. |
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