Chapter 1 · 1.3
Installing and setting up LibreOffice
LibreOffice is free and open source. You download it from its maker, The Document Foundation.
Downloading and installing
- Go to www.libreoffice.org/download/download-libreoffice. The site detects your operating system. If it doesn't, choose Windows, macOS (Apple Silicon or Intel) or Linux.
- There are two versions available. The top one is the newest (version 26.8 in November 2026). The other is the older version, which has been tested for longer (26.2). The newest version is fine for most people. If you want as few surprises as possible at the office, choose the older one.
- Open the downloaded file and follow the steps.
- Windows: the installer includes the menus in English. LibreOffice uses the language of Windows.
- Mac: the menus are in English by default. Want a different language? Download the language pack (the translated user interface) on the same page and install it after LibreOffice.
- Linux: ideally, install LibreOffice through your distribution's software centre, together with the language pack for your language if you need one.
Four settings that make switching easier
You'll find them under Tools > Options... (on a Mac: LibreOffice > Preferences).
| Setting | Where | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Your name | LibreOffice > User Data | Your name then appears with your comments and tracked changes. See Tracking changes and adding comments (track changes). |
| Save as docx, xlsx and pptx by default | Load/Save > General, under Document type and Always save as | Useful if you often exchange files with people who use Word and Excel, or if you also open your files in Euro-Office. Read Docx or odt, xlsx or ods: which file format should you choose? first. |
| Language of your documents | Languages and Locales > General, under Western | Choose your language for the spelling check, for example English (UK). See Setting the spell check and language to English. |
| Automatic saving | Load/Save > General, Save AutoRecovery information every ... minutes | You'll lose less work if the program or your computer crashes. |
Prefer tabs like in Word?
- Choose View > User Interface....
- Choose Tabbed (or Tabbed Compact for a small screen).
- Confirm your choice. You can always go back to Standard.
The menus with the names used in this manual are still available through the button with three lines.
Tip: You don't need to install Euro-Office: it works in your browser. Would you also like Euro-Office as a program on your computer? That's called Nextcloud Office. See Euro-Office as a program on your computer: what is it and when should you use it?.