Macworld

TL;DR: Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows runs inside Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion, or Boot Camp on a Mac without a second Microsoft 365 subscription, and a lifetime license is on sale for $54.99 (reg. $249.99).

There’s a cheap way to get Microsoft Office running on the Windows side of a Mac, and it doesn’t involve paying for a second Microsoft 365 subscription on top of whatever the Mac already runs. Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows installs once inside Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion, or a Boot Camp partition, and a lifetime license for one PC, virtual or physical, is on sale for $54.99 (reg. $249.99).

Running Windows through Parallels or Boot Camp already means keeping two operating systems working side by side, and adding a subscription-based Office on top of that turns one Mac into two ongoing software bills.

A one-time license keeps the cost fixed no matter how long the Windows partition stays in use, which matters for anyone who only opens Windows a few times a month for a specific app or workflow.

What’s included with the Windows license
  • Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Access all activate with the license and run natively within the Windows installation, just as they would on a Windows-native machine.
  • Dark mode carries over from the subscription version of Office.
  • Excel and Access include the same data analysis and database management tools found in Microsoft 365, useful for budgets or spreadsheets built on the Windows side of the Mac.
  • Licensing is tied to the Windows PC or VM itself rather than to a Microsoft account, so the license stays in place after a macOS update, a Parallels upgrade, or a fresh Boot Camp partition.
  • Redemption happens within 7 days of purchase, with the license key and download link arriving by email.
  • Security patches continue for as long as Microsoft supports the release.

Get Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows on sale for $54.99.

Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows: Lifetime LicenseSee Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.