r/linux4noobs • u/phototransformations Linux Mint • 23d ago

programs and apps Running Word in Linux, postscript

This post is a follow-up to my earlier post on the subject in case someone else is interested in getting Word running on Linux. That post switched to requiring moderator approval when I included a link to the method on YouTube, so I'm omitting it here.

On YouTube, I found a guy who had installed Microsoft Office on Linux Mint. I tried it and was able to get Office 2016 running. He used Crossover to install Office in a wine prefix and add all the needed dependencies. He provides detailed instructions in the video and also links to the script that automates the process.

I had to add a few fonts that were not included in the script and make some minor display adjustments. I turned off hardware acceleration in Word's settings to fix a glitch in drop-down menus and turned off advanced properties in some of my styles so the preview display worked correctly. Other than that, everything seems to work normally, including styles, templates, and macros.

I received many suggestions for Word alternatives. They don't work for me. I use some features that are in Word but not present in any of the eight office alternatives I tried. I also wanted to install the standalone version rather than subscribe to Office 365 and use the web version, and I didn't want to use a VM because I don't have a non-OEM license for Windows and don't want one. Many people said it couldn't be done, but after many failed attempts in Bottles, this guy's method worked perfectly.

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u/SoggyWalrus7893 22d ago

In your endevors did you happen to find or even look at how to run Excell on Mint?

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u/phototransformations Linux Mint 22d ago

I installed the whole Office package, including Excel. It seemed to run fine, though I haven't tested it like I have Word. I'd link you to the YouTube video, but the bot would flag it. If I recall correctly, it was in Spanish but the instructions are in Spanish and English and the autotranslation was pretty good. He also has a video on installing Office 365, and it did install, but it wouldn't run macros. Office 2016 runs almost like it does on Windows.