What’s new in LibreOffice and how to install it on MacOS

Office suites have been one of the most important tools for businesses and consumers for some time. However, over the years, traditional client-based apps have been replaced by more cloud-centric options (such as Google Docs and Office 365), but that’s not to say standard applications have gone the way of the dinosaurs. It doesn’t make sense.

Once upon a time, the only office suite I used was LibreOffice. This is a free and open source application that can be installed on multiple operating systems (LinuxMacOS, and Windows).

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Over the past few years, I’ve seen myself relying on more Google Docs Most of all, that doesn’t mean I’ve given up on LibreOffice. Even if it’s just that task, LibreOffice is still an important part of my workflow.

What’s New in LibreOffice 7.4

Document Foundation recently released LibreOffice 7.4, the latest version that can be installed on MacOS. One of the biggest improvements is much more accuracy. microsoft office compatibility. Also WebP images and his EMZ/WMZ files are now supported. There is also a ScriptForge (LibreOffice Script Library) help page and a new search field in the LibreOffice Extension Manager. And, of course, many bug fixes to help improve performance and reliability.

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Why you should switch to LibreOffice

First of all, it’s free. And because it’s open source, bug fixes and new features are provided frequently. One of my favorite features of LibreOffice (besides its great compatibility with MS Office documents) is the ability to customize the user interface. If you prefer a traditional menu-type interface, you can use that. I prefer a more compact UI and LibreOffice has you covered. In fact, you can choose from his UI variants:

• Standard toolbar.
• with tabs.
• A single toolbar.
• Side bar.
• Compact with tabs.
• Groupedbar compact.
• context single.

In short, LibreOffice has a UI that fits your needs. Even better, different UI layouts can be applied to different tools. For example, you can use the Sidebar layout (my favorite) for Writer and the Standard Toolbar for Calc.

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Now that we know what LibreOffice is, let’s see how to install it on MacOS.

There are two ways to install LibreOffice on MacOS. The first method is free and described here. How to install LibreOffice on MacOS. The second method is easier. I will explain here.

How to install LibreOffice on MacOS from the App Store

The Document Foundation (the organization behind LibreOffice) recently made it easier to install LibreOffice on MacOS devices from within the Apple Store. One caveat to this is that it’s not free. Installing LibreOffice this way will cost you $8.99, but the profits will go towards funding The Document Foundation (which is a very good thing).

Here’s how to install LibreOffice from the App Store:

Once installed, you will see the LibreOffice launcher in Launchpad.Unlike Linux In your version of LibreOffice you cannot open individual components separately. This means that instead of opening Writer, Calc, Draw, Base, Impress or Math separately, you should open the main LibreOffice app and open the required component from there.

For years LibreOffice has been my go-to client-based office suite, and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon. If you’re on MacOS and looking for a free MacOS alternative pageGoogle Docs, or Office365, LibreOffice are arguably the best options.