LibreOffice

Updated on 01/21/2026 – Version: 25.8.4

Download LibreOffice – Free and powerful alternative to Microsoft Office

After our hands-on testing, it quickly became clear why LibreOffice is one of the most widely used gratis kontorpakker. It delivers an impressive mix of power and flexibility, making it a real alternative to Microsoft Office—even in professional environments. During our review, we worked with everything from long text documents to heavy spreadsheets and presentations, and the suite handled it all without issues.

The suite feels complete from the very first moment. Writer, Calc, and Impress cover virtually all the needs we normally associate with a paid office suite, and switching between tools is fast with no unnecessary loading times. The fact that the software is fully translated into English and 100% free makes it an easy choice for both home users and businesses.

Why choose LibreOffice?

In testing, we used the entire office suite—from word processing and spreadsheets to presentations, drawing tools, and the database system. It feels like a complete, well-built ecosystem where every tool works seamlessly together.

The fact that LibreOffice is free and open source never felt like a limitation. We could install it on multiple devices without licenses, and the entire suite remained stable and professional throughout our test.

We also worked with documents in DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX to see how well compatibility holds up. In practice, LibreOffice opened and saved the files without trouble, and formatting stayed surprisingly close to the original layout.

Frequent updates also made a noticeable difference. During our test period, we received an update that improved Calc’s speed and reduced load times for larger documents.

We tested the program in dansk version, and the localization was thorough and easy to work with. The software also offers an impressive number of language packs, making it well suited for international teams and education.

What’s included in LibreOffice?

After going through LibreOffice, we quickly saw how complete the suite really is. Each app works as a standalone tool yet integrates so well that it feels like a single system.

Writer proved to be a powerful word processor that can easily match Microsoft Word in both features and workflow. Calc handled our test sheets with large data sets and advanced formulas without noticeable lag, letting us run analyses and budgets just like in Excel. Impress let us build presentations with smooth animations and an impressive selection of layouts — a true alternative to PowerPoint.

We also used Draw for diagrams and sketches, and it works surprisingly well as a vector-based drawing tool, especially alongside the rest of the suite. Base turned out to be a solid system for database management, where we could work with SQL and other data sources without issues. Math made it easy to insert advanced matematiske formler into documents, which is especially relevant for students and technical users.

All told, LibreOffice gives you every tool you need to handle both everyday and more demanding office tasks — with no license fees or subscriptions.

Microsoft Office compatibility

One of the biggest worries when switching to a free office suite is file compatibility. Fortunately, LibreOffice supports a wide range of formats, so you can:

✔️ Open and edit Microsoft Office files — DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, and more.
✔️ Export to PDF — Save your documents as a PDF with one click.
✔️ Use open standards — Save files in ODT, ODS, and ODP, which are open, universal formats.

Whether you’re receiving documents from Microsoft Office users or want to save files in Office formats, the software ensures full compatibility.

User-friendly design and frequent updates

LibreOffice feels surprisingly intuitive once you sit down with it—even if you’re used to Microsoft Office. We especially noticed how quickly we could find our way around the menus and how much mirrors commercial alternatives. Everything is responsive, and we didn’t experience any lag, even when working with larger documents and spreadsheets.

We also noticed that updates roll out regularly. Each update improved performance a bit, and it’s clear the developers continuously expand support for modern file formats.

We also spent time experimenting with the interface. There are far more options than you typically get in free office suites. You can quickly switch between a classic toolbar, a compact layout, or a ribbon-style interface that resembles Microsoft Office — something we found especially useful for tailoring the suite to different workflows.

LibreOffice vs. OpenOffice – What’s the difference?

LibreOffice was originally forked from OpenOffice, but over the years it has evolved into a more modern and powerful solution. While both programs are open source and offer similar features, LibreOffice has a clear advantage in development speed, compatibility, and user experience.

🔹 More features and improved compatibility
LibreOffice includes more tools and advanced features not found in OpenOffice. Especially when it comes to compatibility with Microsoft Office, LibreOffice is far ahead. It supports modern DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX formats better, which means files bevarer deres formatering more precisely when shared between different office suites. In addition, the software offers stronger spreadsheet capabilities in Calc, improved presentation tools in Impress, and more advanced templates for document management.

🔹 More frequent updates and an active community
One of OpenOffice’s biggest drawbacks is that it rarely receives updates, which can lead to security risks and poor support for new file formats. LibreOffice, on the other hand, gets constant updates and improvements from an active open-source community. These updates ensure better performance, more features, and optimized compatibility with external programs.

🔹 Modern and flexible interface
LibreOffice offers a more modern and user-friendly interface that you can customize. Users can choose between the classic toolbar or a ribbon-like UI that resembles Microsoft Office. The suite also supports a dark mode and adjustable icon sizes, making it easier to work efficiently.

🔹 Larger community and better support
Because the software has an active developer team and a large community, users get faster bug fixes and better support compared to OpenOffice. There’s also a broader selection of third‑party extensions and templates to further streamline your workflow.

In short, this suite isn’t just an upgrade to OpenOffice — it’s a more modern, capable, and future‑proof solution that gives you greater flexibility for your office tasks. 🚀

What’s new in LibreOffice 25.8.4 (January 2026)

The latest update, version 25.8.4, is an important maintenance release focused on making your workday more stable. Here are the key highlights:

• Over 70 bug fixes: This release clears up a long list of minor issues that could cause hiccups in daily use. Expect fewer unexpected crashes and a smoother overall experience.
• Improved Microsoft Office compatibility: Important adjustments were made to how LibreOffice handles .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx files, so your documents look right even when shared with Microsoft 365 users.
• Stronger security: Version 25.8.4 includes critical security updates, including better macro handling and protection against malicious files, making this the most secure version of the suite to date.
• Faster startup: Under‑the‑hood optimizations reduce loading times for both Writer and Calc, so you can get to work faster.

If you’re on an older release (such as 24.8 or 25.2), 25.8.4 is the version to upgrade to now for maximum stability and security in 2026.

Top 5 tips and tricks for LibreOffice

1. Use keyboard shortcuts effectively
Learn the most useful shortcuts like Ctrl+Shift+V (paste without formatting), Ctrl+/ (enter formula in Calc), and F11 (open Styles) to speed up your work.

2. Recover autosaved files
LibreOffice can automatically create backup versions of your documents. Find them under:
Tools > Options > Load/Save > General > Always create backup copy.

3. Enable extensions for extra features
Go to extensions.libreoffice.org and add everything from grammar checkers to advanced export tools.

4. Use Styles to control layout
Instead of formatting text manually, use Styles for headings, body text, and lists. Your document will be more consistent and easier to edit.

5. Save to PDF with one click
Click the PDF icon on the toolbar to quickly export your document without opening extra dialogs. Use File > Export As for more advanced PDF options.

LibreOffice – Frequently asked questions