Word Processing software exists since the launch of Windows 3.1 and Windows 95. We had worked with Notepad and WordPad since last several years. Microsoft has integrated several new features into the default Word processing software. However, you will not find the spell checking feature in Notepad.
Microsoft Office ships with several tools for word processing including the legendary Microsoft Word. However, you will have to shell out money. There are free alternatives available in the Word Processing segment. In this article, we will list five free Word Processing software available for Windows.
1. Open Office
Open Office includes not only Word Processing but also tools for spreadsheets, image editing, presentations and databases under a single umbrella. If you install Open Office, you will be able to work with Writer, Impress, Calc, Base and Draw. The total capacity of the installation file is around 150MB. Open Office is available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux platforms.
Open Office Writer is similar to that of the Microsoft Word and is considered as the best open-source word processing tools. You will be able to import and edit PDF files, which is not even possible with paid word processing tools. Moreover, the Writer provides support for multi-language and International open standard format alongside availability of several formats.
2. Libre Office
LibreOffice includes 6 integrated tools such as Writer, Impress, Calc, Base, Draw, and Math. The word processor provides support for 110 languages and is available on a wide range of platforms. According to estimates, LibreOffice has been downloaded 55-million times. LibreOffice Writer includes templates for creating memo, resume or index for a book. It provides support for auto-completion aired with a dictionary, spell-checking and other font formatting tools. You will be able to open both.Doc and.Docx files with support for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. However, the tool doesn’t include word count feature as in Microsoft Word. If you work with mobile, you can download the Android app.
3. Google Docs
Google Docs is a web-based tool for composing and editing word documents. You can write content on the web by logging onto docs.google.com and save the file on the cloud. The advantage of Google Docs is that you will be able to retrieve the document even if your system has crashed. Moreover, you can sync content across multiple devices. You can easily download the document in Word, PDF and other formats. You will be able to view all the options such as pictures, tables, spell checking and much more.
4. WPS Office
WPS Office ships with Writer and tools for the creation and management of presentations and spreadsheets. If you have experience with Microsoft Word, you will be able to quickly master the interface. The tool includes several templates and fonts and is compatible with Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS. It offers all formatting tools including spell-checking modules. You can also export the document to PDF. Moreover, the mobile app is equipped with crazy features such as wireless printing, presentations, collaboration, and document security.
5. AbiWord
AbiWord is identical to Microsoft Word but it includes integrated features that extend its capabilities. It provides support for all major platform, multiple languages, font formatting tools and file formats such as RTF, DOC and much more. You can choose a layout for the preparation of scientific papers and Journal articles with support for the mail merge. AbiWord is available for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X operating platforms.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are several free Word Processing software available. If you are unable to invest money for costly Microsoft Word, you can try the free options. Let us know which free software you prefer.